Complete indoor crane automation thanks to the i.Sense monitoring system

Profile

• What was required: 4040CR.23.200.0 energy chain, chainflex® cables (CF77, CF27, CF113, CFBUS), complete smart plastics package, delivered as readycable®/readychain®
• Requirements: Low operating costs combined with maximum operational availability
• Industry: Woodworking industry/furniture production
• Success for the customer: Real-time control over automatic crane energy supply status and significant reduction in the risk of failure

Problem

The main task of the new TLF warehouse is to ensure continuous supply to production. The cutting plans are drawn up in advance so that the warehouse can prepare the optimal panel supply given the remaining pieces. 

The biggest challenge was to plan and install a reliable, predictive power supply that can meet the dynamic requirements in the often very hot and dusty warehouse. The travel distance of over 60 metres and acceleration values of over 1m/s² mean only a few technologies are suitable for this application. 

Since the subsequent use of the system also required significant reduction in operating costs while maintaining maximum operational availability, the obvious choice was a future-oriented energy supply system that can provide automatic operation in real time. 

Solution

As part of the modernization of the automatic crane power supply, igus delivered a "readychain®" - a prefabricated 4040C-series guide system equipped with separators and a set of appropriately placed cables along with the pre-assembled cables for power, control, signal, network, and pneumatics.

Since crane operation is fully automated, an i.Sense monitoring system was implemented. It is equipped with the EC.P push/pull force sensor for chains and CF.P cables and an EC.B breakage detection sensor. For complete control over operating conditions at all times and for predictive maintenance information, the innovative i.Cee module was also installed, enabling real-time measurement of speed, acceleration, and environmental parameters which are then compared with historical service life data from the huge igus test laboratory to issue maintenance forecasts, accurate to the day, to plant operators. 

Mounting bracket with i.Sense EC.B for breakage monitoring

All i.Sense modules in the control cabinet to save space

i.Sense CF.P cable monitoring

Everything from one source ...

... igus engineering service

igus carried out measurements, selected a new solution, implemented the readychain system, prefabricated control cabinets with EC.P, EC.B, CF.P, and i.Cee modules, and installed everything in the factory. The igus service team also commissioned and calibrated the entire i.Sense system and harnessed cables as an intermediate connection between the guide that supplies the crane track and the guide that supplies the transverse lift.