Programmable Edge controllers

Diagnostic systems for predictive maintenance

Condition-based monitoring allows early detection of machine damage prior to the start of failure. Maintenance work can be scheduled as needed and the remaining life of components can be optimized.

ifm’s vibration diagnostic system is permanently mounted for continuous monitoring and evaluation. The VSE evaluation electronics is in a separate housing from the accelerometers. This allows for mounting of the accelerometers in the best location for accurate measurements.

Faulty settings and process parameters or using the wrong tools can lead to crash situations between components and tool spindle, high strain of the spindle (increased wear) or to bad quality.  This results in high consequential costs, a shortened lifetime and rejects.

Based on the dynamic increase in power, crash situations are detected in time and displayed. The switching output can react to the crash within 1 ms in order to minimize or even avoid consequential or secondary damage. 

The integration of the vibration Edge controller into the machine control via the fieldbus interface enables an ideal adjustment of the evaluation (i.e., adjustment of the alarm thresholds, suppression of characteristic values that cannot be evaluated during processing, e.g. spindle bearing, etc.) to the current operating status of the machine.

ifm’s VSE / VSA continuous diagnostic monitoring systems can be configured to detects all of the faults shown below, from the most basic overall machine vibration to the complex machine tool protection such as:

• unbalance
• misalignment
• looseness (velocity monitoring) as well as bearing wear
• machine crash
• gear problems
• rolling element bearings
• pump cavitation (acceleration)
• work piece protection
• tool protection