An apparatus and method for detecting motor bearing defects obtains motor current transient data during motor start-up, analyzes the motor current transient data via discrete wavelet transform, and compares the wavelet sub-bands to a baseline signature of a bearing-defect-free motor to detect bearing defects. Embodiments of ceramics according to the present invention can be made, formed as, or converted into optical waveguides, glass beads, articles, fibers, particles, and thin coatings. Workpieces are fed to the first partial path via the second partial path.