Spindle sensor enhances safety: Safety, Standards & Compliance

A miniaturized system for spindle monitoring could have a big impact on machining costs.

Developed by Balance Systems SRL, Pessano con Bornago, Italy, the B-Safe System contains a sensor unit with a cable, along with an electronic interface. The sensor unit attaches to a machine spindle, and the cable transmits data from the unit to the electronic interface, which is stationed in a nearby electrical cabinet.

Measuring ½” in diameter and 1¼” in length, the sensor unit’s housing is the smallest of its kind in the industry, said Francesco D’Alessandro, manager of Balance Systems’ branch in Wixom, Michigan. In addition to sensors, the unit contains a microprocessor with integrated memory.

“It’s not a simple sensor but a real microcomputer,” he said.

The small B-Safe sensor unit measures vibration and temperature for collision detection and preventive maintenance. Image courtesy of Balance Systems

Sensitive elements in the unit include a temperature sensor and a 3-axis accelerometer that detects spindle vibration and the direction of spindle movement. The sensors use a combination of 3D microelectromechanical systems and piezoelectric technology to analyze signals. The sensor unit must be firmly attached to the spindle to accurately detect vibration and temperature. For this purpose, Balance Systems provides a magnet and various mechanical adapters.

B-Safe’s electronic interface includes a bus converter that changes the signal from the sensor unit so it can be read by a PC and transmitted via the internet. The interface also houses a small battery that provides power to the sensor unit to enable spindle monitoring even when machine power is off.