Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWMThe Lube.Life project developed an innovative approach to predicting the behavior of lubricants under difficult operating conditions. It combines sensor data, predictive online algorithms, and simulated analysis data (including from the infrared spectrum) to produce an overall assessment of the lubricant. The lubricant must be perfectly matched to a machine element such as bearings or gears throughout the service life of the plant. If contamination, difficult environmental conditions, or unplanned operating conditions are added to the mix, the lubricant can pose a potential risk of damage. The risk of such damage potential is determined online. Trigger factors that are introduced into the lubricant from external sources, as well as those that can arise from chemical reactions and increase the potential for damage, are also identified.
Sensor-based electronic system for the sustainable use of lubricants in industrial plants
Completed research project
Project description
Many mechanical bearings are supplied with lubricants to reduce friction and wear. Traditionally, lubricants were only checked during regular maintenance. The Lube.Life project has developed a sensor system that enables continuous real-time monitoring of lubricants in tribological systems such as bearings, gears, and seals, and detects and analyzes abrasion particles.
Within Lube.Life, research was conducted to determine whether sensor technology applied to tribological contacts and lubricants (e.g., using a miniaturized friction sensor, IR spectroscopy, or acoustic behavior) in conjunction with evaluation electronics and machine learning methods would allow real-time analysis of lubricants and enable conclusions to be drawn about their composition. The collected data was processed in a virtual lubricant laboratory, where the stability of the lubricant was evaluated based on sensor information and predictive algorithms, and forecasts about the necessity of maintenance measures were derived. Potential measures range from simple notifications about maintenance orders to automated re-dosing of additives to stabilize the lubricant and extend the service life of the components.
The project also focused on the interaction of lubricants with electric fields, which play a role in applications such as wind turbines and electric vehicles. These fields can destabilize the additives in the lubricant, leading to degradation and, in the worst case, component damage. By using the virtual lubricant laboratory, the effects of electric fields on lubricant stability can be predicted and new, more stable lubricants developed.
In addition to wind turbines, future applications of the system are also possible in industrial plants and power stations, where real-time monitoring can be used to make maintenance intervals more flexible and thus optimize them. These innovations offer more sustainable and efficient maintenance as well as increased service life for the plants, especially in areas that are difficult to access or in the case of weather-related challenges, such as wind turbines.
Fraunhofer IWM subproject:
Mechanical bearings and gears, such as those found in electric vehicles and wind turbines, are usually supplied with lubricants to reduce friction and wear. However, these components can be subject to electrical voltages that impair the functioning of the lubricants to such an extent that damage occurs to the tribological contacts. To this end, Fraunhofer IWM has developed a virtual lubricant laboratory that can be used to predict the effects of electric fields on the stability of lubricants. This enables the development of customized formulations for new lubricants.
Transfer of project results to the following Fraunhofer IWM R&D services for companies:
- Development of knowledge-based concepts for real-time monitoring of lubricant systems (prediction of lubricant behavior and identification of wear patterns) through automated data analysis.
- Evaluation and optimization of lubricants for their electrotribological suitability and development of lubricant formulations considering electric fields and specific operating conditions.
- Qualification and replacement of additives in lubricants to extend the service life of tribological components and increase their performance.
- Development of maintenance strategies that are not tied to fixed intervals but adapt dynamically to the condition of the lubricants and components.
