Intelligent products from igus®. Making maintenance predictable.
Did you know that there are intelligent products that can detect issues within your moving machine application and send you notifications?
No? Read on….
igus® has created a range called Smart Plastics. The aim of these intelligent products is to improve the technical performance and reduce costs. The idea is that the technical performance can be improved and therefore lower the customer’s outgoings. Offering intelligent products that are more wear-resistant and need to be replaced less frequently due to early intervention, allows igus® to provide a cost saving.
The ”isense” sensor systems are designed to be able to detect the status of the igus® parts and deliver this information back to user.
This saves on downtime, which is critical in many industries. Downtime can cause spiralling financial expense so using a system that highlights issues is pertinent.
How does the predictive system work?
Within the product, whether it be an e-chain® or a bearing, there are sensors which measure the wear of the item and either alert the user or switch the machine off entirely, depending on the customer preference!
Once the measured values from a sensor have been transferred, they are “interpreted” against known data in order to generate instructions to the user about the next steps that need to be taken.
This can be done locally at the machine or via the connection to the igus® cloud. Many companies are increasingly relying on creation of their own standalone systems. igus® has 2 systems that have been developed the “icom module” and the “icom plus” model, both of which allows individual customers to integrate the data in the most appropriate way for their systems and security.
What’s the difference between “icom” and “icom plus”
Both communication models from igus® allows the customer the freedom to decide which is the best mean of getting data transmitted back to the control system.
The icom.plus module has the following key features:
- Module for the isense “offline” system
- Indication of service life by means of the equipment monitor
- Alarm function in the event of problems
- Indication in good time that maintenance is necessary
- Compatible with these sensors: EC.W, EC.I, EC.PP
The icom module has the following key features:
- Module for the isense “online” system
- Continuous overview of the service life in real time, in all parts of the production plant thanks to “machine learning”
- Comparison with data on the igus server via IoT
- Indication of information through web dashboard or customer display
- Definition of limits and alarm if limits are exceeded
- Alarm output on dashboard and also by e-mail and SMS
- Compatible with these sensors: EC.M, EC.W, EC.I, EC.PP
Industries for which this system is fundamental.
The key considerations for using this system is for predictability and reliability. It therefore comes as no surprise that the automotive industry is at the top of the list for suitable candidate for a predictable system.
The automotive industry relies on part and whole components being transferred through an automated production line. If production is stopped, it leads to expensive losses and this escalates very quickly.
One large automotive customer, on average, has one engine coming off the assembly line every 14 seconds- in peak periods more than 6,000 engines can come off the production line in just a working day!
Having the ability to eliminate unplanned downtime with the digital networking of machines and products, makes it possible to continuously record the condition of the components and to only when a repair or replacement is required.
The smart plastics technology is used in various products in the igus® family, ranging from e-chains® to plain polymer bearings and drylin® linear systems, enabling a predictive maintenance for all that use it.
If reliability is vital, let igus® help by adding predictable reliability to your system.
For more blogs relating to intelligent products by igus®, visit here.
