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FEATURE SENSORS & SENSING SYSTEMS
TORQUE ABOUT SENSORS
TorqSense transducers from Sensor
Technology are specified for a diverse range of applications. Most recently, they are being used in pioneering research which means real-time process control for food manufacturing is a step closer
problem for over 40 years. As such, its sensors and transducers have been used in a huge variety of applications – ranging from industrial machinery to hydrogen powered cars, and from aircraft landing gear to tidal turbines. In one recent application, TorqSense
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transducers from the company have been specified for use in pioneering research work at University College Dublin into viscosity measurement techniques for characterising the flow and mixability of highly non-Newtonian fluids. This means real-time process control for food manufacturing has become a step closer. The transducer is being used during the
experiments to monitor the constantly changing flow characteristics of materials as diverse as tomato ketchup, chocolate, pasta sauce and chicken tikka massala, as they are mixed.
REAL-TIME PROCESS CONTROL According to the company, many foods are presented in a sauce which a physicist may describe as a neo-liquid and can be produced in a process-type environment. However, real time control has been virtually impossible due to the non-uniform nature of the food, which may contain particulates, fibres, vegetables, meat, nuts, raisins, biscuits, etc. “Real time process control is vital if food
processors are to achieve the ultimate in product quality,” explained PJ Cullen, who leads the research team. “To achieve this the sensor has to be pretty special to detect the changes with sufficient sensitivity, yet be robust enough for regular wash-downs and general industrial
34 DESIGN SOLUTIONS MAY 2023
ased in Oxfordshire, Sensor Technology has been developing solutions for its customers’ torque and load measurement
abuse. Of course it must not compromise hygiene standards and regimes either.” Having trailed a number of sensors, TorqSense was specified as it met all the requirements. Cullen and his colleagues have simulated food
processing techniques in a number of different laboratory rigs, one of the most used being a helical ribbon mixer similar to those employed by manufacturers for mixing ingredients together. Often the key requirement is to mix sufficiently to achieve a uniform dish, but not to waste time and energy by over-mixing. “We do this by monitoring the torque on the
mixer’s shaft, as it will move to a steady state (within the characteristics of the given recipe) once fluid uniformity is achieved,” he explained. “It has given us exactly what we needed at low
cost, and it is simple to use and reliable – key requirements in a busy lab – but also very attractive to full scale process control environments,” continued Cullen.
A NEW SOLUTION “Torque measurement is playing an increasingly important role in modern plant and machinery monitoring and control, enabling steady increases in efficiency, productivity, availability and accuracy – all key drivers in the advance towards tomorrow’s technology,” explained Mark Ingham, Sensor Technology’s sales director. Sensor Technology has
recently introduced low capacity models of its non-contact torque sensors. These offer accurate measurement down to 200mNm (0.2Nm), for applications such as precision and high speed robots, medical devices, protheses and implants, small drives and micro motors. The new TorqSense SGR 510/520 torque
sensors cover capacities from 0.2Nm to 1Nm, making the full range 0.2Nm to 13,000Nm. The bigger units in the SGR family are designed for use in machine tools, production and processing plant, heavy duty pumps and similar large scale installations. The SGR sensors have the ability to accurately
measure and record sudden spikes in torque load, a benefit in automated machinery, integrated systems, test rigs and continuously monitored plant, the company states. “Torque spikes can have an immediate effect
on operations, or may indicate the beginnings of a problem,” explained Ingham. “The SGRs are designed to accurately record all torque data from any type of system, big or small, simple or complex, yet be robust enough for use in virtually any environment.” The SGR measures the torque 4000 times
per second and uses high performance signal conditioning to provide a corruption-free, high bandwidth, torque monitoring solution. This is further enhanced by 250% overrange and 400% overload capabilities, elimination of side and end load errors and real time temperature compensation. Furthermore, non-contact signal transmission means the sensor exerts no load on the shaft it is monitoring, while maintenance-heavy slip rings have been designed out. Three analog output channels on the 511 mean the SGR can measure real-time speed and power alongside the torque monitoring. A third output is dedicated to self- diagnostics and/or status functions. An Ethernet gateway module can also be fitted to the unit. As well as analog outputs, TorqSense SGR 520/521 is also fitted with digital outputs for interfacing with state of the art instrumentation and laptops. Options include RS232, CANbus and USB. Using the USB, it is possible to connect up to 10 SGR 520/521s into one fully integrated system.
Sensor Technology T: 01869 238400
www.sensors.co.uk
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