Extremely light, but always in the picture ... Now also for flange bearings with i.Sense igubal®

The intelligent flange bearing from smart plastics permanently monitors the condition of the bearing point and immediately reports the first signs of wear in order to prevent serious bearing damage.

CFL's train wash system uses igus® energy chain and igubal® flange bearings in the wash trolleys. Previously used metal bearings have been replaced by plastic bearings to reduce maintenance costs. An "intelligent" bearing that monitors the condition is tested to prevent unforeseen damage. The aim is to receive an immediate message if the bearing properties deteriorate. This should prevent expensive malfunctions and breakdowns.

CFL's maintenance manager, Mike Feinen, emphasises the importance of avoiding downtimes, as these are associated with costs and the contracts stipulate regular cleaning of the trains. There are penalties for non-compliance. In co-operation with igus®, a solution was found to ensure the optimum performance of the system. After initial adjustment problems, the system is now running smoothly and the smart flange bearing has saved a lot of maintenance time.

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Tech up

Continuous condition monitoring of highly loaded two and four hole flange bearings
Early anomaly detection
Comprehensive connectivity for optional integration into predictive maintenance concept with i.Cee

Cost down

Identical in design, and can therefore be used 1:1 instead of metallic representatives
Avoidance of unplanned downtimes thanks to condition-based alarm messages

Proof

First successful pilot application on site at customer CFL in Luxembourg
Ongoing test program in the industry's largest test laboratory for high-performance polymers

Sustainability

Minimised material costs for integrated sensor
Usage-dependent product replacement reduces unnecessary material costs

Intelligent condition monitoring successfully realised

i.Sense in practice

Sewage and wastewater treatment plants

Ports and container cranes

Conveying and bulk handling

"Less effort, higher availability"

"Less maintenance work, higher availability, the ability to manage all the different cables and hoses in one system, intelligent status monitoring i.Sense ... I would always use intelligent energy chain from igus again!"

Dipl.-Ing. Fabian Wilhelm, Project Manager at AOS Stade GmbH

Worldwide customer applications

Whether in international automotive production, the global crane industry or in regional wastewater treatment plants, i.Sense systems are used successfully where maintenance costs are saved and machine downtime is prevented.

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Predictive operation without surprises: smart energy chain for the most modern train wash in Europe

Case study

In this case study, we talk about how CFL, Luxembourg's national railway company, uses several energy chains from igus® together with intelligent sensor technology from smart plastics to overcome numerous challenges:

How exactly are failures prevented?
Which components were to blame for the failure?
How and with which tools was the entire project approached?
And how is it currently going?

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When do I need a smart status sensor like i.Sense igubal?

When regular maintenance work requires a complete production shutdown...

If movement anomalies cannot be recognised by humans in time...

If systems or machines need to be monitored frequently or permanently...

If energy supply system travels are difficult to access or view ...

If maintenance work poses a health or safety risk...

If maintenance costs are to be reduced and service life extended ...

There are no limits to the application possibilities for the new mini-sensor.

Live condition monitoring in any position/bearing

i.Sense BRG for everyone
Not just for farmers, but for every machine operator, a defective bearing can spoil the working day and the mood. Machine failures and downtimes are among the biggest cost drivers in the industry. It is therefore important for maintenance staff to prevent unplanned downtime in good time.

Smart bearing products from igus are therefore particularly suitable for very sensitive or hard-to-reach areas of a machine, as the condition of the bearing can be checked at any time. With the help of the sensor, every wear-resistant part of a machine can be monitored remotely - from which many other motion plastics also benefit.

More about our smart dry-tech products

Integration into your own network environment

As part of the i.Sense condition monitoring system from smart plastics, all data from the new i.Sense BRG mini sensor can also be analysed in the i.Cee switch cabinet module. This can then be used to digitally control the entire alarm and escalation management of the system.

The i.Cee module also offers numerous integration options in predictive maintenance concepts. From preventive service management, which schedules regular maintenance depending on usage, to location-independent fault management, which immediately reports any unforeseen changes via various mobile channels. All information is collated in a modern dashboard, online or offline in the local network, depending on the customer's requirements.

Predictive maintenance with smart plastics | i.Cee