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Non-contact monitor predicts when chains are going to fail

06 July, 2016

The German chain-maker iwis has developed a non-contact system for measuring the elongation of chains while they are running. The CCM (chain condition monitor) shows the wear status on an LED display in 0.5% increments, and can also export its readings to device such as PCs via a USB cable.

The monitor, which can be applied to most chains as a simple “plug-and-play” retrofit, warns maintenance staff when the chain needs to be replaced. It can be used on chain sizes from 06B (travelling at speeds of 0.1–4.8m/s) to 20B (0.35–15.5m/s). The contactless measurement does not affect the performance of the chain and no calibration is needed.

The system is suitable for installations including simplex, duplex or triplex chains, with one device being used to monitor each strand. Variable speeds and changing directions of movement do not affect performance.

“With the new CCM system, we have implemented predictive maintenance – a key subject of Industry 4.0,” explains iwis engineer Florian Madlener, who played a key role in developing the monitor. “The most valuable customer benefit is that the maintenance staff can react in time. This prevents long downtimes of plants and machines, danger to promised delivery times and interruptions of the logistics chain – all of this helps to avoid financial loss from production failure. Additionally, the system also serves permanent monitoring of highly precise chain applications.”

iwis' CCM monitors the elongation of chain as it is running and warns before the chain is likely to fail

The corrosion- and wear-resistant, IP67-protected system can be used in temperatures from 0°C to 70°C. Special versions are available for abrasive applications. Applications involving chains with attachments on both sides or extended pins will require inspection by iwis engineers.




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