First Monitoring System for Triflex Multi-Axis Carriers from igus

Thanks to the new i.Sense TR.B sensor, intelligent condition monitoring is now also possible for the triflex R multi-axis cable carrier from igus. (Source: igus GmbH)

New i.Sense TR.B sensor enables condition monitoring for triflex R cable carriers in multi-dimensional applications

STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, USA, July 20, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — igus^®, a leading global manufacturer of engineered components to increase the service life of customers’ machines, introduced i.Sense TR.B, the world’s first breakage monitoring system for multi-axis cable carriers.

Robots have long been an indispensable part of many areas of industrial production, and their range of tasks continues to grow in the wake of digitization. Whether welding, painting, soldering, or palletizing, industrial robots work dynamically. A flexible multi-axis dress pack such as triflex^® R from igus makes it possible to guide and secure cables and hoses used on multi-axis robots.

igus has developed the i.Sense TR.B, a real-time breakage monitoring system for the multi-dimensional triflex R robotic dress pack to detect potential chain breaks due to extreme loads and avoid unplanned machine breakdowns.

Smart real-time condition monitoring

With i.Sense TR.B, customers can increase the safety of their robot systems with an investment of just a few hundred dollars. The i.Sense TR.B sensor is connected directly to the PLC customer control – without additional software costs. If a chain link breaks, the system detects the change in length of the rope installed in the chain and can accordingly send out a digital signal to the system control. Instant breakage detection enables immediate maintenance measures and can thus avoid unplanned downtimes and total failures in the event of individual chain link breakages.

“Particularly in applications such as automotive production lines with extremely high output, any downtime can cause costs of several €100,000. Real-time status monitoring of the energy supply system in industrial robots, therefore, offers users considerable added value,” explains Richard Habering, Head of Business Unit smart plastics at igus.

Sustainable maintenance with smart plastics

With the help of numerous test series in the industry’s largest test laboratory, igus is continuously working on further optimizing the quality and durability of its products. The combination of a triflex R flexible cable carrier with high tensile force absorption and the i.Sense TR.B sensor, makes it possible to guide and protect robot cables, thus significantly increasing service life. Condition-based maintenance using the TR.B sensor makes maintenance more sustainable, as users can avoid unnecessary or premature product replacement. And if there is a chain break, the sensor can be reused after an emergency shutdown of the system.

To learn more about the new i.Sense TR.B sensor from igus, click here.

ABOUT IGUS:

igus GmbH develops and produces motion plastics. These self-lubricating, high-performance polymers improve technology and reduce costs wherever things move. In energy supplies, highly flexible cables, plain and linear bearings, and lead screw technology made of tribo-polymers, igus is the worldwide market leader. The family-run company based in Cologne, Germany, is represented in 35 countries and employs 4,900 people across the globe. In 2021, igus generated a turnover of €961 million. Research in the industry’s largest test laboratories constantly yields innovations and more user security. Two hundred thirty-four thousand articles are available from stock, and service life can be calculated online. In recent years, the company has expanded by creating internal startups, for example, ball bearings, robot drives, 3D printing, the RBTX platform for Lean Robotics, and intelligent “smart plastics” for Industry 4.0. Among the most important environmental investments are the “chainge” program – recycling of used e-chains and participating in an enterprise that produces oil from plastic waste.

Michael Rielly
igus®
+1 800-521-2747
mrielly@igus.net