Fertilizer producer saves $130,000 with Baker Hughes AI-driven machine health system

A fertilizer manufacturer has reported significant savings and improved operational reliability after implementing Baker Hughes’ Cordant Machine Health solution, which uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to monitor equipment performance.

The company, which previously relied on manual walkarounds and portable devices for machine health monitoring, sought to enhance its reliability program through automation and data integration. In partnership with Baker Hughes, it selected 25 critical assets — including pumps and blowers — for the initial deployment of Cordant Machine Health, supplemented by Ranger Pro™ wireless condition monitoring sensors.

Within the first two and a half months of operation, the system detected a subtle change in a blower’s operating condition, shifting its status from “acceptable” to “monitor.” The anomaly, identified early by the AI-driven system, prompted an investigation that revealed small cracks in three 8-foot propeller blades. Because the issue was detected before a major failure, the maintenance team was able to plan repairs without unplanned downtime.

According to Baker Hughes, this early detection saved the producer an estimated 40 hours of downtime and $130,000 in maintenance costs—roughly 83% of the total $170,100 saved during the first five months of deployment. The savings correspond to a 117% return on investment achieved within just 13.8 weeks.

Following these results, the company has expanded its use of Cordant Machine Health to cover 59 machines as part of a broader effort to integrate machine health and process diagnostics data for a more comprehensive asset management strategy.