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triflex with breakage monitoring and emergency stop for the cable carrier.

Now for robots, too - intelligent 3D energy chain condition monitoring

i.Sense TR.B: Avoid unplanned downtimes and high downtime costs now, even for multi-axis and industrial robots, with smart plastic's smart condition monitoring for triflex® R energy chain.

igus i.Sense TR.B sensor on a black energy chain hose.

The monitoring sensor is very easily installed at the end of the triflex chain using the mounting plate supplied.

Robots have long been indispensable in many areas of industrial manufacturing – bb welding, painting, soldering, and palletising: industrial robots are becoming dynamic. A flexible multi-axis energy chain such as the triflex® R from igus® makes it possible to guide robot cables safely. To detect potential chain breaks caused by extreme loads in good time and avoid unplanned machine breakdowns, igus has developed i.Sense TR.B, the world's first condition monitoring system for multi-axis energy chains.

Customers can increase the safety of their robot systems with an investment of just a few hundred euros. The i.Sense TR.B sensor is connected directly to the PLC customer control system - without additional software costs. If a chain link breaks, the system detects the change in the length of the rope installed in the chain and can send out a digital signal to the system control. Instant breakage detection allows immediate maintenance measures and can thus prevent unplanned downtime and total failure when individual chain links break.

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Tech up

  • Real-time status detection of the robot's energy supply
  • Intelligent breakage detection allows for immediate maintenance measures
  • Service life extension of the protected cable packages

Cost down

  • Direct connection of the TR.B sensor to the customer's PLC without additional software costs
  • No unplanned downtimes
  • No total failures if individual links break

Proof

  • Ongoing test series in the industry's largest test laboratory for moving power transmission systems on industrial robots

Sustainability

  • Condition-based maintenance avoids unnecessary or premature chain replacement
  • Reusable after correct emergency shutdown of the system

The functionality of i.Sense TR.B is shown again in the video here:

Die hohen Dynamiken und Belastungsgrenzen der triflex Energieketten lassen sich am besten im Video demonstrieren.

i.Sense EC.P - intelligent push/pull force monitoring successfully implemented

  • Sewage and wastewater treatment plants
  • Harbour and container cranes
  • Conveying and bulk handling
    • Conveyor system in a mine with a long belt and red material outdoors.

    "Less effort, greater availability"

    "Less maintenance, increased availability, the option of guiding all the different cables and hoses in one system, the electronic i.Sense EC.P push/pull force monitoring ... I would definitely choose intelligent igus energy chains again!"

    Dipl.-Ing. Fabian Wilhelm, Project Manager at AOS Stade GmbH

    igus e-chains with smart plastics application examples in industrial plants, cranes and machines.

    Customer applications worldwide

    In international automotive production, the global crane industry or regional wastewater plants: i.Sense EC.P systems are successfully used wherever people want to save maintenance costs and prevent machine downtime:

    Click here for the application overview

    When regular maintenance work requires complete production shutdown ...

    When motion anomalies cannot be detected by humans in time ...

    If plants or machines need to be monitored frequently or continuously ...

    If energy supply system travels are difficult to access or view ...

    If maintenance work poses a health or safety risk ...

    If maintenance costs are to be reduced and service life extended ...

    i.Sense in daily use on linear chains

    • The i.Sense EC.B (EC = e-chain, B = breakage detection) sensor is installed at the moving end of the e-chain (in the video it still has the smaller sensor box for short travels)
    • Special mounting brackets also allow the EC.B sensor to be installed on the moving end of the e-chain
    • A cable is stretched through the e-chain, which picks up all changes in length and reports them to the new EC.B rope hoist sensor.
    • This detects chain breakages, switches off the system and prevents consequential damage
    More about the other i.Sense systems

    10 tips for energy supply on the robot

    “10 Tipps” brochure on energy supply to robots with open inner pages.

    Download free white paper
    This guide shows you step by step how to select, install and commission an energy supply system for axis 3-6 on an industrial robot. The first points are about positioning the cable and hose pack and selecting the right energy chain.

    Then you choose the appropriate retraction system. Helpful tips on assembly and a final checklist round off the ten-point package and provide step-by-step instructions for both amateurs and professionals.

    Download the 10 tips
    smart plastics diagram: i.Sense and i.Cee connect sensors, modules, and remote maintenance.

    Integration into your own network environment

    As part of the i.Sense condition monitoring system from smart plastics, all data from the new EC.B sensor can also be analysed in the i.Cee control cabinet module. This can then be used to digitally control the entire alarm and escalation management of the system.

    The i.Cee module can also be integrated into predictive-maintenance concepts in a number of ways. From preventive service management, which schedules regular maintenance depending on use, to location-independent fault management, which immediately reports any unforeseen change via various mobile channels. All information is collated in a modern dashboard, online or offline in the local network, depending on the customer's requirements.

    Predictive maintenance with smart plastics | i.Cee
    Cover of the smart plastics brochure 2025 with a magenta background and igus.eu logo.

    Overview of smart plastics

    Insight into the complete igus product portfolio for Industry 4.0

    Contents of this free brochure:

    • Condition Monitoring (i.Sense)
    • Systems for condition monitoring
    • Advantages of condition monitoring systems
    • Application examples of condition monitoring
    • Predictive maintenance (i.Cee)
    • Systems for predictive maintenance
    • Advantages of predictive-maintenance systems
    • Application examples for predictive maintenance
    • Data flow in modern smart factory concepts
    Download the smart plastics brochure
    Digital Smart Plastics interface on a laptop with igus products and monitoring applications.

    Information ...

    All information about the smart plastic News 2023 in compact PDF format.

    News catalogue PDF
    Tablet with igus CAD configurator, where a part is viewed by touch.

    ... Try it ...

    Free 3D data, operating instructions and much more in our smart plastic service area

    3D data
    igus cable carrier system with warning symbol and accessory modules on a laptop screen.

    ... Realise

    Order ready-to-install smart plastic complete solutions directly from the igus online shop

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    I look forward to answering your questions

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