In a production line, maintenance of machine and equipment is a challenging task as it involves ensuring machine availability and minimizing resource consumption for repairs while maintaining the quality of the product. Statistics show that one hour of downtime can cost manufacturers anywhere from 260,000 to two million USD. However, Industry 4.0 has created new opportunities for predictive maintenance to complete truly smart factories of the future and eliminate downtime. Arcus Servo Motion, a manufacturer and global supplier of advanced motion control solutions is helping the development of smart factories with its patented motion analytics solution and a new generation of servo motor controllers. “We have been at the forefront of developing truly innovative technologies that address the needs for intelligence, connectivity, and embedded analytics in motion control systems,” adds Chris Chang, Founder, and President of Arcus Servo Motion.

The company’s 2ndSight solution can monitor motion systems in real-time, collect and analyze data, and make mission-critical decisions to prevent failure and downtime. 2ndSight is a real-time data-driven, intelligent algorithm that is run on the edge for increased efficiency and response. By applying multi-dimensional machine learning methods, analytical physics, statistics and regression techniques, 2ndSight quantifies and determines the overall health state of any motion system. The 2ndSight algorithm is straightforward to implement since it uses the existing data that is available on the servo motor controller. This means that additional sensors are not needed and integration into existing motion systems requires minimal effort. Also, as the algorithm is executed on the edge, this reduces the data storage and transmission bandwidth requirements. “2ndSight is a non-time-based algorithm and uses machine learning and streaming data analytics without requiring large volumes of historical data,” adds Chang.

2ndSight calculates various parameters such as friction coefficient, velocity and current vibration analysis, stress and impact tracking, and power usage tracking to provide meaningful information about motion components.

We have been at the forefront of developing truly innovative technologies that address the needs for intelligence, connectivity, and embedded analytics in motion control systems

Arcus’ 2ndSight is also integrated with the new generation servo motion controllers called the TITAN series. TITAN controllers provide powerful intelligent servo motion control that works universally with different motor types. TITAN controllers are designed with simplicity in mind and are therefore easy to set up and configure with a user-friendly and graphical interface. Moreover, TITAN controllers are equipped with 2ndSight edge intelligence to predict and avoid critical failures and costly downtime. “TITAN, with 2ndSight is the world’s first Industry 4.0-ready servo motor controller on the market,” says Chang.

To further illustrate the capability of its offerings, Chang mentions how Bell and Howell, the leader in retail click and collect solutions leveraged Arcus’ servo motor controllers in their fully automated prescription pickup system for pharmacies. Once a prescription is filled, the customer receives a unique pickup code, which is then scanned at the kiosk to receive their prescription. The self-service kiosks automate the prescription pickup process and help eliminate customer wait times and deliver 24/7 accessibility. Arcus’ TITAN controller along with 2ndSight technology is used to monitor the motion systems in the automated prescription pickup kiosks and determine the health of the system to prevent failures and downtime. The client plans to deliver thousands of their automated prescription pickup kiosks over the U.S. and therefore it is very important for these systems to have reliable predictive maintenance. Therefore, Arcus was their first choice.

Moving ahead, Arcus is focused on growth and intends to expand its reach overseas. The company is keen on partnering with more OEMs and helps them save time and resources on having to develop their proprietary servo controllers with its range of advanced servo controllers and 2ndSight technology. Arcus continues to develop innovative and cost-effective motion control solutions that meet the challenges facing the emerging Industry 4.0 and smart factory market.