SENSORS
SENSORS & SENSING Liftin is g in I
n the industriall and commerc arenas, wireless technollogy has revolutionised many practices. Logistics companies now routinely track the progress of every single parcel in their charge; field
n the i dustria and com arenas, w reless tech
rciial o
revolutionised m ny practices. Logistics companies now routinely track the progress of every single parcel in their charge; field engineers col
ct data fromand each ite n ved
SENSING SYSTEMS
INDUSTRY F
STRY FOCUS Lifting is going wireless reless New wirel ss control
New wireless control technologies are being adopted by manufacturers and users of cranes and other lifting equipment. Tony I gham, o Sensor Technology explains the advantages and looks at how the field is developing
chnologies are
being adopted by m nufacturers and users of cranes and other lifting equipment. Tony Ingham, of Sensor Technology, explains the advantages and l oks at how the field i developi
engineers collect data from and send instructions to remote faci ties such as water pumping stations; customer accounts can be real-ti
etc.
h engineers and technicians are realare really coming to appreciate. This may best be described as ocal w relessness’ or ‘
This m y best be described as ‘local wirelessness’ or ‘wiireless LANs (local area networks)’.
reless LANs (local area networks)’
Basically these remove the need to iinstall and maiintain wiring for control equipment fitted to
ntain rin fo control equipment fitted to
Control technollogy is essential to many modern industries, as it is the onlly practical way to ensure reliable operation and high efficiency. Handl g products through a busy rking environment, w ether it is nufacturing
machinery such as cranes, hoists, lifts and elevators. o
chinery such as cranes, hoists, fts and elevators. rol tech
nym dern i dustri s, as i is essen ial to the
y p actical w y to ensure reliable operation and high efficiency. Handling products through a busy working environment, whether it is a container port, manufacturing plant, warehouse, logistics centre, or retail outlet, involves making sure that materials handling is rapid, accurate and safe. Thi
a container port, plant, warehouse, or retai outlet,
gisti s centre, vol esm king
sure thatm terials h ndling is rapid, accurate and safe. This requires a control system that can handle huge amounts of data i real-ti
requires a control systemthat can handle huge amounts of data in real-time, can safely operate heavy-duty machinery, and if necessary, wthstand extremes of cl
can safely operate
heavy-dutym chinery, and i necessary, withstand extremes of climate and environment. Further, asm ny operations now run 24/7 there are l kely to be i
ate and environment. Further, as many operations now run 24/7 there are likely to be immediatediate consequences to breakdowns and other stoppages,
consequences to breakdowns and other stoppages, meaning control equipment has to be robust and However, the basi
ani g control
equipment has to be robust and reliable. However, the basic
principles of a control system are relatively sim le. The rotation of drive shafts i
the various cranes
pri ciples of a control systemare relatively simple. The rotation of drive shafts in the various cranes and other machinery can be used to col ect l ad and m vement data
Basically these remove the need to nsta l a
to wireless technology that is less obvious to the general public, but which engineers and technicians comng to appreci te.
to obvious to the general publ
However, there i another aspect reless tech
However, there is another aspect logy that is less but
send instructions to rem te facilities such as water pumping stations; customer accounts can be updated iupdated in real-time,, etc.
on each item beiing moved. Each turn of the shaft will progress the equipment’s operation forward or backw rd a small but consisten amount, and i you can also asure the torque (rotati nal strain) in the shaft you can calcul te the w
ch turn the shaft will p ress th
equipment’ operati n forward or backward a small but consistent amount, and if you can also measure the torque (rotational strain) in the shaft you can calculate the weight of the load being transferred.
ht of the l ad being transferred.
This raw data streamcan be used to easily calculate operational informatio such as the am
to easi
information such as the amount of goods or product moved, the time to completion of each operati n, and the destination of each l ad. is also equally easy to convert this eratio
d ta into co rcial
This raw data stream can be used cal ulate operational
goods or productm ved, the tim to completion of each operation, and the destination of each load. It is also equally easy to convert this operationall data into commercial information and safety reports that clude cumulative operating hours, total load lifted an In the past, taking
measurements from driveshafts has been diffi ult, but TorqSense fromSensor Technol gy provides a solutio
asurements from driveshafts has been difficult, but TorqSense from Sensor Technology provides a solution. Previously, it was necessary to install sensors in difficult to access parts of in
sly it w
necessary to install sensors in difficult to access parts of industrial machinery and wire them back into the
strial m chinery
connected with a computer for collecting and interpreting the data. And once installed, the wiring had to be protected fromwiring had to be protected from damage and replaced if it failed. However TorqSense gets around this by using radio transmissions stead of w ring. Further, ol
communication network that connected with a computer for collecting an interpreting th data. And once i stal d, the
themback into the com
nication network that damage and replaced i fai ed. ver TorqSense gets around
this by using radio transmissions instead of wiring. Further, old fashioned torque sensors tended to be del ate because they needed a fragile slip ring to prevent the turning dri e shaft frompul ng the w ring out of place, w ereas TorqSense uses a w reless radio- frequency pick-up head that does not need physical contact w th the rotating shaft.
and other m chinery can be used to collect load and movement data
TorqSense is that its wirelessness makes it ultra-simple to install and robust in use. Furthermore it is largely unaffected by harsh
A practical attraction of TorqSense i
practical attraction of that i s wirel ssness and robust i
kes it ultra-sim le to install use. Furthermore i
rgely unaffected by harsh /AUTOMAT /AUTOMA ION ATION
Sensor TechnologySensor Technology T: 01869 238400T: 01869 238400
www.sensors.co.uk
.sensors.co.uk AU AUTOMA MAT ATION | NOVEMBER 201 EMBER 2016 29 29
fashioned torque sensors tended to be delicate because they needed a fragile slip ring to prevent the turning drive shaft from pulling the wiring out of place, whereas TorqSense uses a wireless radio- frequency pick-up head that does not need physical contact with the rotating shaft.
re operating environments, ly coal on a conveyor, operating environments,
electromagnetic interference, etc. It is e
n
dockside crane weighing and counting containers, or in any other lifting application.
licatio any
electromagnetic i terference, etc. It is equallly at home measuriing coal on a conveyor, working on arking on a dockside crane weighing and counti g contai ers, or i r liftin
TorqSense i proving popular with an i creasing number of users across many fields - not onl t also in robotics,
TorqSense is proving popular with an increasing number of
users across m ny fields - not only in liftin
in lifting, but also in ro chem al
tics,
ap licatio s - alm st a yw re that uses machinery with rotating driveshafts.
chemical mixing and automoti applications - almost anywhere that uses m chinery w th rotating dri eshafts.
xing and automotive
Clear Object Detection
Clear Objec Detecetecttion
Sensor Technology has also Sensor Technology has also
formation and safety reports that include cumulative operating hours, total load lifted and other statistics. In the past, taking
r statistics.
developed a complementary range of sensors, which m asures the straig
lin eq valen to torq s fromth
Cal d LoadSense, this too uses a wireless radio frequency pick-up to collect data signalls from the sensing head and transmit them relessly to a receivin co
for analysis.
devel ped a complementary range of sensors, which measures the straight line equivalent to torque. Called LoadSense, this too uses a wirel ss radio frequency pick-up to collect data sig
sensing head and transm them wirelessly to a receiving computer for analysis.
er
It is notable, that both TorqSense and LoadSense can be used in a fully w reless mode, but equally canlly can be fitted into conventional cabled systems, so is easy to retrofit into
It is notable, that both TorqSense and LoadSense can be used i fully wirelessm
, b t eq
be fitted i to conventional cabled systems, so is easy to retrofit into existing control systems.existing control systems.
It is also interesting to know that LoadSense w s actual
It is also interesting to know that LoadSense was actually developed at the behest of a particular custocustomer, a helicopter pilot who wanted real-time and exact information about the weight of lloads he was carrying from an underslung cargo hook. Thi appl cation also requi ed very robust hardw re that could
developed at the behest of a particul nted real-ti
r, a h lico ter p lot w and exact
formati n about the w ht of
oads he w s carrying froman underslung cargo hook. This application also required very robust hardware that could
withstand heat and cold, extreme vements and shock l ads and be unaffected by m tor noise, radio interference etc – all
thstand heat and cold, extrem movements and shock loads and be unaffected by motor noise, radio interference etc – all
characteristics that translate w ll nto field such as liftin conveying and cranage.
characteristics that translate we iinto fields such as lifting, conveying and cranage.
Control C Control
* More than 20,000 sensors. * Factory Automation. * Process Automation. * Hazardous Areas. * Harsh Environments. * Measurement & Inspection. * LED Lighting. * Vision Systems. * Machine Safety. * Vehicle Detection. * Flow & Temperature.
Turck Banner Ltd. Blenheim House, Blenheim Court, Wickford, Essex, SS11 8YT
Tel: 01268 578888
more@turckbanner.co.uk www.turckbanner.co.uk
Your Global Automation Partner ct InspectionInspec cttion
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