Measurement technology More efficient work and driving processes for mobile working machines

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Taiwan Machine Tool & Accessory Builders' Association (TMBA)

Wuxi InfiMotion Technology Co., Ltd.

SIMTOS (Seoul International Machine Tool Show)

Information about inclination and acceleration can make the difference between success and (critical) failure in mobile working machines. Intelligent IMU measuring units can provide the necessary data to increase process efficiency and safety.

In mobile work machines with booms, unexpected tipping and loss of control is one of the greatest dangers to both people and the machine. If people are involved in the work process, as in the case of turntable ladders or other booms with man baskets, the danger to life and limb increases even more. It is therefore all the more important that the position of the telescopic work equipment is accurately recorded and monitored. To this end, the automation and sensor technology specialists at STW from Kaufbeuren have developed the 6-axis IMU SMX.igs-a. The inertial measurement unit records accelerations, inclination angles, and rotational rates in all three spatial axes to enable the most precise monitoring of the machine or part of the machine.

Smart support system

The SMX.igs-a is available as a variant up to SIL2 / PL d and is therefore also suitable for applications with special requirements for functional safety, such as the aforementioned examples with direct involvement of people.

For less safety-critical applications, a non-safety version of the sensor is also available. It is characterized mainly by the use of a Kalman filter. This brings together the acceleration and rotation rate data using sensor data fusion. It is a filter algorithm that calculates the measured values, predicts the further course and corrects the values accordingly. The Kalman filter impresses with its high dynamics and still very good damping. This position and acceleration projection can achieve great efficiency gains. In braking systems, for example, the brake pressure can be optimally regulated during descent using the information about the slope or gradient. This protects the components used and supports the machine operator.

Andreas Huster, Head of Sensors & Measurement Systems at STW, emphasizes: "The trend towards driver support and sustainable conservation of resources has long since arrived in mobile working machines. Our SMX.igs-a can make a valuable contribution here." This is because there is also a shortage of skilled workers when it comes to machine operators. Systems that help the driver to move the often very investment-intensive machines gently and efficiently are more important than ever in order to operate as profitably as possible on the machine operator side.

Inducing repeatable machine movements

Another use case of the SMX.igs-a that contributes to this is the automated boom leveling and positioning on excavators. It enables the machine operator to induce repeatable machine movements in order to create slopes of the highest precision or particularly flat surfaces.

In addition to the integrated intelligence of the sensor, the measuring system is particularly characterized by its user-friendly integrability:

• For the SMX.igs-a, a new, compact zinc die-cast housing with two M12 connections has been developed. The sensor is only about 1 inch high and has a width and depth of just over 2.75 inches each. This allows it to be integrated into even the most confined spaces and constructions.

• By dispensing with their own connection cables on the sensor, machine manufacturers can freely decide how and where they want to place the SMX.igs-a. This also does not prevent a subsequent integration into the automation architecture of the machine.

• On the application side, the sensor has no limits. With protection classes up to IPX9K and an operating temperature range between -40 °C and 85 °C, the IMU is suitable for the toughest operating conditions, from mining to agricultural technology to forestry machinery.

User-friendly configuration dashboards

However, it is not only physically that the smart sensor can be taken into account in the machine design. The software integration is also particularly user-friendly thanks to the support of the open-source software platform Opensyde from STW. Configuration dashboards simplify the initial access and parameterization of the sensor - both in new systems and in retrofitting. The measurement values can be visualized and monitored intuitively via the CAN monitor.

The STW SMX platform, which also includes the SMX.dms-a strain sensors, can also be used as a basis for the development of condition monitoring systems. In conjunction with the machine manufacturer, STW sensor experts can implement tailor-made solutions for the respective applications.