In this episode of Reliability 4.0, we talk with Rafael Padilha Gama, Reliability Director for U.S. and Canada at Ingredion, about how he’s driving asset performance and cultural transformation across 19 plants. Rafael shares how a global career—spanning Brazil, Colombia, and now the U.S.—shaped his reliability mindset and why he believes reliability isn’t just about detecting failures—it’s about building a management system grounded in standardization, disciplined routines, and robust KPIs. From asset criticality to work order systems, he explains how standardizing maintenance processes lays the foundation for sustained reliability improvement.

We also dive into the pivotal role of root cause analysis (RCA) and how Ingredion uses 5G-based techniques from TPM and world-class manufacturing to empower technicians and operators. Rafael describes how vibration and temperature sensors backed by AI are transforming early failure detection across more than 1,000 assets in 15 plants—and why the future of reliability engineering lies in data literacy, prioritization, and cross-functional execution. Tune in for a masterclass in practical and strategic reliability leadership, grounded in real-world implementation.