Igus has released the i.Cee:local module which predicts the service life of machinery and equipment, making maintenance efficient and predictable.

The module calculates the remaining service life of the energy chain, cable, linear guide and plain bearing during operation. This allows the service life of the system to be optimised, faults to be detected and rectified at an early stage, and maintenance to be planned. With its multi-connectivity, i.Cee:local can be integrated via the Internet or without IoT connectivity via the local network, depending on customer requirements.

It bundles the data of all smart plastics systems used and prepares it for the maintenance engineer. i.Cee:local has two functions: it is the home of the open-source i.Cee software, the brain of smart plastics. For the first installation, the software is first parametrised and thus optimally adapted to the specific application with the help of the service life algorithms from igus.

“The service life forecast, which we determine on the basis of millions of test data in our in-house 3,800m² laboratory, is compared and adjusted during operation with the values determined so that a real-time service life statement can be made about the durability of the machine and system,” igus head of smart plastics Richard Habering says.

With i.Cee:local, maintenance can be planned, malfunctions can be detected in time and plant downtime can be avoided. The costs of an early retrofit can be reduced through the maximum use of igus components, and spare parts can also be ordered automatically at an early stage. The use of i.Cee:local is suitable for all igus smart plastics products, from plain bearings up to chains.

Another important specification of i.Cee:local is its multi-connectivity. The possibility of seamless integration into the designated network environments allows the implementation of various Industry 4.0 use cases.

The data of the i.Cee:local module can be accessed either via a display on the system, via a cloud solution or an IoT dashboard, as JSON/MQTT protocol, on the intranet, via the REST API interface or directly via SMS or email.

“No matter whether online or offline, depending on the customer’s requirements, the data can be accessed quickly and easily by the maintenance staff, thanks to the i.Cee:local module,” Richard adds.