An automatic lubricator for lubricating an object is provided. The lubricator includes a housing with a coupling section configured to couple with a lubricant container containing a lubricant, wherein the lubricant container comprises a rotatable shaft with a piston to dispense the lubricant from an output of the lubricant container. The lubricator further comprises an electric motor configured to drive the rotatable shaft of the lubricant container, such that at least a part of the lubricant is dispensable from the lubricant container, at least one sensor configured to provide a sensor signal indicative of at least one of a force exerted by the electric motor onto the rotatable shaft and a force exerted by the lubricant onto the container, and a control circuitry configured to determine a blockage of the output of the lubricant container based on the sensor signal of the at least one sensor.

An industrial machine including a sensor and a controller. The sensor is configured to sense a characteristic of a fluid of the industrial machine. Wherein the characteristic is indicative of a contaminant level. The controller has an electronic processor and a memory. The controller is configured to receive a signal from the sensor indicative of the contaminant level, compare the contaminant level to a threshold, and upon the contaminant level crossing the threshold perform at least one selected from a group consisting of output an alert, and commence a shutdown procedure of the industrial machine.

An industrial machine including a sensor and a controller. The sensor is configured to sense a characteristic of a fluid of the industrial machine. Wherein the characteristic is indicative of a contaminant level. The controller has an electronic processor and a memory. The controller is configured to receive a signal from the sensor indicative of the contaminant level, compare the contaminant level to a threshold, and upon the contaminant level crossing the threshold perform at least one selected from a group consisting of output an alert, and commence a shutdown procedure of the industrial machine.

Provided is a diagnosis method of appropriately recognizing a state of a rolling surface of a track member of a rolling guide device or a lubrication state of rolling elements using a sensor mounted to the rolling guide device. The diagnosis method is applied to a rolling guide device including: a track member having a rolling surface extending along a longitudinal direction of the track member; and a moving member, which is assembled to the track member through intermediation of a plurality of rolling elements configured to roll on the rolling surface so that the moving member is movable along the track member, and has an endless circulation path for the rolling elements. The diagnosis method includes: detecting a moving speed of the moving member relative to the track member while detecting relative vibration displacement of the moving member relative to the track member using a vibration sensor mounted to the moving member; and diagnosing a running state of the moving member relative to the track member based on those detection results.

Provided is a diagnosis method of appropriately recognizing a state of a rolling surface of a track member of a rolling guide device or a lubrication state of rolling elements using a sensor mounted to the rolling guide device. The diagnosis method is applied to a rolling guide device including: a track member having a rolling surface extending along a longitudinal direction of the track member; and a moving member, which is assembled to the track member through intermediation of a plurality of rolling elements configured to roll on the rolling surface so that the moving member is movable along the track member, and has an endless circulation path for the rolling elements. The diagnosis method includes: detecting a moving speed of the moving member relative to the track member while detecting relative vibration displacement of the moving member relative to the track member using a vibration sensor mounted to the moving member; and diagnosing a running state of the moving member relative to the track member based on those detection results.

An automatic lubricator for lubricating an object is described, which comprises a housing with a coupling section configured to couple with a lubricant container containing a lubricant, wherein the lubricant container comprises a rotatable shaft with a piston to dispense the lubricant from an output of the lubricant container. The lubricator further comprises an electric motor configured to drive the rotatable shaft of the lubricant container during at least one lubrication action, such that at least a part of the lubricant is dispensable from the lubricant container during the at least one lubrication action, and a power supply configured to supply the electric motor with a supply current during the at least one lubrication action. The lubricator further comprises a control circuitry configured to acquire a current signal indicative of the supply current over time during at least a part of the at least one lubrication action, determine a periodicity of the acquired current signal, and determine, based on the determined periodicity, at least one lubrication parameter indicative of the at least one lubrication action.

An automatic lubricator for lubricating an object is described, which comprises a housing with a coupling section configured to couple with a lubricant container containing a lubricant, wherein the lubricant container comprises a rotatable shaft with a piston to dispense the lubricant from an output of the lubricant container. The lubricator further comprises an electric motor configured to drive the rotatable shaft of the lubricant container during at least one lubrication action, such that at least a part of the lubricant is dispensable from the lubricant container during the at least one lubrication action, and a power supply configured to supply the electric motor with a supply current during the at least one lubrication action. The lubricator further comprises a control circuitry configured to acquire a current signal indicative of the supply current over time during at least a part of the at least one lubrication action, determine a periodicity of the acquired current signal, and determine, based on the determined periodicity, at least one lubrication parameter indicative of the at least one lubrication action.

A grease dispensing device includes a grease drive system for moving grease through grease passaging. A sensor is arranged to sense grease in the grease passaging and to generate sensor data related thereto. After a delay period, a prime indicator changes between first and second states based on the sensor data to indicate whether or not the grease dispensing device is primed with grease. The grease dispensing device also includes a grease controller operatively connected to the sensor and the prime indicator. The grease dispensing device monitors the sensor data to determine whether the grease dispensing device is primed with grease and controls the operation of the prime indicator accordingly. The grease controller includes a tangible storage medium which stores executable instructions to change the state of the prime indicator based on the sensor data and to delay changing the state of the prime indicator for the delay period after the controller determines the grease dispensing device is not primed with grease.

A grease dispensing device includes a grease drive system for moving grease through grease passaging. A sensor is arranged to sense grease in the grease passaging and to generate sensor data related thereto. After a delay period, a prime indicator changes between first and second states based on the sensor data to indicate whether or not the grease dispensing device is primed with grease. The grease dispensing device also includes a grease controller operatively connected to the sensor and the prime indicator. The grease dispensing device monitors the sensor data to determine whether the grease dispensing device is primed with grease and controls the operation of the prime indicator accordingly. The grease controller includes a tangible storage medium which stores executable instructions to change the state of the prime indicator based on the sensor data and to delay changing the state of the prime indicator for the delay period after the controller determines the grease dispensing device is not primed with grease.

A method of determining wear of a seal element includes rotating a seal plate relative to the seal element and such that the seal plate and the seal element form a rotational sealing interface. The seal element includes an insert embedded in the seal element. A portion of the seal element is worn with a sealing face of the seal plate. The insert is contacted with the sealing face of the seal plate. A portion of the insert is worn to create a wear particle of the insert. The presence of the wear particle in a lubrication oil is sensed with an oil monitoring system.