Visual inspection of gearboxes to detect wear, damage and early-stage failures without disassembly.
Our Remote Visual Inspection (RVI) services provide a non-destructive way to assess the internal condition of your machinery. Using state-of-the-art HD video probes, Everest Mentor Flex we identify early signs of pitting, tooth wear, and bearing fatigue. By inspecting your gearbox without the need for costly disassembly, we significantly reduce downtime and maintenance costs.
Detect mechanical issues before they lead to catastrophic failure. Our advanced vibration analysis for gearboxes and rotating equipment identifies imbalances, misalignment, and bearing wear. Through consistent condition monitoring, MDE helps you transition from reactive repairs to a proactive maintenance strategy.
A professional gearbox inspection is a critical diagnostic process used to evaluate the internal health and mechanical integrity of industrial drivetrains.
By combining Remote Visual Inspection (RVI) with advanced Vibration Analysis, we can detect subsurface fatigue, gear tooth wear, and bearing degradation without the need for a full teardown.
This proactive approach identifies ‘invisible’ issues like pitting, spalling, and misalignment early, allowing for scheduled maintenance rather than emergency repairs. At MDE, our inspections provide the data-driven insights necessary to extend the lifecycle of your assets and ensure operational reliability.
1. How often should an industrial gearbox inspection be performed? We recommend a comprehensive inspection at least once every 12 to 24 months, depending on the criticality of the equipment and its operating environment. However, for high-load applications or older machinery, integrating continuous Vibration Analysis allows for real-time condition monitoring to prevent sudden failures.
2. What are the advantages of RVI over traditional teardown inspections? Remote Visual Inspection (RVI) allows our technicians to view internal components using HD video borescopes (Everest Mentor Flex) through existing access ports. The primary advantages are zero disassembly, significantly reduced downtime, and lower costs. You get a clear view of gear teeth and bearings without the risk of introducing contaminants during a manual teardown.
3. Can Vibration Analysis detect specific bearing failures? Yes. By analyzing frequency spectra, we can identify specific fault signatures such as outer race defects, inner race wear, or ball/roller damage. This allows us to pinpoint exactly which component is failing before the gearbox suffers a catastrophic breakdown.
4. What kind of report will I receive after the inspection? After every MDE inspection, you receive a detailed technical report. This includes high-resolution imagery and video footage from the RVI, a trend analysis of vibration data, and a prioritized list of maintenance recommendations based on the severity of the findings.
Gerwin Sip Founder of MDE-RVI
Gerwin Sip has built his professional background within specialized gearbox and reliability organizations. He gained hands‑on experience in gearbox inspection, maintenance and diagnostics while working at Stork Gears & Services (now Bilfinger Gears & Services) and later at I‑care Reliability Nederland.
Through these roles, Gerwin worked closely with industrial and rotating equipment assets, focusing on gearboxes, bearings and condition‑based maintenance methodologies. This background provides a solid foundation in both OEM‑related gearbox expertise and reliability‑driven inspection practices.
Since January 1st, 2026, Gerwin operates MDE‑RVI as an independent inspection specialist, delivering professional gearbox inspections using advanced visual inspection techniques to assess wear, damage mechanisms and early‑stage failures in difficult‑to‑reach components.
Each inspection results in a structured and detailed report, including high‑resolution imagery, clear findings and practical recommendations. This ensures asset owners and maintenance teams receive technically sound and actionable insight into gearbox condition.
Gerwin’s inspections are guided by real‑world maintenance experience, a reliability mindset, and a clear focus on damage interpretation rather than data alone.
