In the complex environment of a factory, besides numerous machines, various tools and parts used for production, and even the finished products need to be managed. RFID technology is the ideal solution to manage these equipment and products. In addition, vibration sensors can also be used to sense whether the operating conditions of the machines and tools are abnormal, and preventive maintenance can be carried out in advance to reduce losses caused by downtime. This article will show you Murata's RFID and vibration sensor solutions for a better understanding of factory automation management.
Reduced manual operation for improved production efficiency
Industry 4.0 is not only simply intended to improve the production efficiency of factory automation, but also to upgrade flexible production and customized manufacturing. The use of technologies and systems such as the Internet, cloud services, big data, automated production equipment, enterprise resource planning (ERP), manufacturing execution system (MES), etc, will maximize the cross-system integration capability to completely reduce labor demand, improve the 24-hour production efficiency of the factory, realize an unmanned factory, and functions such as remote control and data analysis, and promote industrial production to a new level.
Although the traditional factory automation has greatly improved the production speed of machines, these machines still require manual operation and management, which is the bottleneck of commodity production and system maintenance. An RFID system can quickly read information, rewrite information, and even read multiple information simultaneously, which will greatly reduce the manpower demand, improve the efficiency of factory operations, and avoid the occurrence of human errors.
Using RFID technology to reduce hidden costs in production
In a factory, there are a variety of production machines, which usually require parts maintenance and replacement based on the specified service life. However, in general, most enterprises fail to plan and manage this requirement, and often wait until the machine fails. If the inventory of parts is insufficient, they must spend more time waiting for parts to be replaced, resulting in too long of a downtime, which means that the inventory management of equipment parts will be hidden costs in production.
RFID technology makes paperless and efficient management of products and assets a reality, thus reducing the manpower and time required for management, and visualizing the management and processes of operators, products, and assets. As long as RFID tags are directly scanned quickly and conveniently, the models, specifications, service life, and other information of these machines, parts, and consumables can be clearly indicated. Combined with the inventory management system, the number of spare parts can be accurately obtained. Centralized management of this product information through the database can reduce the management workload of manufacturers and users.
In the harsh factory environment, RFID still has advantages over other technologies such as bar codes. This is because RFID tags can be read smoothly even if they are contaminated and covered by water or oil. In addition, product information, life management, inspection history, and other information can be written in RFID tags and a password locking function can be used to prevent data from being modified incorrectly.
RFID tags that can be used on metal surfaces
For factory applications, Murata has introduced the LXTB series RFID RAIN tags that can be used on metal surfaces. Metal objects themselves also play a role of enhanced antennas, greatly increasing the overall reading range. The use of LXTB series RFID tags in factories can effectively improve the automation process and efficiency, enabling accurate inventory checking and definition of data and analysis parameters, thus saving costs and reducing human errors.
LXTB series RFID tags are small in size, only 6.0 x 2.0 x 2.3 mm, with robust design and EPC Global Gen 2v2 standard compliant. With built-in 128-bit EPC memory, the maximum reading range under 4W equivalent isotopically radiated power (EIRP) is 1.5 m (reference value), covering the global UHF frequency band (865 ~ 928MHz). The range of working and storage temperatures is between -40 ℃ and + 85 ℃. With 100% RoHS compliant, non-conductive epoxy glue, heat shrinkable tape or polymer wrap can be used to attach the label. It can be applied to tool/item level tracking in industry, surgical tool tracking in healthcare, data/EDP equipment of IT/consumer products, and reusable metal objects in the manufacturing industry, etc. It will effectively simplify product identification, track item levels, achieve accurate inventory counting, reduce manual processes, improve data analysis, and obtain real-time data.
Vibration sensors can detect mechanical abnormalities in advance
There are many types of machinery and equipment in a factory. After a period of use, due to many reasons such as wear and tear of parts, the machine precision will be poor, and even unexpected shutdown will occur due to failure, resulting in the suspension of the production line. For the factory, it will suffer heavy losses due to the stagnation of manpower and material resources in the production workshop as a result of delay in delivery of products.
In fact, before many machines break down, there will be many abnormal phenomena. In the most common cases, abnormal vibration will be generated. Therefore, if vibration sensors can be installed at key positions of the machine, the vibration state of the machine can be recorded, and then the recorded value is compared with the normal vibration type, abnormal vibration phenomena can be found in advance, and preventive maintenance can be carried out to avoid sudden failure of the machine.
At present, vibration sensors can already support battery-powered wireless transmission and can be used almost without wiring. Only a few sensors, gateways, and personal computers are needed to receive information from vibration sensors and remotely monitor the environment and equipment. The collected sensor data can be used for condition monitoring, predictive maintenance, productivity optimization, and energy conservation in the industrial and commercial sectors. The construction and deployment costs are quite low and the construction and deployment are quite easy.
High precision wireless vibration sensors
Murata has developed a variety of wireless sensors, among which the LBAC0ZZ1LZ vibration sensor unit can be applied to record vibration changes in rotating machinery such as motors and pumps, so as to carry out planned maintenance and improve the efficiency of equipment maintenance. The product size is 38mm x 24mm x 38mm and the weight is only 50g (including battery). Using the proprietary ISM frequency modulation sub-1GHz, it has been certified by country/region.
The LBAC0ZZ1LZ vibration sensor unit can measure peak acceleration, peak acceleration frequency, acceleration RMS, kurtosis, temperature, supporting an absolute maximum rating of ±30G and resolution of 28mG. The detection frequency is 12.5 Hz ~ 10,000 Hz, and the detection direction is the Z axis. It can be operated at a temperature of -10℃ ~ 85℃, with resolution up to 0.1℃@25℃. The measurement accuracy reaches 3dB for vibration and 1℃@25℃ for temperature, and the battery life can be up to 5 years (reference value, reported every 1 hour at 25℃). It supports IP65 dustproof and waterproof grade. The measurement interval can be set. It can be installed with a magnet.
Disclaimer: All these products are certified in Japan, Thailand and Singapore only. For other country, please contact us for more details.
Conclusion
The use of RFID tags that can be adhered to metal surfaces enables convenient and quick management of appliances in factories and the use of wireless vibration sensors enables early detection of abnormal vibrations in machines, greatly improving the automation efficiency of factories. Murata's RFID tags and vibration sensors have the characteristics of small size and robustness, and are suitable for use in harsh environments. They are ideal product choices for factory automation applications.