Background
At PepsiCo Toronto, seven production lines keep Canada supplied with essential beverages, running continuously to meet retail demand. By partnering with Augury to monitor critical assets, the team has evolved from urgent problem-solving to proactive strategic planning.
What began as cautious optimism from experienced mechanics has grown into full confidence and ownership: major failures prevented, maintenance schedules made predictable, and a team that actively requests vibration data to validate and elevate their work.
Challenge
Reactive maintenance drained resources:
Without predictive insights, the team relied only on past experience, changing parts annually to avoid failures or responding once equipment broke down.
Mechanics needed a reason to believe in the data:
Seasoned technicians viewed vibration graphs but needed to see proof of concept before embracing the technology.
Premature gearbox failures lacked proof:
Multiple gearboxes were failing early, but without continuous monitoring data, the team struggled to hold OEMs accountable for quality issues.
The journey: Building confidence through results
Ownership at every level:
The engineering team monitors vibrations daily, with their frontline lead investigating alerts within 24 hours and bridging the gap between data and mechanical expertise.
Trust through accuracy:
When Augury detected high vibration on a brand-new gearbox others assumed was perfect, investigation revealed it was defective—proving the system catches problems humans miss.
Culture shift complete:
Veterans now request vibration data to verify their work.
Before Augury, we changed parts annually just to avoid headaches—whether they needed it or not. Now we know exactly when to act. We can push equipment limits safely, save money on unnecessary replacements, and give production weeks of advance notice. This predictive approach completely changed how we operate.
Keys to Toronto’s success
Frontline ownership drives success
Having a dedicated engineer who owns both auxiliary equipment and vibration monitoring ensures consistent vigilance and rapid response to developing issues.
Proactive monitoring prevents disasters
The team now investigates monitor-level alerts immediately instead of waiting for alarms, catching problems while they’re still manageable and plannable.
Strategic planning replaces firefighting
Knowing failures weeks in advance allows coordination with production, raw materials, and can suppliers—transforming reactive maintenance into controlled, scheduled maintenance.
