Home page
Smart maintenance

Smart maintenance solutions for energy chain systems and bearing technology from igus

Prevent downtimes ... extend product operating times ... save maintenance costs ...
with smart plastics

With i.Sense continuous condition monitoring, you can keep an eye on your systems at all times. With i.Cee, you can connect your production system to the Internet of Things (IoT) or your local network and have the option of predictive maintenance.

With smart plastics - energy chain systems, chainflex cables, linear guides and plain bearings equipped with smart sensors - we are pursuing the goal of making complex automation solutions as Industry 4.0-capable as possible.

Make an appointment now for your introduction to smart maintenance!

What you would like to know about smart maintenance:

Condition monitoring + predictive maintenance = smart maintenance

Condition monitoring (i.Sense)

Condition monitoring is the easiest and quickest way to turn many igus parts into self-monitoring smart plastics products. By attaching sensors, operators can measure forces during operation. If they exceed predefined limits (e.g. sudden peaks caused by a blockage or chain break), the system issues an alarm or at least a notification. This information provides the basis for next steps, maintenance or shutdown. If required, values outside defined limits can trigger a system shutdown immediately to avoid expensive damage. At igus, we use the term "i.Sense" to refer to condition monitoring.

To the condition monitoring system - i.Sense

Predictive maintenance (i.Cee)

Predictive maintenance uses sensors, software and the elements of condition monitoring to create a system that allows dynamic service life calculation and determines the best times for the maintenance of igus products. This makes predictive maintenance the next step in achieving a comprehensive concept for smart energy supply and bearing technology. This system offers a wide range of designs and a high degree of customisation. The goal is always to maximise system and user safety as well as product service life. At igus, we call our predictive maintenance system i.Cee (derived from "I see ahead").

To the predictive maintenance system - i.Cee

These igus products can be equipped with smart plastics technology

smart energy supply + cables

smart bearing technology

Smart maintenance: examples from the industries

Cranes

Machine tools

Agricultural engineering

Explore all smart plastics applications

Automotive production

In automotive production, the assembly lines never stand still. Intelligent production concepts in the style of predictive maintenance have long been established in these production lines.

Find out more

Crane industry

Heavy loads, long operating times, a wide range of weather conditions - cranes have to deliver top performance. To guarantee this at all times, reliable condition monitoring concepts are required.

Find out more

Wastewater treatment plants

Wastewater treatment plants demand a lot from the components used: continuous operation, weather and dirt. Our intelligent energy chain systems are designed to run reliably at all times under all conceivable conditions.

Find out more

Knowledge Base

Here you can find:

Current news in the blog
Manuals/ operating instructions
3D CAD models of smart components
i.Sense assembly instructions
Online seminars/video tutorials
EPLAN data for CAE software

To the knowledge base

Applications with smart plastics

Bread packaging machine

Bread packaging machine:

Avoid cable breaks with smart plastics

Smart prevention of cable breaks

Sensor system monitors energy chains in engine plant in the automotive industry

The Austrian automotive supplier therefore relies on smart plastics from igus® to avoid unplanned failures and plant downtimes.

Smart maintenance in the automotive industry

Predictive maintenance in train wash systems

The full smart plastics package, which optimally combines condition monitoring and predictive maintenance

Predictive maintenance in train-washing stations

Güdel relies on condition monitoring for the energy chain on linear robots

Güdel avoids breakdowns on its linear robots thanks to real-time measurement of movement, temperature and wear in the energy chain.

Güdel relies on condition monitoring for the energy chains on linear robots

Condition monitoring in wastewater treatment plants

smart plastics prevent the plant from being stopped in the event of a malfunction to prevent expensive consequential damage

Condition monitoring in the sewage treatment plant

Download - case study and brochure

Robust and smart – how digitally networked energy chains enhance STS cranes in the Port of Rotterdam

Robust and smart - how digitally networked energy chains strengthen STS cranes in the port of Rotterdam

This case study illustrates how EMO B.V. was able to achieve running performances of over 375,000km on its STS cranes with igus chains for cranes®.

To PDF download

Overview of smart plastics

Insights into the complete product range for Industry 4.0

In this brochure you will find comprehensive information on condition monitoring (i.Sense) and predictive maintenance as well as application examples, data flows in modern smart factory concepts and much more.

Download the smart plastics brochure

What new products are there?

Industry 4.0: new smart plastics products

Are you interested in condition monitoring?

Are you looking for a switch-off function for your energy supply to prevent a crash?

Do you want software for monitoring the energy supply?

Would you like the status message to be displayed via an LED?

Go to condition monitoring

Are you interested in predictive maintenance?

Would you like to know when one of your igus products should be serviced?

Do you want to avoid unexpected system downtimes?

Would you like to always have the current service life of your igus products displayed?

Do you want to make energy supply and plain bearing technology fit for Industry 4.0?

Go to predictive maintenance

Are you interested in our dashboard?

Would you like to see right now what will happen in the future?

View LIVE dashboard

3D CAD portal for smart plastics

Designing intelligent energy chain systems faster. CAD models for all smart components.
Our intelligent e-chain systems are already being used reliably in many hundreds of thousands of applications worldwide - from beverage vending machines and CNC machines to steelworks. Unsupported lengths can be bridged with ease and long travels are conceivable for a wide range of industries.