mayr® power transmission clutches, couplings and brakes are becoming smart and networked. Components such as the ROBA®-brake-checker module or the torque-measuring shaft coupling ROBA®-drive-checker provide data and thus ensure intelligent safety: For smart production and predictive machine maintenance. At the Hanover Trade Fair 2023, the company is presenting its intelligent, conversing components for process monitoring.
The digital twin remains one of the most important trends in automation and power transmission technology in 2023. After all, digital twins can be used to simulate processes, analyze different scenarios, and they make remote working and maintenance easier as well. However, for setting up and validating such a model, a large amount of extended process data of the different components is required. Normally, this data is collected via sensors and then fed into the model. “However, our brakes are also capable of communicating without additional sensors and provide information directly from the component”, explains Andreas Merz, Product Manager at mayr® power transmission in Mauerstetten.
Saving costs and time
Monitoring of the mayr® safety brakes takes place with the retrofittable ROBA®-brake-checker module, which is clamped into the voltage supply of the brake. The module detects the movement of the armature disk through extended analysis of current and voltage, and knows what condition the brake is in. In addition to monitoring the switching condition and critical coil temperature, the ROBA®-brake-checker also performs preventative function monitoring for wear, functional reserve and malfunctions. In an advanced version, the ROBA®-brake-checker module is equipped with an additional PCB with a customer-specific interface (e.g. Ethernet based). Via this interface, it can provide data on the switching time, current, voltage, resistance, performance und relative attraction current. This means that processes can now also be evaluated, anomalies in the process can be detected quickly and conclusions can be drawn from complex interrelationships; and also the integration into remote maintenance systems is possible. All in all, many advantages – not only for the predictive maintenance, but also, as a result, to lower maintenance costs and reduce technical defects and downtimes or to set up and validate a digital twin.
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And also the shaft couplings made by mayr® power transmission can do a lot more than just transmit torques and compensate for shaft misalignments. “Shaft couplings are important components in the drive line. They are located right where the action is, so to speak, and are therefore predestined for intelligent monitoring concepts,” explains Ralf Epple, Product Manager at mayr® power transmission in Mauerstetten. “The goal is the intelligent coupling, which provides us with information about the status of the drive line. This results in decisive advantages.” Instead of adding elaborate measurement flanges or similar components to the drive line, the couplings are equipped with integrated sensors. This saves space and reduces the number of additional components. “Our ROBA®-drive-checker is based on the standard steel disk pack coupling ROBA®-DS and can therefore easily be integrated into many existing applications”, Ralf Epple adds. This approach is particularly attractive in the field of process monitoring, where both accuracy and cost-effectiveness play an important role. “We are deliberately setting ourselves apart from high-quality measurement technology and measurement systems in the testing area, which pursue a different goal,” Ralf Epple specifies.
mayr® power transmission at the Hanover Trade Fair 2023:
VDMA joint stand for power transmission and fluid technology
Hall 6, Stand B57
Simone Dauer
