Spindle

Unplanned machine tool spindle repairs can be avoided when sensors continuously record the spindle's condition and report deviations early. At the special machine builder working with BLUE-ZONE, service engineers used to inspect spindles manually according to fixed maintenance plans and replace them when needed. Today, the solution automatically transfers basic data from the spindles to an application. The aim is for engineers to know before a visit where faults have occurred and which components need replacing.

A machine tool spindle mainly provides speed, current draw, temperature, torque, feed rate and its exact XYZ position. BLUE-ZONE's solution records these parameters with sensors on critical components. They form the basis for precise condition monitoring and a detailed analysis of machine behaviour. A gateway transmits the data to the user's data centre or the cloud, and a dashboard shows the condition in real time.

Vibration reveals disturbances in the machining process in real time, such as a tool breakage or micro-waviness on the workpiece. Schaeffler Digital Solutions' autinityVC breaks down the signals from several vibration sensors using a fast Fourier transform and compares them with reference spectra. A tool breakage produces a sudden peak: the software raises an alarm and stops the machine. Benzinger also analyses vibration data from its machines in the moneo Cloud.

An impending spindle failure shows up as deviations in the spindle's continuously recorded operating data. With BLUE-ZONE, speed, current draw, temperature and torque reach a dashboard via a gateway, where deviations are visible immediately. Anomalies are detected early, before costly failures occur, and unplanned downtime falls. Benzinger also uncovers weak points early with IO-Link sensors from ifm and moneo.