Skip to content

Manual

igus® smart plastics EC. W Bild1.jpg

Security

Qualified personnel

This product must only be operated and maintained by qualified personnel.

  • The staff must have read and understood this manual and any additional documentation that may exist.

  • Personnel must be familiar with all relevant applicable standards, regulations and accident prevention regulations.

  • Personnel must be able to foresee or recognise any hazards that may arise when using the controls.

  • Personnel must be able to ensure the safety of people and objects when using the sensor unit in the overall system.

  • Personnel must be trained in the handling of ESD sensitive equipment and must have all necessary Take precautions.

The following information boards will appear a few times in the manual, they are classified so that the degree and type of hazard are marked.

DANGER!

Safety instructions marked DANGER indicate an imminent danger situation.

WARNING!

Safety instructions marked with WARNING indicate a possible dangerous situation. Ignoring the notice may lead to a serious or even fatal accident or property damage.

CAUTION!

Safety instructions marked with CAUTION indicate a possible dangerous situation. Failure to comply with the notice may lead to an accident or property damage.

NOTE!

Safety instructions marked with NOTE indicate a possible dangerous situation. Failure to comply with the notice may lead to property damage. General information and explanations are also marked in this way.

Product Overview

Variants

Variant Description
EC. W.F. Low-cost variant for direct connection to the customer's PLC; 3 wear levels can be detected
EC. W.F.P. Variant for connection to i.Cee:plus II for direct lifetime calculation; 4 wear levels can be detected

Mechanical specifications

Mechanical specifications
Dimensions (D × W × H) incl. plugs & fasteners Varies with e-chain® (adapted to opening bridge × 18 mm × adapted to internal height)
Bild2.png
Weight approx. 120 g
Fastening / assembly In the last chain link at the fixed point of the e-chain®, wear block pointing towards the abrasion surface
Colour black

Electrical specifications / interfaces

CAUTION!

An operating voltage above the voltage specified in the technical data can destroy the device. Always select an operating voltage within the specified range.

Electrical specifications
Power supply 5… 30 V DC (1 A max.)
Power supply potential-free contacts / I/O ports 5… 30 V DC (0.15 A max.), depending on operating voltage
Output voltage UART 5 V DC (25 mA max.)
Abrasion contacts 5 V DC (1.5 mA max.), low-active
Interfaces
UART 5 V, output, 9600 baud, 8N1, no parity
I/O ports Logical states, high active

WARNING!

  • Risk of malfunctions
  • Fire hazard
  • Explosion hazard
  • Risk of electric shock

Do not operate the EC.W.F. / EC.W.F.P. in water, humid environments, aggressive/flammable/explosive atmospheres or under extreme vibrations.
Due to self-heating, ensure the outside temperature does not exceed 40 °C. If this cannot be guaranteed, use a ventilated or air-conditioned housing.

Environmental conditions
Temperature range Operation -20… 40 °C
Storage -40… 45 °C
Transport -40… 45 °C
Relative humidity Suitable for outdoor use, hermetically sealed, otherwise non-condensing
Protection IP67 (DIN EN 60529)

Installation

Mechanical installation

Bild5.png

Install the sensor: - In the last chain link at the fixed point (static area of the chain) - Centered between upper and lower opening bridge - Separation bar with wear block pointing towards the sliding part of the e-chain® - Use as a commercially available igus® separator; if necessary, replace separation bars with special separation bars

Get assembly manual here:
https://igus.widen.net/s/2rdsmcrvd7/sma_i.sense-ec.w-montageanleitung--assembly-instructions

CAUTION!

There is a risk of crushing when installing the sensor. Please wear gloves or take other protective measures.

NOTE

Make sure that the e-chain® series embossed on the sensor matches the installed igus® e-chain®. Deviating sensors can be damaged if installed incorrectly.

NOTE

The board is housed in a separate housing which must be securely attached.
You can reset the sensor by holding a magnet on the top of that box for approx. 2 seconds.

Bild6.png

Electrical installation

WARNING!

Immediately switch the device voltage-free in the event of damage (including to connection cables) and in case of interference or unusual phenomena such as arcs, sparks, smell of fire or noticeable noise.

  • Disconnect all electrical energy sources from the device.
    • Do not attempt to repair the device yourself.
    • Report defects immediately, warn others and contact the responsible igus® branch.

Possible hazards: - Risk of electric shock - Danger of electric arcs - Injury hazard - Risk of component destruction

Always switch off the power supply before disconnecting or establishing electrical connections. Secure the power supply against reactivation.

Cables connected to EC. W.F / EC. W.F.P must not have exposed stripped wire ends. Ensure all connections are securely seated.
Bild21.png

Commissioning and user interface

Commissioning

With i.Cee:plus II (delivered with IS. EC. W.F.P.SU.01.BETA)

The sensor is connected via UART directly to i.Cee:plus II. Further steps can be found in the instructions for i.Cee:plus II (QR code on the device).

Directly to PLC (delivered with IS. EC. W.F.SU.01.BETA)

  1. Provide 3 digital PLC inputs (typically 24 V DC inputs) and connect them to the 3 digital sensor outputs.
  2. Use the I/O ports as inputs; the contacts on the sensor are normally open.
  3. Evaluate the input states according to the following logic:
I/O Port 1 I/O Port 2 I/O Port 3 Remaining lifetime
1 1 1 100… 76% lifetime remaining
0 1 1 75… 51% lifetime remaining
0 0 1 50… 26% lifetime remaining
0 0 0 < 25% lifetime remaining (chain replacement should be initiated)

Process the state variables in your PLC program, e.g. by mapping the three states into your user interface.

Example:
Bild22.png

Reset

You can reset the sensor by holding a magnet on the top of that box for approx. 2 seconds.
Bild20.png

Troubleshooting

  • Data transfer or I/O ports not available
  • Check that all lines are connected, correctly and securely.
  • If this does not help, please contact customer service.
  • Sensor does not fit the e-chain®
  • Contact customer service and ask for a suitable sensor.

FAQS

  • How do I retrieve lifetime information?
  • i.Cee:plus II displays lifetimes in the user interface.
  • In the PLC, states are transmitted via I/O ports and processed in your PLC logic.
  • Is it possible to download the sensor's data from the user interface?
  • Nope.
  • Is it possible to replace the wear block?
  • Yes.

Abbreviation

Abbreviation Description
EMC Electromagnetic compatibility
ESD Electrostatic discharge
GUI Graphical user interface
PLC Programmable logic controller

Compliance with EU Directives

The CE marking on the device confirms compliance with the following European directives:

Policy Description
2014/30/EU Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to electromagnetic compatibility
2014/53/EU Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to the making available on the market of radio equipment and repealing Directive 1999/5/EC
2011/65/EU RoHS Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment

The applicable directives are listed in the EU declaration of conformity of the respective device.

Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) Notice

This product contains digital components. For such products, the Security requirements of the EU Cyber Resilience Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/2847). The CRA specifies that software and connected devices must be used across the entire life cycle must be operated safely and kept up to date.

To ensure that you can use your system reliably and safely, please note:

  • Install deployed firmware and software updates regularly.
  • Use secure network and access settings.
  • Change default passwords immediately after commissioning.
  • Disable unnecessary interfaces or services.

If you see a technical anomaly or a possible security vulnerability , please report them via the official igus support channel: security@[manufacturer].com or via the service portal.

The CRA also requires users to have access to information on: Receive security support, known risks, and update processes. For more details, please refer to the documentation of this product or with your national market surveillance authority.

Note on the EU Dual-Use Regulation (EU) 2021/821

Individual electronic components and sensors in this product may vary depending on the fall under the EU Dual-Use Regulation (EU) 2021/821. This ordinance regulates goods that are used in both civilian and military area.

For export to countries outside the EU, a permit can therefore be obtained may be necessary. Whether this is true depends on the target market, the application and the respective technical configuration.

Please check before passing on or exporting the product:

  • whether there are export restrictions for your destination country,
  • whether your application is considered security-critical or military-grade,
  • whether a permit is required under applicable regulations.

For more information, please contact your national export control authority (e.g. BAFA in Germany) or in the official EU documents.)

Service

Customer Service

de-smartplastics-service@igus.net
+49 (0) 2203 9649 9806

Technical support for igus® smart plastics

Documentation/FW

https://www.igus.de/info/i-sense-modul-2

Download manuals, FW updates and certificates

Smart Plastics website

https://www.igus.de/info/vorausschauende-wartung-smart-plastics

Possibility to order sensors, processing units and other accessories

Contact

www.igus.de

info@igus.de

Phone: +49 (0) 2203-9649-0F

Imprint

© 2026

All rights reserved.

igus® SE & Co. KG

Spicher Str. 1a

51147 Cologne