The results already speak for themselves: the technology has given CeramicSpeed, Industry an entirely new digital business area and laid the foundation for a dedicated digital business unit that now sells solutions to companies in Denmark and has international growth ambitions.
Ball bearings are among the most fundamental – and most critical – components in modern industry. When they wear out, the consequences are costly. Danish companies lose substantial production time every year due to equipment failures, with faults in rotating components such as ball bearings often playing a central role. The resulting losses amount to billions of kroner nationwide, making the difference between timely replacement and unexpected downtime crucial. This was the challenge ECE set out to solve together with CeramicSpeed, Industry and Arla Foods.
The researchers developed an intelligent IoT sensor that monitors vibrations in ball bearings and measures their condition. Data is transmitted wirelessly via the internet and can be monitored in real time through a user-friendly platform.
The project, supported by Innovation Fund Denmark with approximately DKK 12 million, resulted in a prototype capable of monitoring both conventional steel bearings and the highly specialised ceramic bearings that are CeramicSpeed, Industry's core expertise.
The collaboration gave CeramicSpeed, Industry access to specialised expertise in wireless communication, antenna design, hardware development, and machine learning – capabilities that the company was not in a position to recruit and finance on its own at the time.
As a result, CeramicSpeed, Industry evolved from a company focused on mechanical components into one with a dedicated digital business area. Anders Thormann, Managing Director for CeramicSpeed, Industry, explains:
"Bearing Brain marked the beginning of an entirely new digital business area for CeramicSpeed, Industry. Our collaboration with the university gave us access to specialised expertise that would have been difficult for us to develop on our own. Today, we have a dedicated digital development team that continues this work."
For the researchers, the project is a clear example of how deep technical expertise can be translated into practical solutions with significant societal impact.
"A project like this can help small and medium-sized manufacturing companies take the leap into the digital world. It expands their business opportunities and makes them more resilient. For a country like Denmark, it is essential that this type of collaboration succeeds," says Morten Opprud Jakobsen, Associate Professor and researcher at ECE.
The successful journey of Bearing Brain has already led to new research projects with CeramicSpeed, Industry, this time focusing on specialised sensor technology for lubrication in industrial machinery.
The technical foundation of Bearing Brain is the use of AI and machine learning to analyse vibration data collected by a wireless sensor developed as part of the project. The sensor is mounted on machines operating with ball bearings. By recognising patterns in large datasets, the solution can distinguish between normal operation and early-stage wear before faults develop into unplanned downtime. Achieving this requires both deep insight into the mechanical processes within the bearings and advanced methods for analysing complex data over time.
The result is a more knowledge-based approach to maintenance, where decisions are made based on the actual condition of components rather than fixed service intervals.
The solution is no longer simply a research outcome. It has been further developed into a commercial product and a new digital business area within CeramicSpeed, Industry. At the same time, it demonstrates how collaboration between universities and industry can solve real industrial challenges and create innovation that extends far beyond the laboratory.
Eskild Sune Herskind, R&D, CeramicSpeed, Industry
Nicklas Simonsen, Project Manager and Head of CeramicSpeed, Digital
Anders Thormann, Managing Director for, CeramicSpeed, Industry
Henry Vesterboe, Engineer, Technical Advisor, CeramicSpeed, Industry
Johnni Uhrlund, Vibration Specialist and first Project Manager, Bearing Brain
Lars Dall, Production Manager, Arla Foods HOCO
Ken Kjaergaard Jensen, Team Leader, Maintenance & Engineering, Arla Foods HOCO
Rune Arbjerg Heick, Hardware/Software Engineer, ECE
Morten Opprud Jakobsen, Project Engineer, CeramicSpeed, Digital, Associate Professor, ECE
