Success story
Knorr-Bremse
Lubrication monitoring in the development of a compressor
Our customer Knorr-Bremse relies on HCP Sense lubrication monitoring system to optimize the design of its bearing lubrication without expensive service life tests. HCP Sense innovative solution reduces testing efforts and increases development speed.
The client
Knorr-Bremse is the global market leader for braking systems and a leading supplier of safety-critical subsystems for rail and commercial vehicles. These include compressors to generate compressed air for pneumatic braking systems, air suspension systems and clutches in commercial vehicles.
Goal
The requirements for compressor bearings are very high due to the dynamic load and the required long service life. Therefore, when developing a new product generation, the bearing design is first validated in a service life test. However, the service life of the lubrication cannot be reliably assessed in an accelerated service life test because a lubrication failure only leads to mechanical damage to the bearings at a later stage and may only be detected by laboratory findings after the end of the test. Hence, Knorr-Bremse assigned HCP Sense with the task to monitor the lubrication during the service life test and to detect even small lubrication problems that only lead to damage months or possibly years later.
Implementation
Knorr-Bremse was responsible for integrating the electrical contacting components and carrying out test benches on site. HCP Sense supported Knorr-Bremse remotely throught all stages of the project and hence enabled a cost-optimized implementation.
A minimal deterioration in the lubrication conditions was detected in one bearing, but this had no impact on the safe operation of the bearing. The findings on the test component at the end of the test showed a small lubricant leakage.
Results
By using HCP Sense’s measurement technology, it was possible to detect even minimal lubricant leakage, which could potentially lead to a problematic change in the bearing in the event of any deterioration. By monitoring the whole test run, it is possible to plan further development steps at an early stage, well before the bearings are diagnosed at the end of the test, thereby increasing the speed of development. Contamination or other detrimental factors affecting lubrication as well as mechanical bearing damage could also have been detected by the HCP Sense sensors. Nonetheless, the bearings used passed the test without any further issues.
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