Sensors for smart chainflex® cables
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... experience now all smart plastics 2023 new products like the breakage monitoring for robot chains i.Sense TR.B or for the first time the new smart all-round service superwise right here:Industry 4.0: 2023 smart plastics News - overview
Cable quality monitoring CF.Q
- Avoid unplanned system downtime due to cable failures when using chainflex® cables outside the chainflex® guarantee conditions!
- Detect mechanical stress of chainflex® cables under extreme operating conditions at an early stage.
- Plan maintenance work cost-effectively in advance
Request CF.Q
How CF.Q works
The isense CF.Q module is used for the early detection of the change in electrical specifications of chainflex® cables due to the mechanical loads during operation in an igus® e-chain system®. For this purpose, the electrical resistance of a dedicated conductor loop is measured during operation. Temperature-related resistance changes are compensated for by means of PT100 measurement at the installation location of the cable. Microprocessor-based, continuous data evaluation is carried out by own algorithms of igus®. These form arithmetic as well as sliding average values of the measured resistance values approx. 50 times per second and evaluate them in a temporal context.
If the system detects a permanent change in the electrical specifications, it recommends replacing the cable as soon as possible by switching a potential-free contact. If the cable is not replaced, the system switches off the system as a precaution in the event of a complete core rupture.
For later investigations, the system logs all measured values that led to the warning and shutdown.
Options to integrate CF.Q:
Option 1
as a sacrificial cable
In this option, space is still needed to route an additional cable in the e-chain® because the CF.Q is routed as a "sacrificial cable" in the e-chain®.All cores of the cable are "connected in series" and connected to the measuring input of the module.
Advantage: All cores are measured, which means that there is no need to select the most frequently used cores.
Disadvantage: Regardless of the production batch and the assembly method, even cables from the same production batch can achieve different service life durations.
Option 2
unused cores of a cable
In a monitored cable, two unused cores are defined as measuring cores and, if necessary, routed to the measuring connections of the CF.QA module by means of a shielded extension cable.This often requires a modification of the connector assembly, as the two cores must be led out of the connector on the distributor side at the cable entry.
Advantage: The cable actually used by the customer is monitored
Disadvantage: The original cable often has to be replaced by a variant with two additional cores, which usually increases the cable diameter, and the apparently "weakest" cores should be chosen.
An I4.0 success story from the field
- Application: Bread wrapping machine
- What was required: smart energy supply system
- Requirements: Preventive cable monitoring
- Product: CF.Q DIN rail module
- Field of application: Automation of any kind
- Success for the customer: The company GHD Georg Hartmann Maschinenbau was looking for a reliable energy supply system for one of its automatic packaging machines, including preventive monitoring to avoid machine failures
Go to the application report
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