Failure detector for hydraulic machines

Background

Heavy-duty hydraulic machines are used in many industries for example in the manufacturing industries to drive production conveyor belts and in the transport industries to drive the motors in ships, tractors and cars. After many years of operation, these machines experience wear and tear due to mechanical and thermal stress in the rotating part thus generating metallicparticles. These metallic particles provide essential information about the machine parts that will lead to machine breakdown. The proposed failuredetector for hydraulic machines will trap and analyze the metallic particles to determine the machine part creating them. This failure detector will make predictions that will help to prevent machine breakdown and productiondowntime in hydraulic machines when it is installed on the hydraulicmachines.

A product from several years of research

The failure detector is a product from several years of research in which several research projects with different focus areas contribute to the final result. Today a prototype of the failure detector has been tested in an evaluation system developed together with the company Bosch Rexroth, a global leader in mobile hydraulics.

Custom benefits

The failure detector for hydraulic machines benefits the customers because it will provide the following information and possibilities.

Information about the detected magnetic particle throughout the life-span of the hydraulic machine.
Better maintenance schedule and with suggestion about the part of the hydraulicmachine that needs servicing because machine owner and service maintenanceengineers will make quality decision relating to maintenance based on accuratedata and statistics.
Reduced machine downtime, increased production, reduced maintenance cost and information about the currents status of the hydraulic machine.
Failure detector for hydraulic machines is aimed at three interest groups namely (1) manufacturers of heavy industrial hydraulic machines, (2) owners of existing machines and (3) service maintenance companies of industrialhydraulic machines. When miniaturized, failure detector for hydraulicmachines could fit into motor engines in tractors, elevators, escalators and cranes and as such it will be attractive to manufacturers and users of such vehicles.

Goal

The main purpose with the project is to eliminate the risks that remain before a commercializing the failure detector for hydraulic motors. The risks that remain are industrial verification of the detector, verifying that the detector can be produced in a cost and form-factor that fits the needs of a business plan that has been adopted to this verification. Additionally, to develop an implementation plan and build partnership with the purpose to start a spin-off company during or after this project.

After a successful project, we have proven that the detector is verifiedagainst the requirements from the potential partners. Additionally, we will have a contract for long term evaluation of a set of detectors, which will be used to finance the start of the business and also as a reference to other customers.

Partners

Bosch Rexroth Mellansel AB
Miun Innovation