/// VIBRATION & MONITORING NEWSROUND \\\
low-frequency vibration sensor
Innovative vibration sensor developed to suit the needs of slow moving heavy machinery
Effective monitoring of slow-speed rotating industrial applications such as windpower gen- eration and hydro-electric turbines is a critical requirement, just as it is on standard-speed ap- plications, especially given the increasing importance of “green-energy” alternatives. Reliable and effective vibration measurement of low-speed machinery (typically less than 300rpm) helps ensure machinery and plant is functioning optimally and is one of the areas that Sen- sonics has catered for with its latest sensor. In all situations the focus should be to understand the dynamic behaviour, establish a base- line vibration performance and then detect the early onset of failure in rotating parts, which if left unchecked has the potential to result in more serious damage affecting overall performance. While using accelerometers is com- monplace on standard-speed ma- chinery (usually 1,500rpm), this becomes problematic at lower speeds as the abso- lute accelerations mea- sured are much smaller in value for similar vibration displacements at higher fre- quencies , thereby suiting standard ac- celerometers. In recognition of the need for a sensor to meet specific low- frequency re-
Electro-magnetic
Electro-dynamic vibration sensor is suited to low-frequency machine and pump monitoring applications
22 /// Climatic & Vibration Testing \\\ 2021
levels of vibration Foundry operators’ exposure to harmful vibration from
fettling machines is being reduced by use of collaborative robots A large foundry operator has adopted the assistance of robots in its fettling operations to improve
safety and productivity and reduce the operators’ exposure to vibration. Sheffield Forgemasters opted for the 6A10 grinding cobot (collaborative robot), which acts as a working companion to the operators of heavy grinding equipment. The cobot stabilises and takes the weight of the grinder resulting in a dramatic reduction in the transmission of vibration to the operator. The Cobot initiative is a significant change for Sheffield
Forgemasters, which relies heavily on grinders to fettle or prepare the complex 3D shapes of its castings, allowing operators to safely increase their working time by reducing fatigue. According to John Sanderson, foundry operations director at Sheffield Forgemasters, the cobot is a robotic, electric-motor driven arm, which takes the full weight of the pneumatic grinders and is guided by the operator, but does not require any programming. “Trials of the cobot have transformed what we can achieve on such tasks, by improving the health and safety environment, reducing the chances of a grinder slipping from the work surface, and by removing fatigue and vibrations from the process, which dictate how much time an operator can safely work for,” he says. Usually, vibration levels and other associated risks dictate that operators undertaking manual grinding tasks may only work safely for a maximum of three hours. Using the cobot, however, obviates all of this, allowing the operator to work a full day on such tasks. According to Olivier Baudet of cobot supplier, RB3D, the equipment is helping reduce musculoskeletal disorders, cutting dramatically both the suffering caused to the people concerned and the cost of collective social protection within companies. The cobot operates from a mobile cart and is currently configured for smaller, ground level jobs where it can access around 60 per cent of the work surface compared to an operator manually handling a grinder.
cut unwanted
Cobots
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