Motion Control & Drives


Drive-based solutions enhance operational efficiency and safety of machines

February 2023 Motion Control & Drives

BMG’s NORD predictive maintenance solutions offer fast, efficient, and comprehensive evaluation of analog and digital data, to enhance the operational efficiency and safety of machines. The intelligent PLC in NORD drive technology forms the basis for condition monitoring and predictive maintenance.

“BMG specialists use predictive maintenance as a methodical continuation of condition maintenance, with the prime objective of proactively maintaining machinery and equipment, and detecting operational changes. Our NORD status-oriented maintenance system replaces traditional time-based maintenance to enhance the performance of the gear unit, electric motor and frequency inverter, for increased efficiency of the entire plant, and reduced downtime,” explains national sales manager, Deon Crous. “Digitalisation in drive technology boosts the added value our customers derive from drive data. This is especially so in drive systems in demanding production environments, where industrial gear unit installations are usually used in critical applications and their failure could cause severe damage. For example, in mining, wastewater, intralogistics and the food industry, and in general heavy-duty applications.”

BMG’s NORD drives for condition monitoring are based on intelligent algorithms and software in an IIoT environment, where networked drive units collect condition data in the inverter’s integrated PLC and pre-process it, together with data of connected sensors and actuators.

“An important advantage of this system is that it offers our customers dependable data analysis, rather than merely data reading. Results of pre-processing or complete data can be optionally transmitted to an edge device, from which the data of all subsystems is managed and evaluated. This information is then available as pre-selected and edited smart data for further use and clear visualisation,” says Crous.

A common application example is the sensorless determination of the optimum oil change time, based on the oil temperature, which is the key factor for oil ageing in gear units. This information is used in conjunction with gear unit parameters and specific operational parameters to precisely calculate the appropriate oil change time, without the need for a physical temperature sensor.

BMG’s electromechanical specialists are able to extend and adjust NORD drive equipment for the specific automation task, including drive monitoring, drive control, and process control. The team is also able to advise customers about the correct PLC software architecture for every application.

In smaller production plants, NORD scalability allows users to gain first experiences prior to reorganising the plant. There are three configuration levels available. At the first level, the drive unit PLC performs only drive monitoring. Drive parameters are pre-processed in the PLC and communicated to the higher level control system that is responsible for drive and process control. At the medium level, the PLC integrates the drive control and also runs drive-related functions. At the higher configuration level, the inverter PLC completely replaces the higher level control system.


Credit(s)



Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

ABB’s value-adding products and solutions
ABB South Africa Motion Control & Drives
A technology leader driving the digital transformation of industries, with a history of innovation spanning over 130 years, ABB had a major presence at Electra Mining Africa 2024.

Read more...
Hexapod for high-precision positioning and motion tasks
Motion Control & Drives
Aerotech, the specialist for motion control and positioning systems, presents its new hexapod. The HEX150-125HL is suitable for high-precision positioning and motion tasks down to the nanometre range.

Read more...
FUCHS mining lubricants range
Motion Control & Drives
Ongoing pressure on commodity prices and reduced output has seen the global mining industry focus increasingly on energy efficiency and optimising production. “There is a major emphasis on cutting costs, especially in terms of proactive maintenance, which is where our products play a key role,” says, national manager, mining Africa at FUCHS Lubricants South Africa.

Read more...
Machinery breakdown: mitigation and preparation
Motion Control & Drives
Any business relying on machinery and equipment for its operations is exposed to the probability of significant financial losses due to a breakdown of a key piece of machinery that isn’t quickly or easily replaced or repaired.

Read more...
Kama expands its welding and cutting capability
Motion Control & Drives
Kama Coils and Transformers has acquired the exclusive agency for Hugong Welding Machines, a global leader in welding and cutting technology. Hugong welding machines are renowned for their cutting-edge technology and superior performance in welding and cutting applications.

Read more...
SEW-EURODRIVE’s growing local range drives entry into new markets
SEW-EURODRIVE Motion Control & Drives
SEW-EURODRIVE has rolled out an even greater selection of planetary drives as part of its strategy to ‘close the loop’ in its product offerings by expanding into more industry sectors.

Read more...
Hydraulic pumps deliver high flow, convenience and precision
Bearing Man Group t/a BMG Pneumatics & Hydraulics
BMG’s range of high-performance hydraulic electric Enerpac E-pulse pumps is critical to all 700 bar operating hydraulic systems. These portable E-pulse pumps have intelligent auto-cycle functionality and an efficient power-to-weight ratio to ensure dependable operation and high productivity in challenging industrial applications.

Read more...
World’s strongest land-based crane
Motion Control & Drives
Mammoet, the world’s largest engineered heavy lifting and transport company, has launched the world’s strongest land-based crane, the SK6000.

Read more...
High-performance motion control system
Motion Control & Drives
Aerotech will be presenting its high-performance motion control and positioning systems at SPS in Nuremberg in November. This year’s highlight is the latest version 2.8 of its Automation1 motion control platform.

Read more...
2-in-1 drive system for horizontal, inclined or vertical applications
Motion Control & Drives
RUD’s innovative 2-in-1 drive system, stands out for its flexible deflection ranging from 90 to 180°. This feature allows the chain drive system to be used for horizontal, ascending, and vertical movements.

Read more...