WIKA Mobile Control offers integrated safety systems for mobile machines – with force measurement playing a major role.
Mobile machines can move considerable loads and are exposed to high loads at the same time. However, even before the safety of the machine and material, the safety of people always comes first. Accidents, such as the tipping over of a mobile machine, can have dramatic consequences. This can be effectively prevented with reliable and robust safety systems. Since machines are as varied as the tasks they carry out, highly individual system solutions are required and force sensor technology is typically an integral part. In addition to high-quality sensor technology, powerful control systems, innovative software and intuitive operating systems are required in order to control high forces. The production and combination of these system elements forms a comprehensive safety system for mobile machinery which is the core competency of WIKA Mobile Control!
Where rough forces are involved, maximum control is required. The main task of force sensors in a system for mobile machines is load measurement. In addition to calculating the lifted load, force sensors can also be used to record the maximum load or for limit monitoring. The most important quality criteria in all cases are the reliable reproducibility of the measurement results – the same load is followed by the same measurement result when it is measured repeatedly. In addition, force sensors must work reliably and without failure. Even adverse environmental conditions such as rain, cold or heat must not impair performance. Finally, precise load measurements are essential for correct processing and system reactions – such as a machine cut-off in overload situations. fSENS force sensors from WIKA Mobile Control combine all of these quality criteria and can be specifically configured to match the customer's project specifications. The application possibilities of fSENS force sensors are just as varied as mobile machines are. They can be used, for example, in systems for lattice boom cranes, offshore cranes, pipelayers, bridge and gantry cranes, harbor cranes and smaller applications such as reach stackers. A practical example shows what an application looks like.
In a safety system for lattice boom cranes with luffing jib, the force on the hook is determined by measuring tensile forces on the crane structure. For this purpose, fSENS F73x1 tension links are recommended. They are positioned in the anchoring of the main boom and in the anchoring of the luffing jib. Additionally, a fSENS F73x1 can be added to the anchoring of the jib. Depending on the application, several tension links are required at the listed installation positions to achieve reliable measuring results. In general, the type, design and number of force sensors must be evaluated and adapted to the customer-specific project specifications, such as spatial conditions and machine tasks. This is the only way to integrate comprehensive safety systems – such as load moment limitation with safety cut-off.
The good news: WIKA Mobile Control is also your supplier for all other system elements and complete systems as well! The safety system of your mobile machine is completed with powerful cSCALE controls, user-friendly vSCALE consoles, customized application software and additional sensors such as pSENS pressure sensors, geometric sensors of the gSENS series or iSENS A2B switches – all of them precisely tailored to your project!
For further information please visit our website or contact our Sales Team directly for a non-binding consultation. We look forward to hearing from you!
