Smart Sensoring: From Product to Service with Intelligent Rolling Bearing Solutions

2015-04-13 | 000-005-744 DE-EN

SCHAEFFLER AG, HANNOVER/SCHWEINFURT

Schaeffler at the Hannover Messe 2015 (Hall 22, Booth A 12)

Smart Sensoring: From Product to Service with Intelligent Rolling Bearing Solutions

Intelligent bearing solutions allow important operating conditions in machines, plant or products to be assessed and controls to be put in place. As a rolling bearing manufacturer, Schaefflers products therefore have a central role in the Industrie 4.0 initiative. As the bearings are responsible for guidance and positioning as well as supporting forces and movement, the many variations in the production process or in the products themselves can be detected immediately in the bearings. This includes variations in the bearings wear and lubrication status. By accurately measuring data from condition monitoring (lubrication status, wear particles, temperature, vibration, frequencies) as well as force, torque and speed, it is possible to form a precise, virtual image of a machines condition, the majority of processes (process monitoring) as well as production status.

Schaeffler will be demonstrating this to visitors at the 2015 Hannover Messe using an electric motor that is equipped with various condition monitoring systems and sensor technology to allow independent machine monitoring. Further exhibits relating to Industrie 4.0 include torque measurement modules for fertilizer spreaders, rotary table bearings with integrated measuring systems for machine tools, and the FAG Velomatic automatic gearshift system for bicycles.

Exhibit demonstrates intelligent maintenance

Schaeffler is presenting an innovative new exhibit at the 2015 Hannover Messe that demonstrates the possibilities offered by machines that use dedicated software to communicate with the maintenance technician: An electric motor that is monitored by a sensor bearing, an FAG SmartCheck, and an FAG GreaseCheck delivers key values (speed, temperature, vibrations, and lubricating grease condition) to the control unit. This compares the target and actual values and, when errors are reported, initiates the appropriate maintenance measures, such as impulses to the FAG Concept2 lubricator. If there is no improvement in the key values, the control unit determines further sources of errors and sends an SMS to the maintenance technician or initiates a service order.

Condition monitoring as a prerequisite for predictive maintenance

Schaefflers FAG SmartCheck is an online system which provides comprehensive information on the condition of machine components while taking into consideration additional parameters such as torque. The device is part of the control system for the machine and is therefore an integral part of the monitoring process.

The FAG GreaseCheck sensor continuously checks the condition of the grease and sounds the alarm as soon as critical changes occur. In addition to the conversion from time-controlled to requirement-controlled lubrication, this also makes it possible to take action before the bearing is damaged due to insufficient lubrication.

The FAG Wear Debris Check monitors the increase in particlulates or contaminants in oil circuits in, for example, industrial gearboxes and evaluates this information by the material and its size. This sensor systems can be easily integrated into monitoring and control systems. When this is combined with vibration analysis, it is possible to identify defective components in a gearbox. This allows the scheduling of delivery times, replacement parts orders and repairs to be fully automated.

Sensor technology for Industrie 4.0

New sensor technology from Schaeffler allows material stresses in drive shafts to be measured directly and converted into an accurate torque signal. Why is this particularly important for Industrie 4.0 ? In many machines, the control system calculates the torque at a nominal value for the motor and sets it electronically. Torque sensors are more accurate and can be located at the point where a specific torque is to be measured. Temperature therefore no longer has any influence on the hydraulics or friction in interconnected gears. Torque sensor technology is already being used in agricultural machinery.

The sensors not only allow the torque but also the speed to be measured; this in turn allows the power transfer to be calculated. Torque, speed and power can be continuously monitored. The loading history for the bearing supports and the complete drive chain can be determined from these data which in turn allow further conclusions to be drawn, e.g. the residual operating life.

Developments such as the condition monitoring systems and sensor technology from Schaeffler mean that machines and products will be more capable of independently diagnosing their condition and maintenance requirements in the future. In theory, machine utilization, process accuracy and availability can be balanced more accurately and increased. The prerequisite here is the ability to convert the captured data into information and specific measures. This assumes that the behavior of manufacturing processes, machinery and products can be qualitatively and quantitatively predicted.

Innovative business models will be an important advance in Industrie 4.0 as close networking will require information to be exchanged between producers, machine manufacturers, operators and maintenance teams. The exchange of information will mean that the rolling bearing manufacturer is not only able to supply the machine operator with bearing solutions but can also deliver customer and machine-specific solutions for monitoring, diagnosis, and servicing.

LINK:	http://www.ina.de/content.ina.de/en/press/press-releases/press-details...
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