CONDITION MONITORING SOLUTIONS
OEM systems tell you the machine is running. Ours tells you what to do to keep it running
We work in tandem with your reliability and maintenance engineers to keep critical machines working longer, based on precision data we collect and analyse.
CONDITION MONITORING SOLUTIONS
OEM systems tell you the machine is running. Ours tells you what to do to keep it running
We work in tandem with your reliability and maintenance engineers to keep critical machines working longer, based on precision data we collect and analyse.
South African innovation
The idea for a web-based sensor began as postgraduate research at the University of Cape Town and Cape Technicon in 1997 — a versatile concept that seemed worth pursuing, even without an obvious need yet.
In 1999, a private investor backed the idea of taking it further: a web-based condition monitoring system. By late 2000, the technology was ready for commercial development. Venture capital followed, Motornostix (Pty) Ltd was formed, and a year later, the Motornostix Canary® was born.
The canary in the coal mine and the Motornostix Canary® story
Canaries were used in coal mining to provide early warning of toxic gases. Gases like carbon monoxide would make the more sensitive bird sick before affecting the miners.
The visual and audible canary was an early warning system, and the phrase “canary in a coal mine” is frequently used to refer to something that warns of an impending crisis.
Motornostix Canary® data loggers work the same way for machines, providing early signals for critical problems.
We manufacture our own Canary sensors in-house. They are more sensitive than the usual sensors in the market. (We can even pick up if a grain of sugar dropped on a 60kg steel plate.)
Our Canary warns before the machine break-down.
26+ years later, we’re a leader in condition monitoring
Today we have a full team of mechanical, electrical and electronic engineers, as well as a software development team.
Our Canary sensors are still made from scratch – we are the only company in South Africa that does this.
MD Johan Grobler served as Vice President of SAAMA (the Southern African Asset Management Association) for 3 years and actively contributed to the promotion of PAS 55, the standard that became the foundation for ISO 55 000 in industry.
An expert on condition monitoring, he has written papers and done presentations on topics, such as:
- PAS 55 as a framework for "Physical Asset Management for effective remote online condition monitoring"
- Adapting Online Condition Monitoring
- Industrial Internet of Condition Monitoring Things
Motornostix continues to invest in new technology and software development, harnessing machine-to-cloud data monitoring and AI to make monitoring solutions smarter.
Our Mission
We deliver real-time insights into machine health through advanced online condition monitoring technologies.
We collaborate with our clients to detect and prevent failures, optimise maintenance, enhance reliability, and create safer work environments.
We serve clients in local and selected global industries.
Our Vision
To be the trusted partner that empowers industries to prevent machine failure and minimise associated costs.
Trusted by
Clients stay with us for the long term
Our clients understand that we partner with them to solve problems – and don’t just try to sell them products.
Our clients are spread across South Africa and other parts of Africa. Industries include:
- Automotive
- Beverage
- Cement
- FMCG
- Mineral processing
- Mining
- Paper and packaging
- Property and asset care
- Steel
- Water processing
Motornostix South Africa (Pty) Ltd has a 100% BBBEE compliance Level 2 rating.
Condition Monitoring: Value Drivers
Primary purpose
The primary objective of online condition monitoring is to avoid and reduce unexpected and catastrophic failures on critical assets.
The Five key Value Drivers (VD) are:
- Protected component life
- Extended asset life
- Lower maintenance cost
- And avoidance of operational inefficiencies such as unplanned stoppages and in-pit recoveries
- Production downtime
The purpose of the online condition-monitoring programme is to reduce the life-cycle cost of major components by:
- Protecting each component’s expected design or target service life. (VD1)
- Detecting damaging operating conditions before they permanently consume component life. (VD1)
- Preventing premature replacement or rebuild. (VD1)
- Supporting controlled life extension beyond the nominal replacement interval when the component’s individual operating and condition history provides sufficient evidence. (VD2)
- Creating an auditable component-health record for decisions made under the OEM Maintenance and Repair Contract, or MARC. (VD2)
- Avoiding secondary damage that converts a repairable component into a major rebuild or scrap event. (VD3)
- Avoiding knock-on operational and recovery costs (VD4)
- Production downtime avoided (VD5)
