With support from Siemens, Sachsenmilch Leppersdorf has implemented a future-oriented maintenance strategy. The solution used is Senseye Predictive Maintenance, which is based on artificial intelligence and continuously monitors the condition of technical equipment. This enables the milk processing plants to avoid production downtime and manage maintenance in a targeted manner. This is a decisive advantage for a company that produces 365 days a year under high quality requirements. Every day, large quantities of dairy products and processed goods such as baby food and bioethanol are produced in Leppersdorf. The plants process 4.7 million liters of fresh milk daily, which corresponds to 170 truckloads. Nearly complete plant availability is essential.
Networked machines as the basis for predictive maintenance
Sachsenmilch's modern production environment with networked machines continuously delivers large amounts of data. This is an ideal starting point for the use of predictive maintenance solutions. The software system analyzes this data using AI-based algorithms. It detects anomalies at an early stage and provides maintenance recommendations before critical failures occur.
Temperature curves, vibrations, and frequencies are typical parameters used for fault detection. Siemens integrated existing process data and supplemented the technology with new vibration sensors and the Siplus CMS 1200 measurement system.
Efficient project implementation with Siemens expertise
Siemens not only contributed technical expertise, but also provided project management support. Roland Ziepel, Technical Manager at the Leppersdorf site, emphasizes:"What we like about this project is that Siemens has know-how on both the technological and the technical sides as well as in project management." Training and support during implementation ensured that the Sachsenmilch team was able to continue using the solution independently.
Predictive maintenance significantly reduces downtime costs
The benefits were already evident in the pilot project: "We can confirm that the pilot project with Senseye Predictive Maintenance has already paid off. Detecting a faulty pump at anearly stage saved us a lot of expense, in the low six figures”, reports Ziepel.
Siemens also sees this as a milestone in the digitalization of maintenance. Margherita Adragna, CEO Customer Services at Siemens Digital Industries, explains: "We’re pleased that with Senseye Predictive Maintenance, we were able to successfully support Sachsenmilch in integrating a preventive maintenance strategy in its existing processes. This promotes efficiency and competitiveness in increasingly complex industries. And the continuing development of our Maintenance Copilot Senseye is another significant step toward transforming maintenance operations,"
Integration of predictive maintenance into SAP systems planned
Following the successful completion of the pilot, Sachsenmilch plans to integrate the Siemens system into SAP Plant Maintenance. The aim is to automatically transfer maintenance notifications from the predictive maintenance solution to SAP, thereby automating planning.
In addition, the Maintenance Copilot Senseye will be used more intensively to support maintenance teams with data-driven recommendations. Siemens is thus promoting an integrated maintenance approach that focuses on sustainability, reliability, and long-term operational efficiency.
