Method and system for evaluating a maintenance requirement of a linear transmission device
AssigneeHiwin Technologies Corp.
InventorsShang-Hua Tsai, Yu-Hsin Lin, Meng-Ying Lin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method is provided for evaluating a maintenance requirement of a linear transmission device that is driven by a driving device. A control unit receives, from a sensing unit, a plurality of electric sensor signals that respectively correspond to multiple physical quantities of the linear transmission device or the driving device. The control unit calculates at least four correction factors based on the electric sensor signals, and calculates a service life of the linear transmission device based on the electric sensor signals and the at least four correction factors for scheduling maintenance of the linear transmission device.
Claims8
A method for evaluating a maintenance requirement of a linear transmission device that is driven by a driving device, comprising steps of:
- by a control unit communicatively connected to the driving device, receiving, from a sensing unit that is installed on one or both of the linear transmission device and the driving device and that is disposed to sense multiple physical quantities related to the one or both of the linear transmission device and the driving device, a plurality of electric sensor signals that respectively correspond to the physical quantities;
- by the control unit, calculating at least four correction the Is based on the electric sensor signals;
- by the control unit, calculating a service life of the linear transmission device based on the electric sensor signals and the at least four correction factors;
- and
- performing one of maintenance and parts replacement for the linear transmission device based on the service life of the linear transmission device thus calculated,
- wherein the linear transmission device includes a shaft, and a moving member disposed on the shaft, and the shaft is rotatable to bring the moving member into linear movement in an axial direction of the shaft;
- said method further comprising steps of:
- by the control unit, calculating a lubricant life based on a lubricant consumption variable f for scheduling replenishment of lubricant, where the lubricant consumption variable f is defined by:
- f
- =
- a
- o
- ×
- (
- F
- MAX
- F
- op
- )
- +
- b
- o
- ×
- (
- DN
- MAX
- DN
- op
- )
- ,
- where ao and bo are lubricant consumption coefficients, FMAX represents an upper limit of load for the linear transmission device, Fop represents a maximum load of the linear transmission device obtained from the electric sensor signals, DNMAX represents an upper limit of a DN value for the linear transmission device, DNop represents a maximum DN value obtained from the electric sensor signals, and the DN value is a product of a rotational speed and an outer diameter of the shaft;
- and
- adding lubricant oil to the linear transmission device based on the lubricant life thus calculated.
A system for evaluating a maintenance requirement of a linear transmission device, comprising:
- a linear motion unit that includes said linear transmission device, and a driving device disposed to drive said linear transmission device;
- a sensing unit that is installed on said linear motion unit for sensing multiple physical quantities related to operation of said linear motion unit, so as to output a plurality of electric sensor signals that respectively correspond to the physical quantities;
- and
- a control unit that is communicatively connected to said linear motion unit and said sensing unit for controlling operation of said linear motion unit, and for receiving the electric sensor signals from said sensing unit, and that is configured to calculate at least four correction factors based on the electric sensor signals, and to calculate a service life of said linear transmission device based on the electric sensor signals and the at least four correction factors for scheduling maintenance of said linear transmission device,
- wherein said linear transmission device includes a shaft, a moving member disposed on said shaft to define at least one return channel that has multiple openings, and a plurality of rolling members disposed to roll between said shaft and said moving member and in said at least one return channel;
- and
- wherein said sensing unit includes a sensor disposed on said moving member for sensing at least one of the physical quantities, and a distance in an axial direction of said shaft between said sensor and one of said openings of said at least one return channel is smaller than three times a diameter of each of said rolling members.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.