Smart Plastics
This presents a challenge to ports all over the world. The performance of a crane is directly dependent on its electrification system. And that infrastructure must continuously operate without malfunctions seven days a week, 24 hours a day. As there are various power supply options, it can be difficult to make a decision about the right system.
Machine failures and downtimes are among the biggest cost drivers in industry. It is therefore important for maintenance personnel to act in good time to prevent unplanned stoppages. With the new i.Sense EC.W low-cost service life sensor from igus, users can now make their e-chain smart from just 248 euros. Thanks to real-time condition monitoring of the energy chain, maintenance is easier and more cost-effective over the entire service life.
Internet of Things, big data and autonomous robots: the transition to Industry 4.0 is in full swing. This also applies to components that work in machines and have long since become smart by providing data on their condition, for example. But integrating smart technologies is often complex for companies and involves external installation effort. This is exactly where we start with the SMS module for our i.Sense systems.
Strain gauge sensors are small sensors that measure relative changes in length. They often consist of a protective top layer over a wire applied in a zigzag pattern to a thin plastic backing. If the strain gauge sensor (and thus also the wire) is compressed, its resistance decreases; if it is stretched, its resistance increases. Elongation can be calculated from the change in resistance. You can use this characteristic by applying strain gauges to components whose elongation you want to determine.
The smart plastics sensors from igus: they monitor abrasion, measure the pull/push force and provide information about an imminent overload. But how does the maintenance manager get concrete information about the condition of the system? The solution from igus for this is the i.Cee:local.