Components with integrated sensors

R+W Antriebselemente GmbH is consistently continuing on its path toward automation, predictive maintenance and general process improvement. The company has achieved a technological breakthrough by applying sensor technology to its drive shafts.

Integrated sensor technology: A milestone in Industry 4.0

The solution developed by R+W marks a turning point in the world of components. It focuses on the requirement of Industry 4.0, such as the acquisition of data, a precise assessment of machine condition and the increasing optimization of space and time during the design phase.

Data acquisition and processing, in IoT-driven production contexts concerns physical quantities such as torque, speed, vibration and compression/strain (with a tolerance of <1% for calibrated LP combination up to 1000 Nm).

Focus on data acquisition and predictive maintenance

Sensor technology has been developed specifically with the Internet of Things (IoT) in mind to improve performance and product quality in application areas. By analyzing Big Data collected by sensors, it enables the monitoring of production equipment and the implementation of predictive maintenance to minimize costly downtime.  

Sensor technology, applied to R+W cardan shafts, ensures precise data collection under operating conditions to accurately assess the actual condition of the machine. This transforms the cardan shaft from a purely mechanical component into a smart component that can be used in IoT application contexts.

The integrated sensor technology is designed to interact optimally with the operator during production and ensure seamless integration into existing processes. Workers benefit from improved control capabilities and increased flexibility.

The technology is based on the use of different sensor types as well as an electronic circuit board with a microcontroller, a Bluetooth radio module and a signal amplifier.

R+W's sensor technology can be used on all cardan shafts and multi-plate clutches with intermediate spacers, including the LP2, LP3, LPA, LP5, LPH series, as well as the ZA, ZAE and EZ2 series extension cardan shafts. Despite the integration of the sensor technology, the ease of assembly of the R+W couplings is still guaranteed.