What Is Condmaster Ruby?
Condmaster Ruby is the flagship condition monitoring software developed by SPM Instrument AB (Sweden) — a comprehensive platform for analysis, diagnostics, and predictive maintenance management built around SPM’s proprietary shock pulse and vibration measurement technologies.
Unlike generic vibration analysis software, Condmaster Ruby is purpose-built for SPM’s ecosystem of instruments and online monitoring systems, providing deep integration with SPM HD® shock pulse technology, the Leonova portable instrument family, Intellinova online systems, and the Airius wireless vibration sensor network.
The software serves as a single platform for all condition monitoring data — from portable route-based measurements through continuous online monitoring through IIoT wireless sensors — enabling reliability teams to manage their entire predictive maintenance program from one interface.
Version 2022 is the most recent major release, building on the 2020 version’s significant platform expansion with further IIoT integration, API enhancements, and analytics improvements.
Who Uses Condmaster Ruby?
- Reliability engineers managing plant-wide predictive maintenance programs
- Vibration analysts performing detailed diagnostic work on rotating machinery
- Maintenance managers tracking machine health KPIs and maintenance KPIs
- Condition monitoring technicians performing measurement rounds with Leonova instruments
- Plant engineers at manufacturing facilities, power plants, paper mills, and process industries
- OEM machinery manufacturers integrating SPM condition monitoring into their equipment
SPM’s Core Technologies Supported
Understanding Condmaster Ruby requires understanding SPM Instrument’s proprietary measurement technologies:
SPM HD® (High Definition Shock Pulse Measurement)
SPM HD is the advanced version of SPM’s original shock pulse method (SPM). It measures ultra-high-frequency mechanical impacts from rolling element bearing defects — capturing the shock pulse signature at frequencies well above the bearing’s natural resonance frequency. SPM HD provides:
- Early detection of bearing defects (often months before conventional vibration detects problems)
- Quantitative condition values — dBi (initial value) and dBc (carpet value) — that directly indicate bearing condition severity
- Lubrication status assessment — differentiating under-lubrication from mechanical bearing damage
- Automatic alarm levels based on bearing geometry and running speed
LR/HR Vibration (Low Resolution / High Resolution)
Standard vibration measurement integrated into SPM instruments alongside shock pulse. HR provides high-resolution FFT spectra for traditional vibration analysis of unbalance, misalignment, looseness, and other mechanical faults.
EVAM (Enhanced Vibration Analysis Module)
EVAM is SPM’s advanced vibration analysis add-on, providing:
- Time signal analysis — raw vibration time waveforms with zoom and cursor tools
- Advanced FFT spectra — razor-sharp frequency spectra with cursor families for fault identification
- Envelope analysis (demodulation) — detection of early bearing and gear defects
- Cepstrum analysis — identification of sidebands in gearbox spectra
- Colored Spectrum Overview — 3D waterfall/cascade view of thousands of spectra over time, showing how frequency content has evolved
- Orbit plots and phase analysis (for machines with dual-channel measurement capability)
Process Data
Beyond vibration and shock pulse, Condmaster Ruby handles process parameter data (temperature, pressure, flow, current, speed) for machines where process conditions affect condition monitoring interpretation. Process data can be displayed in custom dashboards for monitoring and optimization.
Core Platform Features
Graphical Plant Overview
The top-level view in Condmaster Ruby is a graphical plant overview — a visual map of the monitored facility showing equipment layout with color-coded condition indicators. Green-yellow-red traffic light coding applies at every level: from the entire plant down through areas, machines, and individual measurement points. This allows maintenance managers and supervisors to assess overall plant health at a glance without drilling into individual measurement data.
Machine Builder
The Machine Builder is one of Condmaster Ruby’s most productivity-enhancing features. It provides a drag-and-drop interface for creating machine configurations:
- Open Machine Builder
- Drag components (electric motor, gearbox, fan, pump, coupling) from the built-in library
- Connect them to represent the actual machine configuration
- Enter running speeds, bearing models, and gear ratios
Condmaster automatically:
- Creates all required measurement points
- Assigns appropriate measurement types to each point (SPM HD for bearings, vibration for housings, etc.)
- Generates mechanical fault symptoms (expected fault frequencies) for all bearings and gears
- Configures appropriate alarm levels
- Applies correct color zones
Machine configurations created with Machine Builder can be saved as templates for reuse — making setup of similar machines rapid and consistent.
Bearing Catalog
Condmaster Ruby includes a comprehensive bearing catalog covering bearings from all major manufacturers (SKF, FAG, NSK, Timken, NTN, Koyo, and others). When a bearing model number is entered, Condmaster automatically calculates the four characteristic defect frequencies (BPFI, BPFO, BSF, FTF) and displays them as markers on vibration spectra. SPM condition evaluation rules for that bearing type are applied automatically.
Condition Manager (Adaptive Alarm)
The Condition Manager provides flexible alert configuration where alarm limits automatically adapt to the operating conditions of the machine at the time of measurement. Rather than fixed alarm thresholds, Condition Manager creates condition zones based on:
- Operating speed
- Load
- Temperature
- Any other measurable process parameter
This eliminates false alarms caused by normal operating condition variations and provides more accurate fault detection. For machines with variable speed drives or variable load, Condition Manager is essential for reliable alarm management.
Colored Spectrum Overview
The Colored Spectrum Overview presents a 3D time-frequency display — a waterfall/cascade chart that shows how the vibration frequency spectrum has evolved over time. Multiple spectra spanning months or years are stacked chronologically, with color intensity indicating amplitude. This makes it immediately visible:
- When a specific frequency component appeared
- How quickly it has grown
- Whether it is progressing (suggesting active damage) or stable
Measurement Routes
For facilities using Leonova portable instruments, Condmaster Ruby manages the measurement route workflow:
- Create routes defining which measurement points to visit and in what sequence
- Upload routes to the Leonova instrument
- Technician performs the measurement round
- Download data from Leonova to Condmaster
- New measurements are automatically compared against condition history and alarm levels
Maintenance Module
Condmaster Ruby includes tools for managing maintenance activities:
- Schedule inspection and measurement tasks
- Record work orders and maintenance actions
- Track maintenance history for each machine
- Generate machine fault statistics
- Calculate maintenance KPIs and effectiveness metrics
Add-On Modules
Condmaster Ruby is modular — the base platform includes extensive functionality, and optional add-ons extend it further:
EVAM (Enhanced Vibration Analysis Module)
Adds the advanced vibration analysis capabilities described above — time signals, advanced spectra, envelope analysis, cepstrum, and Colored Spectrum Overview. Essential for vibration analysts performing root cause diagnosis.
Condition Manager
Adaptive alarm management that adjusts limits based on operating conditions. Particularly important for variable-speed and variable-load machines.
Plant Performer
Plant Performer compiles and visualizes statistics relating to technical and economic KPIs in the OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) and TEEP (Total Effective Equipment Performance) framework:
- Equipment availability and reliability statistics
- Maintenance cost tracking
- Condition monitoring program effectiveness metrics
- Management-level reporting showing the economic value of predictive maintenance
Plant Performer data can be exported via API for integration with ERP or production management systems. Statistics from multiple Condmaster databases (different plants or divisions) can be merged for group-level comparison.
Entity Server
The Condmaster Entity Server is the server component for installations with Intellinova Parallel EN online monitoring systems. It provides:
- Real-time monitoring of online measurement unit activity
- Centralized management of multiple Intellinova units
- Analytics Engine for Big Data processing of condition monitoring data
- API endpoint for third-party system integration
- Dashboard for process data monitoring
REST API and OPC UA
Condmaster Ruby includes a REST API enabling integration with external systems — CMMS (SAP, Maximo), ERP, MES, IIoT platforms, and custom analytics environments. OPC UA support enables integration with industrial control and SCADA systems. These integration capabilities allow Condmaster to serve as a condition monitoring data hub feeding other enterprise systems.
Compatible Hardware Ecosystem
Condmaster Ruby communicates with SPM’s complete product range:
Portable Instruments:
- Leonova Diamond — flagship portable instrument with full HD and advanced vibration analysis
- Leonova Emerald — mid-range portable for vibration and shock pulse
- Leonova Infinity — high-performance with on-board analysis and data collector capabilities
- Condmaster Pro — entry-level data collector
Online Continuous Monitoring:
- Intellinova Parallel EN — multi-channel online system for continuous monitoring of critical machines
- Intellinova Compact EN — compact online system for smaller installations
- Intellinova Basic EN — entry-level online monitoring
Wireless IoT Sensors:
- Airius — wireless vibration and temperature sensor for autonomous condition monitoring on non-critical assets, connecting directly to SPM Cloud via Condmaster.NET
Condmaster.NET — Web and Mobile Access
Condmaster.NET is included with all Condmaster Ruby licenses and provides browser-based access to condition monitoring data from any device:
- View plant condition overview with color-coded status from smartphone, tablet, or PC
- Access spectra, time signals, trends, and alerts
- Manage online measuring units in real-time
- Monitor process data dashboards
- View Plant Performer statistics
For installations using Airius wireless sensors, Condmaster.NET operates as a cloud service — data flows from sensors through SPM Cloud to Condmaster.NET without requiring an on-premise server installation.
Condmaster Ruby vs. Competing Condition Monitoring Software
| Feature | Condmaster Ruby | OMNITREND Center (PRUFTECHNIK) | SKF @ptitude Analyst | Emerson AMS Suite |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary hardware dependency | SPM instruments | PRUFTECHNIK instruments | SKF instruments | Emerson instruments |
| SPM HD shock pulse | ✅ Native | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Advanced vibration (EVAM) | ✅ Add-on | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Adaptive alarm management | ✅ Condition Mgr | Limited | ✅ | ✅ |
| 3D colored spectrum overview | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Machine Builder | ✅ Drag-and-drop | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Online + portable + wireless | ✅ All three | ✅ Online + portable | ✅ | ✅ |
| OEE/TEEP KPI reporting | ✅ Plant Performer | ❌ | Limited | ✅ |
| REST API / OPC UA | ✅ | ✅ Modbus | Limited | ✅ |
| Web/mobile access | ✅ Condmaster.NET | ✅ Asset View | ✅ | ✅ |
| Cloud option | ✅ SPM Cloud | ❌ | Limited | ✅ |
The key differentiator for Condmaster Ruby: SPM HD shock pulse technology. No other condition monitoring platform offers native, deep integration with shock pulse measurement — the technique that provides the earliest possible warning of rolling element bearing deterioration, often detecting bearing damage months before conventional vibration analysis would flag a problem. For organizations running SPM instruments, Condmaster Ruby is the natural and optimal software.
System Requirements
| Component | Requirement |
|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 (64-bit) minimum |
| CPU | Intel Core i5 or AMD equivalent |
| RAM | 8 GB minimum, 16 GB recommended |
| Storage | 50 GB+ for database (more for large installations) |
| Network | LAN connection to instruments and Entity Server |
| Display | 1920 × 1080 recommended |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Condmaster Ruby only compatible with SPM instruments? Condmaster Ruby is designed for SPM’s instrument ecosystem. It does not support data from SKF, PRUFTECHNIK, Emerson, or other brands’ instruments. For organizations running mixed hardware fleets, separate software for each brand or a generic vibration analysis platform would be required.
What is the difference between SPM and SPM HD? Original SPM (Shock Pulse Method) has been used since the 1960s. SPM HD (High Definition) is the advanced evolution with significantly higher frequency resolution, capturing more detail about bearing condition earlier in the deterioration process. SPM HD also provides lubrication assessment and condition-based maintenance recommendations. All current Condmaster Ruby installations support SPM HD.
Can Condmaster Ruby be used without an Entity Server? Yes. The Entity Server is specifically required for Intellinova Parallel EN online systems and for the Analytics Engine/Big Data processing features. Installations using only Leonova portable instruments can run Condmaster Ruby without the Entity Server.
What is the license model for Condmaster Ruby? Condmaster Ruby is licensed per server installation, with add-on modules (EVAM, Condition Manager, Plant Performer) licensed separately. Contact SPM Instrument or your regional distributor for current pricing — license cost typically scales with the number of measurement points or machines being monitored.
Does Condmaster Ruby support integration with SAP PM? Yes. Through the REST API, Condmaster Ruby can integrate with SAP Plant Maintenance and other CMMS systems. SPM also offers documented integration examples for common enterprise systems.
Summary
Condmaster Ruby 2022 is the complete condition monitoring and predictive maintenance platform for organizations running SPM Instrument hardware. Its combination of native SPM HD shock pulse support, the EVAM advanced vibration analysis module, intelligent Condition Manager adaptive alarms, Plant Performer OEE/TEEP statistics, and IIoT-ready REST API and OPC UA connectivity makes it the most capable software available for SPM-based condition monitoring programs.
The Machine Builder’s drag-and-drop configuration, Colored Spectrum Overview’s historical visualization, and Condmaster.NET’s anywhere-access mobile interface make it practical for both day-to-day maintenance technicians and reliability engineers performing detailed root cause analysis.
For licensing assistance or technical support with Condmaster Ruby, contact our team via Telegram: t.me/DoCrackMe
Related articles: SPM HD vs Traditional Vibration Analysis — When to Use Each Method | Condmaster Ruby Machine Builder Setup Tutorial | Condmaster Ruby EVAM Module — Advanced Bearing Fault Analysis Guide
