New Torque Measurement System

Assessing the Remaining Service Lives of Drive Components -

Process Monitoring and Optimization

New Torque Measurement System - FAG ProTorq

HERZOGENRATH, July 29, 2010. Schaeffler Industrial Aftermarket has added an innovative, maintenance-free torque measurement system called FAG ProTorq to its portfolio. It permits plant operators to assess the residual life time of drive components and to monitor and optimize production process. With the help of this new online system, overloading of drive elements and plants can be detected at an early stage, and the necessary maintenance tasks can be scheduled. In this way companies can avoid high failure costs. Steel manufacturers, for example, can realize savings in excess of 100,000 euros simply by avoiding an unscheduled six-hour shutdown of the mill stand drive. The FAG ProTorq is used primarily as a permanently installed measurement system for constant measurements. But it is also suitable for temporary measurements carried out to solve an emerging problem.

Fields of Application

Torque monitoring - also in addition to vibration measurement - always makes sense where drive elements must be protected from overloading or where the right torque is important for the production process. One example of this is the rolling process used in the production of steel and aluminum. The FAG ProTorq measurement system is an online monitoring system with a sturdy, strain gauge based measurement hardware for extremely rough ambient conditions. Other fields of application include ships' propulsions, drive shafts in top drives, mud pumps, rotary tube kilns or generators of wind turbines.

The Torque Measurement Principle

When a shaft is torsional loaded, this causes a barely noticeable torsion of the shaft from its idle state. The resulting straining of the surface can be measured by means of strain gauges. The highly sensitive strain gauges are applied to the shaft, protected from outside influences. Even the slightest deformation alters the strain gauges' electrical resistance. These changes are transmitted contactless to the FAG ProTorq measurement computer via a telemetric transmission system. The FAG ProTorq software analyzes the raw signals (torque and other process signals) and processes them for fast access by the user. In the data analysis of the, signals and production-related information are linked to each other. This permits users to check the condition of individual components and obtain reliable information on a machine's condition. As the data are measured and analyzed constantly, the FAG ProTorq software can also automatically trigger an alert at the operator's if individually adjustable limit values are exceeded.

"Thanks to its flexible design, FAG ProTorq can be adapted to customers' most diverse wishes and can be used in nearly all sectors of industry. The measurement system can be integrated into existing drive trains without affecting the mechanical properties of the drive elements. Depending on customer's wishes and on the machine or plant in question, the hardware is adapted individually to the requirements. The measurements can be carried out either temporarily or permanently and are not limited to torque monitoring", says Dr. Christian Schaaf, Manager Torque Monitoring.

FAG Industrial Services GmbH (F'IS)

Headquartered in Herzogenrath near Aachen, FAG Industrial Services GmbH (F'IS) offers its services, service products and maintenance training on a manufacturer-independent basis, helping customers to save on maintenance costs, optimize machine availability and avoid unexpected machine downtime. F'IS takes responsibility for Schaeffler Group Industrial's worldwide service business regarding the INA and FAG brands. In 2009, the Schaeffler Group employed a workforce of about 61,000 at 180 locations worldwide and generated sales of 7.3 billion euros with its brands INA, LuK and FAG.

Contact

FAG Industrial Services GmbH

Sabine Drescher

Marketing & Communication

Tel. +49 (0)2407 9149-78

Fax +49 (0)2407 9149-59

E-mail: drescher_s@fis-services.de

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