In the future, automation solutions across industries will not be able to do without digitalisation concepts.
Our smart plastics give you two ways of approaching the issue. The simple way to smart energy supply or plain bearing technology, and the one that tends to be analogue, is condition monitoring, which offers simple integration with the highest levels of safety.
If you want to network the machines in your manufacturing plant completely with the internet of things (IoT) in order to be Industry 4.0 -capable and optimise such items as maintenance, predictive maintenance is just the thing for you.
With smart plastics, this term is used to refer to components such as energy chain systems, chainflex® cables and dry-tech® plastic bearings equipped with connectivity and sensors. igus® uses it to pursue its goal of making complex automation solutions Industry 4.0-capable.
Topic overview:
Condition monitoring is the fastest, simplest way to combine many igus® products to form a self-monitoring smart plastics product. Sensors are mounted to measure values (such as temperature, forces and sound waves/vibrations) within pre-defined limits. Values outside the limits result in an alert or at least a notification. This information provides the basis for taking subsequent steps, such as maintenance or shutting down the system. As desired, values outside defined limits can directly trigger a system shut-down in order to prevent damage that is expensive to repair.
At igus®, we use the term "i.Sense" to refer to condition monitoring.
Predictive maintenance uses sensors, software, and the elements of condition monitoring to create a system that allows dynamic service life calculation and determines the best times for the maintenance of igus® products. This makes predictive maintenance the next step in achieving a comprehensive concept for smart energy supply and bearing technology. This predictive maintenance system is called "i.Cee" and is available in a wide variety of designs, offering a high degree of individuality. The goal is always to maximise system and user safety and product service life.
We call our predictive maintenance system "i.Cee".
More opportunities for the predictive maintenance area in the smart factory. Discover more about our 2020 innovations.
With just a little information about your application, the online consultant guides you in a targeted manner to a pre-selection of smart plastics solutions. During the selection process, the tool provides an overview of the current smart plastics options.
"igus® CF.Q condition monitoring can prevent failure of machines with high output", says Dipl.-Ing. Oliver Tausch, Head of Electrical Engineering, of GHD's required specifications.
An Austrian automotive parts supplier uses smart plastics from igus for its indoor gantry cranes, which automatically handle engine blocks.
"If movement of the chain is excessively hindered by dust or dirt, the push/pull monitoring shuts down the system before any damage can occur"
Trains that are always clean, and a safe and reliable energy supply thanks to predictive maintenance.
Due to the integration of smart plastics sensors into the energy supply, the customer's condition monitoring system is supplied with data.
No nasty surprises thanks to conditioning monitoring in especially slow applications, where damage is difficult to see and usually only become visible when it is too late.
What are igus smart plastics? What is Industry 4.0? In our blog, you will find answers to the most frequent questions on this topic: