Now for robots, too - intelligent 3D energy chain condition monitoring

Robots have long been indispensable in many areas of industrial manufacturing – bb welding, painting, soldering, and palletising: industrial robots are becoming dynamic. A flexible multi-axis energy chain such as the triflex® R from igus® makes it possible to guide robot cables safely. To detect potential chain breaks caused by extreme loads in good time and avoid unplanned machine breakdowns, igus has developed i.Sense TR.B, the world's first condition monitoring system for multi-axis energy chains.

Customers can increase the safety of their robot systems with an investment of just a few hundred euros. The i.Sense TR.B sensor is connected directly to the PLC customer control system - without additional software costs. If a chain link breaks, the system detects the change in the length of the rope installed in the chain and can send out a digital signal to the system control. Instant breakage detection allows immediate maintenance measures and can thus prevent unplanned downtime and total failure when individual chain links break.

Tech up

• Real-time status detection of the robot's energy supply
• Intelligent breakage detection allows for immediate maintenance measures
• Service life extension of the protected cable packages

Cost down

• Direct connection of the TR.B sensor to the customer's PLC without additional software costs
• No unplanned downtimes
• No total failures if individual links break

Proof

• Ongoing test series in the industry's largest test laboratory for moving power transmission systems on industrial robots

Sustainability

• Condition-based maintenance avoids unnecessary or premature chain replacement
• Reusable after correct emergency shutdown of the system