Feature: Industrial electronics
Smart sensors in industrial applications keep the pressure off
By Richard Mount, Sales Director, Swindon Silicon Systems D
ata from real-time sensors enables smart factories to better understand their processes. Smart factories use connected
devices, machinery and production systems to continuously collect and share that data, so systems and managers can make informed decisions addressing any problems that arise and improving manufacturing effi ciency. According to the ‘2021 State of
Manufacturing Report’ from Fictiv, the company with the digital quote-to- order manufacturing platform, 95% of manufacturers agree that digital transformation is essential to their company’s future success. To collect the data necessary to enable this digital transformation, smart factories use sensors to monitor a range of variables, such as the temperature of environment and machinery, energy consumption, humidity and operating time.
Going with the fl ow One of the most diverse and widely-used type of sensor in the industrial internet of things (IIoT) is the pressure sensor. Diff erential pressure sensors measure
the diff erence in pressure between two points, providing a comparative measurement; say, between the input and output of a fi lter. In fl ow management, if under normal conditions the pressure between the
32 December/January 2023
www.electronicsworld.co.uk
infl uent and effl uent pressure should be kept to a minimum, by measuring the diff erence between the two, data can show either a good operating condition or the onset of a failure. A failure such as a fi lter becoming blocked with contaminants would lead to the effl uent pressure dropping, which can result in an increase in pressure diff erence. If pressure diff erential is detected, the data can be used to alert factory employees of the problem, so it can be rectifi ed in a timely manner. Where low power, size and performance
are important, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology is now widely used in pressure sensing, providing high-pressure resolution in ultra-compact and thin packages.
HVAC systems In industry, heating, ventilation and air- conditioning (HVAC) systems are vital to maintain air quality, employee health and quality assurance benchmarks. Accurate
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