Significantly reduce maintenance costs with igus® predictive maintenance | i.Cee

Advantages of smart plastics solutions:

▲ Tech up

• Extension of the maximum service life
• Increase in overall plant efficiency
• Integration into Industry 4.0 / IIoT concepts

▼ Cost down

• Reduce maintenance costs through early warnings
• Eliminate unplanned downtime
• Decrease storage costs

Car body construction

The process flows in car body construction are smooth. If a machine part stops, the entire production line breaks down. In order to keep a constant eye on the electrical cables and supply packages of the robots in the rotating movement as well as the linear movement on the 7th axis, igus® has developed its condition monitoring solution i.Sense. It provides information on the current operating status at all times, detects irregularities immediately and prevents unnecessary machine downtime.

Drive train

In the power train production line, there is a high demand for machine reliability. The various stations, some of which have long routes, form a complex system with high dynamics; any damage has an impact on the entire production line. In the ideal case, production runs through without disruptions and shutdowns can be planned sensibly with the help of i.Cee, the predictive maintenance solution from smart plastics.

Final assembly

In the final assembly the final touches are provided in the production chain. However, the demand for trouble-free processes is no less here than it was at the beginning of production. Manipulators, which often assist people in manufacturing during this step, should be easy to move. Here, energy chains made of polymer, lightweight but tough, are just right. With supporting rollers, even long distances can be covered steadily and reliably here.

Condition monitoring (i.Sense)

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 predefined limits. Values outside the limits result in an alert or notification. This information provides the basis for taking subsequent steps, such as maintenance or shutting down the system. Values outside defined limits can directly trigger a system shut-down to prevent costly damages and repairs. At igus®, we use the term "i.Sense" (i feel) to refer to condition monitoring.
 

Predictive maintenance (i.Cee)

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" (i see ahead) and is available in a wide variety of designs. The goal is always to maximize system and user safety and product service life.
 

Premium car manufacturer

The i.Sense breakage monitoring sensor (EC.B) from smart plastics  will alert unforeseen difficulty to this car manufacturer while operating in highly dynamic applications.

Austrian automotive supplier

An Austrian automotive parts supplier uses smart plastics from igus for its indoor gantry cranes, which automatically handle engine blocks.
 

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