Brake Technology 4.0

By OEM Update Editorial June 12, 2018 1:02 pm

Monitoring and controlling brakes intelligently using the new modules by mayr power transmission

Monitoring modules of the latest generation, a technologically leading friction system and consistently-observed safety principles – safety brakes by mayr power transmission are equipped for the challenges of the Industry 4.0. The perfectly-coordinated complete system guarantees the utmost level of operational and functional safety, and increases the productivity of machines and systems through predictive error detection and maintenance. mayr power transmission presents its brake technology 4.0 at the Hanover Trade Fair 2018.

With Industry 4.0, the Internet of Things and Services enters companies. That’s why mayr power transmission as the leading manufacturer is already offering reliable safety brakes, which are equipped for the challenges of the forth industrial revolution. Brake technology 4.0 stands for intelligent monitoring modules, by which mayr power transmission sets new standards. The modules such as the ROBA-brake-checker and the ROBA-torqcontrol monitor safety brakes easily and quickly or facilitate the even and smooth deceleration of machines and devices.

Permanent brake monitoring and predictive maintenance
The ROBA-brake-checker module operates without sensors. Instead, it analyzes current and voltage and recognizes the movement of the armature disk. Thus it knows the condition of the brake. In addition to the switching condition, the module can also deduce the temperature, wear and tension path or tensile force reserve, i.e. whether the magnet still has sufficient force to attract the armature disk. Using the new module, a significantly larger number of processes can be depicted during the monitoring of the safety brakes than was hitherto the case. On reaching the tensile force reserve, the ROBA-brake-checker emits a warning signal, early enough so that a defined operating time of the brake is still possible. Within this time, the machine operator can undertake specific maintenance in coordination with their work process – maintenance with foresight, so to speak. The ROBA-brake-checker is now available in a design for AC voltage. In addition, another version of the module will also in future take on the supply of the brake, and as a result, replace the rectifier. Switching condition monitoring and brake control are therefore combined in one device.

Braking movements gently and in a controlled manner
For applications, which require braking torque control in addition to status monitoring, mayr power transmissions provides the braking torque control module ROBA-torqcontrol. It shares the features of the ROBA-brake-checker and can also change the level of the braking torque in operation through purposeful influencing of current and voltage. As a result, devices and machines can be evenly and gently decelerated. The ROBA-torqcontrol module permits the development of control loops and brakes movements intelligently – the ideal basis for its use in smart, interconnected machines.

Reliable brake control
Another module to continuously monitor the switching condition of the brakes is the safe brake control ROBA-SBCplus. In this module, mayr power transmission offers safety brakes and safe brake control in a complete package. This module has been developed in collaboration with the company Pilz, especially for applications which have to fulfil requirements for the protection of people according to standards regarding functional safety. The ROBA-SBCplus module must reliably interrupt the current in the magnetic coil when the brake is switched off. For this purpose, the module operates with wear-free electronic semi-conductors, and as a result achieves practically unlimited switching frequency and switching reliability. This brake control module performs reliable switching time monitoring. Furthermore, an integrated plausibility check is conducted through the evaluation of the release monitoring signals. The evaluations of the switching states and the return signal therefore permit reliable error diagnostics. This permits creep errors which influence on the switching times, for example increasing wear, to be detected in due time.

The reliable ROBA-SBCplus brake control unit is type-certified by TÜV Süd (Technical Inspectorate, Southern Germany) and can be used up to the highest Performance Level PLe and Safety Integrity Level (SIL) 3.