Reliable operation of a modern machine, reduction of downtime, and optimum use of maintenance resources – these are the core requirements of the operators of machines and plants. To meet these requirements, manufacturers rely on solutions and services for condition assessment. Combined with knowledge of possible damage mechanisms, condition-based maintenance concepts can replace the classic time-based approach – an important lever for reducing costs for operators and ensuring competitiveness for manufacturers. Specialized suppliers of machine diagnostics and condition assessment address this need with systems that integrate sensors with measuring devices and evaluation into a retrofit system. For both target groups – manufacturers and specialist suppliers – modular, scalable, and cost-efficient building blocks are essential in order to solve the diverse tasks in the application:
Manufacturers can equip machine controllers according to customer requirements, for example with vibration and temperature monitoring, and integrate data analysis and evaluation into the control programs. All machine data and measured values are available in the controller for the correlation of operating states with damage indicators.
If condition monitoring is used as a retrofit for existing plants, this often necessitates a specific adaptation to the plant to be monitored: the number and type of sensors, measured data evaluation and classification are optimally dimensioned and adjusted. In this way, providers of retrofit solutions combine their expertise with measurement technology and enable sustainable maintenance concepts.
With its flexible range of measurement technology and the TwinCAT PLC libraries, Beckhoff offers all the necessary tools for the realization of modern condition monitoring systems. Based on proven control technology and high-performance communication via EtherCAT, our customers develop sturdy systems for condition monitoring with long-term stability.
- Versatile: vibration (IEPE), temperature (thermocouples, Pt100/Pt1000), force/strain/weight (strain gauge-based sensors), displacement (LVDT, potentiometer), angle (rotary encoder) and others
- Scalable: from 1 to >1,000 sensors, measuring devices from 16 bits to calibrated 24-bit modules
- Flexible: TwinCAT PLC libraries, e.g., for condition monitoring, filters and power monitoring
- Visual: TwinCAT Scope View and TwinCAT HMI for the visualization of state information and alarms
- Cost-effective: wide IPC portfolio from small controller to high-performance Control Panel with integrated IPC
- Communicative: interfaces for alarm messages (email, MQTT, OPC UA, etc.) and to the machine (switch-off by fieldbus or analog/digital signals)
Further information about our technologies and products for condition monitoring can be found here: