A method for condition monitoring of a moving machine component in a packaging or filling machine in a liquid food processing application, comprising moving the machine component according to a cycle of a defined motion profile comprising accelerating the machine component to overcome a mechanical load so that a velocity (v) and a position of the defined motion profile is followed, the mechanical load comprising a sum of contributing load components (C 1, C 2, C 3) comprising an external mechanical force on the machine component and an inertia, and/or a moment of inertia, that the machine component exhibits, the method further comprising registering values of a measured force causing said acceleration and/or of a measured motion parameter (p) associated with the movement of the machine component according to the defined motion profile, generating a first distribution (T 1, p 1) of the registered values, associating the first distribution with a first load response (L 1) in a mechanical load model, generating a second distribution (T 2, p 2) of associated registered values of said force and/or motion parameter subsequently measured when moving the machine component according to the cycle at a subsequent point in time, associating the second distribution with a second load response (L 2) in the mechanical load model, and determining a change in the load components of the mechanical load at said subsequent point in time comprising determining an amount of variation of a load component of the mechanical load based on a difference between the first load response and the second load response, for said condition monitoring, assigning the load components as respective variable load parameters (VC 1, VC 2, VC 3) in the mechanical load model to generate a virtual load response output in dependence on said variable load parameters, determining a maintenance operation of the machine component after a duration of operation comprising generating a distribution of associated registered values subsequently measured when moving the machine component according to the cycle after said duration, associating said distribution with a measured load response, determining a change of the respective variable load parameter (VC 1, VC 2, VC 3) in the mechanical load model resulting in a minimized difference between the measured load response and the virtual load response output, and determining said maintenance operation based on the change of the respective variable load parameter (VC 1, VC 2, VC 3). moving the machine component according to a cycle of a defined motion profile comprising accelerating the machine component to overcome a mechanical load so that a velocity (v) and a position of the defined motion profile is followed, the mechanical load comprising a sum of contributing load components (C 1, C 2, C 3) comprising an external mechanical force on the machine component and an inertia, and/or a moment of inertia, that the machine component exhibits, the method further comprising registering values of a measured force causing said acceleration and/or of a measured motion parameter (p) associated with the movement of the machine component according to the defined motion profile, generating a first distribution (T 1, p 1) of the registered values, associating the first distribution with a first load response (L 1) in a mechanical load model, generating a second distribution (T 2, p 2) of associated registered values of said force and/or motion parameter subsequently measured when moving the machine component according to the cycle at a subsequent point in time, associating the second distribution with a second load response (L 2) in the mechanical load model, and determining a change in the load components of the mechanical load at said subsequent point in time comprising determining an amount of variation of a load component of the mechanical load based on a difference between the first load response and the second load response, for said condition monitoring, assigning the load components as respective variable load parameters (VC 1, VC 2, VC 3) in the mechanical load model to generate a virtual load response output in dependence on said variable load parameters, determining a maintenance operation of the machine component after a duration of operation comprising generating a distribution of associated registered values subsequently measured when moving the machine component according to the cycle after said duration, associating said distribution with a measured load response, determining a change of the respective variable load parameter (VC 1, VC 2, VC 3) in the mechanical load model resulting in a minimized difference between the measured load response and the virtual load response output, and determining said maintenance operation based on the change of the respective variable load parameter (VC 1, VC 2, VC 3).