At the 2016 Hannover Messe, igus introduced an innovative range of “smart plastics” for Industry 4.0 with the goal of making preventative maintenance easier, reducing costs in the factories of the future. These plastics will be used everything from its cables, cable management and linear solutions to increase plant automation efficiency. And, these high-performance plastics for motion, or “motion plastics,” defy rain, salt, extreme temperatures, oils and chemicals, while maintaining light weight, dynamic motion, energy efficiency, and low costs.
Today, high performance plastics are used in moving applications of all types, including medical and lab equipment, bicycles, packaging lines, robotics, machine tools, and crane facilities. Thanks to decades of testing results, igus is able to make accurate predictions regarding the expected service life of their products in particular applications. Now, intelligent plastic solutions can ensure additional reliability in factories and applications.
Networked smart plastics, which incorporate a range of sensors and monitoring modules, can expand the possibilities of preventative maintenance and increase uptime and reduce unexpected repairs and maintenance. Intelligent Energy Chain cable management systems, DryLin linear solutions, and Chainflex continuous-flex cables constantly monitor themselves, and provide early failure warnings to plant supervisors. This new range of products, called “isense” has the ability to network with the igus communication module, or ICOM, a direct integration with the factory/application interface.
isense systems are capable of monitoring the service life of the Energy Chain, cable, or linear system. Through continuous distance measurements and calculations of the system’s parameters, as well as test data, it is possible to also reliably predict the functionality of the operation in real-time. If measured values exceed the set parameters, the intelligent isense products indicate the remaining product lifetime, enabling timely maintenance and/or replacement. When networked with the ICOM system, options such as the direct ordering of spare parts and maintenance commissioning can be scheduled, lowering maintenance time and costs even further.
igus
www.igus.eu/smartplastics
Picture PM1816-1, igus Inc.
New “smart plastics” eliminate machine downtime, using sensors and monitoring modules to accurately predict system failure weeks before it occurs.
Picture PM1816-2, igus Inc.
Through the “isense” system, intelligent cable carrier systems, cables, and linear guides communicate with factory personnel to inform about potential maintenance dates.
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