ABB has launched a new condition-based monitoring service to allow users of robots to create a preventive maintenance schedule and avoid unexpected failures.
The service uses real-time data including on duty, speed, acceleration and gearbox wear to help identify potential problems that could affect performance, These variables are compared against other robots in ABB’s worldwide database to calculate the likelihood and timescale of a potential fault or failure.
Aimed at customers with large numbers of robots, the service can advise whether repair is required or whether affected parts need replacement. By identifying which parts are likely to fail and when, spare parts can be bought without having to hold them in stock, while still making sure resources are available to carry out the work when required.
Previously, it was difficult for users to tell whether key parts such as gearboxes were becoming worn, so that problems were either undiagnosed until a failure, or parts were bought unnecessarily.
Real-time monitoring helps to maximise performance and extends the mean time between failures, as well as prolonging the operational life of the robot, says ABB.
A report is provided for each robot, with data analysis and individual maintenance recommendations, allowing the customer to design an appropriate maintenance schedule,
“Customers can now optimise production efficiency by eliminating unexpected downtime caused by failures or delays in obtaining spare parts to fix a fault,” said ABB Robotics head of product management Antti Matinlauri. “Users will gain a better understanding of which robots might have an increased risk of component failure, for example if they are over-utilised compared with others in a production line.”
For more information about condition-based maintenance, visit https://new.abb.com/products/robotics/service/condition-based-maintenance