Bosch Rexroth's new IndraDrive Productivity Agent takes machine performance monitoring to a new level, creating a host of productivity, uptime and cost benefits. The product, a software addition to Rexroth's IndraDrive intelligent drive platform, uses intelligent IndraDrive units for monitoring the status of axis mechanics. The software analyzes that information based on the drive-integrated motion logic and translates it into actionable information. Productivity Agent is a tool designed to enhance the performance of a wide range of automation applications including food and packaging systems, machine tools, plastics, material handling and logistics systems, semiconductor and micromachining.
With the Productivity Agent, machine operators can reduce or eliminate costly failures or shutdowns, maintain equipment as mechanical conditions warrant, save cost by eliminating unnecessary maintenance, ensure that the dynamics and precision of their axes are maximized, get advance warning of wear-related damage, improve quality, quantity and performance of their end products and lower energy consumption by running equipment at optimum performance.
If the defined tolerance thresholds are exceeded, the Productivity Agent immediately notifies the user of wear before problems occur or the machine fails. Users can set the tolerance thresholds and sensitivity themselves, based on their specific application and experience with the machine. Retrofitting is also possible as a software option. Productivity Agent also incorporates an active vibration damping and counteracting function in addition to the diagnostics, so users can address other mechanical issues in a targeted manner and improve the machine's overall performance.
"The IndraDrive Productivity Agent takes standard preventive maintenance and improves it significantly," says Bosch Rexroth's vice president of technology Scott Hibbard. "It turns our intelligent drive architecture into a productivity-enhancing watchdog that's on the job 24/7/365."