Abstract: A processing system includes a housing having an interior chamber and a central vertical axis extending through the interior chamber. A rotor is disposed within the housing interior chamber and is configured to support one or more work pieces. At least one lift actuator is configured to linearly displace the rotor along the central vertical axis between a lower, inactive vertical position and an upper, transfer vertical position. At least one levitation actuator is spaced above the rotor and is configured to exert a magnetic pulling force on the rotor to levitate the rotor upwardly from the transfer vertical position to a working vertical position. Further, an annular stator assembly is coupled with the housing, is disposed about and spaced radially outwardly from the rotor and includes a motor stator, the at least one lift actuator being configured to vertically displace the rotor relative to the stator assembly.

Abstract: Systems and methods for dispensing lubricant, of which the systems include a grease gun including an outlet. The grease gun is configured to eject lubricant into a machine through the outlet. The grease gun also includes a sensor configured to sense an amount of the lubricant ejected through the outlet, and a communication module in communication with the sensor and configured to transmit first data representing the amount of lubricant ejected through the outlet. The systems further include an intermediary computing device in communication with the communication module, the intermediary computing device being configured to receive the first data from the communication module, transmit the first data to a remote server, and receive second data representing a maintenance action to take on the grease gun, the machine, or both from the remote server.

Abstract: A rotor is for angularly displacing a work piece about a central axis and includes an annular, central axial portion centered about the axis and having opposing, first and second axial ends and inner and outer circumferential surfaces. An outer radial portion extends radially-outwardly from the first axial end of the central portion such that an outer generally annular cavity is at least partially defined between the central portion and the outer radial portion. Further, an inner radial portion extends generally radially-inwardly from the second axial end of the central portion such that an inner generally annular cavity is at least partially defined between the central portion and the inner radial portion. One or more motor stators are disposed at least partially within the outer or inner cavity and are each configured to angularly displace the rotor about the central axis, and preferably contactlessly drives the rotor.

Abstract: A holder for mounting a communication device to a grease gun, which has a housing and a control disposed within the housing, includes a bracket connected with the grease gun. The bracket has a first end coupled with the grease gun housing and a second end coupleable with the communication device so as to secure the device to the grease gun. Preferably, the holder further includes a frame coupled with the bracket second member for receiving the communication device to removably couple the communication device with the grease gun. The communication device may be a smartphone, a portable media player, a portable computing device or any similar device and wirelessly communicates with a control within the grease gun housing.

Abstract: Aspects include performing online condition monitoring. Online condition monitoring includes compiling the digital sensor data to produce compiled data and processing the compiled data via a signal analysis operation to produce digitally analyzed data. Further, online condition monitoring includes comparing the digitally analyzed data to at least one threshold to output corresponding values and utilizing the corresponding value to determine whether to issue an event notification.

Abstract: Aspects include performing online condition monitoring. Online condition monitoring includes compiling the digital sensor data to produce compiled data and processing the compiled data via a signal analysis operation to produce digitally analyzed data. Further, online condition monitoring includes comparing the digitally analyzed data to at least one threshold to output corresponding values and utilizing the corresponding value to determine whether to issue an event notification.

Abstract: A sensor assembly includes an annular target body disposed about a rotatable member outer surface and an annular angular position indicator with at least one angular position index corresponding to an angular position of the member. Radial displacement sensors are spaced circumferentially about the axis and radially outwardly from the target body outer surface. A reference sensor is disposed circumferentially between two of the radial displacement sensors, has an inner end spaced outwardly from the target body surface by a first spacing distance, and is configured to detect the target body. An angular displacement sensor is spaced axially from the reference sensor and has an inner end spaced outwardly from the position indicator surface by a second spacing distance. The angular sensor is located such that the second spacing distance is generally equal to the first spacing distance and such that the position index passes the sensor inner end.