Electricity + Control October 2017

CABLES + ACCESSORIES

the plant system. In this way, the system opera- tor does not experience a machine failure, but can include the replacement of the worn part into its maintenance process in a timely manner. The fact that there are no longer unforeseen downtimes in- creases the availability of its system. Conditioning monitoring products for plant safety A few years ago, igus introduced products for pre- dictive maintenance: the PPDS (Push-Pull Detection System) and the EMA diagnostic tool for identifying a chain-link break. Since then, these components have been gradually further developed and have been integrated into the new isense family. Now, the unit for wear monitoring (EC.W) can be com- bined with other conditioning monitoring products - such as the isense break alarmEC.B (formerly EMA) and the pull/push force monitoring EC.P (formerly PPDS). In the case of the pull/push force monitor- ing, a load cell is installed in the mounting bracket of the e-chain, which monitors the displacement forces at the e-chain. For travel distances of more than 100 metres, the force sensor is integrated into the ‘floating moving end’, which compensates for lateral tolerances on the moving end of the travel: if a foreign body, for example a tool dropped into the travel path of the chain, blocks the movement of the e-chain, the displacement forces increase. From a defined threshold value, the sensor issues a signal - comparable to the abrasion monitoring - which is received by an evaluation box and is passed on to the icom communication module. If the permissible forces are exceeded, the system switches off the plant before it can cause major damage. Double safe: pull/push force and break monitoring The plant is double fail-proof with the break monitor- ing system, the isense EC.Bmodule. Mechanical ac- tion or overloading of an e-chain can lead to a break

in the side links. If this happens, a polymer sensor installed in special separators signals the informa- tion of the break to a sensor unit. The maintenance signal alerts the user who can initiate measures to prevent major damage. The replacement of a single damaged chain link is usually done in a fewminutes. This prevents the second side part from breaking too, and the systemwill not come to a standstill due to major damage. Both signals can be read out via a reader module, since a readout unit can process up to four antennas. It would therefore be possible to connect up to four energy chains to one module. All data are processed in the icom communication unit and forwarded to the system of the plant. Fail-safe chainflex cables Even the safest e-chain is little use if the cables in it do not hold. And the challenges faced by e-chain cables are, as is well known, much higher than for cables in more general flexing applications. For this reason, igus has been developing its cables for moving applications for 25 years under the name of chainflex, ensuring excellent function and reliability of the cables in all moving applications, from stock. This too with a guarantee of up to 36 months. How- ever, within the scope of isense, igus has also taken a step further with chainflex and developed a failure monitoring module for cables that are running con- tinuously: isense CF.Q. Intelligent electrical conduc- tor quality sensors continuously monitor measured values of the cables and indicate when the limits, based on empirical values from millions of results from the test laboratory, are exceeded. This means that the intelligent chainflex cable also informs the user about its remaining service life before a failure. igus smart plastics: Sensors and monitoring modules in or on the plastic components antici- pate wear and tear. This allows maintenance to be planned and initiated at an early stage.

With Predictive Maintenance

production processes become simpler and safer.

A sensor chip embedded in the opening crossbar of the e-chain measures the status of the e-chain in real operation. If the wear is so far advanced that the end of the chain’s service life is approaching, the sensor reports by triggering a signal.

Electricity + Control

OCTOBER 2017

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