A method for monitoring the health of a brake plate (310, 320) having a solenoid with an air gap, comprising the steps of: creating a reference solenoid current profile of said air gap, by: calculating a nominal solenoid current profile based on said air gap under nominal conditions, calculating an upper and lower limit of said nominal solenoid current profile, based on the impact of at least one external variation and/or tolerance of said brake plate (310, 320), and creating said reference solenoid current profile by including said upper and lower limits in said nominal solenoid current profile, said method for monitoring the health of said brake plate (310, 320) further comprising: generating and measuring a solenoid current curve of said brake plate solenoid air gap and determining whether said generated curve of said brake plate (310, 320) is between said upper and lower limits of said reference solenoid current profile, and if said generated curve of said brake plate is determined as not being between said upper and lower limits, said brake plate is determined as not being healthy, and characterized by said at least one external variation comprising a variation in the environment of the brake plate (310, 320) and comprises a variation in external humidity or wherein said at least one external variation comprises a variation in the manufacturing tolerances of the brake plate (310, 320). calculating a nominal solenoid current profile based on said air gap under nominal conditions, calculating an upper and lower limit of said nominal solenoid current profile, based on the impact of at least one external variation and/or tolerance of said brake plate (310, 320), and creating said reference solenoid current profile by including said upper and lower limits in said nominal solenoid current profile, said method for monitoring the health of said brake plate (310, 320) further comprising: generating and measuring a solenoid current curve of said brake plate solenoid air gap and determining whether said generated curve of said brake plate (310, 320) is between said upper and lower limits of said reference solenoid current profile, and if said generated curve of said brake plate is determined as not being between said upper and lower limits, said brake plate is determined as not being healthy, and characterized by said at least one external variation comprising a variation in the environment of the brake plate (310, 320) and comprises a variation in external humidity or wherein said at least one external variation comprises a variation in the manufacturing tolerances of the brake plate (310, 320). determining whether said generated curve of said brake plate (310, 320) is between said upper and lower limits of said reference solenoid current profile, and if said generated curve of said brake plate is determined as not being between said upper and lower limits, said brake plate is determined as not being healthy, and characterized by said at least one external variation comprising a variation in the environment of the brake plate (310, 320) and comprises a variation in external humidity or wherein said at least one external variation comprises a variation in the manufacturing tolerances of the brake plate (310, 320).