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Sensors
Not just for sensing any more, many sensors now come equipped with intelligence for greater functionality and ease of integration.
By Rick DeMeis -- Design News, May 5, 2003
Level headed and then some
MTS Systems Sensor Div. Level Plus M-Series Digital sensor. Designed as a drop-in replacement for the company's analog liquid level sensors, this series features a digital Modbus output, which can also be interfaced with most Fieldbus and Profibus systems. No intermediate Modbus box is needed. The magnetostrictive-technology sensor not only senses inventory level, but also interface level and temperature. Leveraging the sensing technology (here in a low-profile control head thanks to surface-mount components) with processing was possible due to a proprietary, high-speed signal processing IC. "With a single 16-bit microprocessor, we were able to move intelligence to the sensor, closer to the sensing point, and integrate temperature sensing digital thermometers," notes Adrian Totten, product manager. The microprocessor-based design also features a flexible command interface, high noise rejection capability, built-in test, and automatic data error checking. (www.levelplus.com) Enter 696
Transducers with hart
Phoenix Contact loop-powered MCR temperature transducers. An addition to the company's line of MCR (measurement, control, and regulation) signal conditioners, these devices convert temperature readings into 4-20 mA analog signals. The microprocessor-based, Windows-programmed devices are available with HART-protocol compatibility (which superimposes digital data on the analog signal) for process control applications such as pharmaceuticals and petrochemicals. The analog signal current loop supplies the signal conversion power. "The transducer in itself is universal and can be programmed to be flexible in any temperature monitoring application, regardless of the type of RTD, thermocouple, temperature range, etc.," says Davis Mathews, product market manager for instrumentation products. "It is left to the customers to choose a sensor type and housing style to suit their application," he adds. The transducers come in a 12.5-mm DIN-rail mount housing or a standard head-mount version for DIN-B field installations. (www.phoenixcon.com) Enter 697
Tag team
"BALOGH Distributed by TURCK" RFID Systems. Using these reprogrammable RFID tags, a system can track components, and products, as well as manage process information within harsh industrial environments, including areas with high EMI. For security, users can select only specific transceivers to dialog with specific tags, cutting down on cross talk. Tag modes include Read Only and Read/Write, the latter permitting tracking of process steps using upwards of 32 kbits of onboard memory. Diagnostic features include executing an error bit (with a corresponding error code) if a data transfer error occurs between tag and transceiver-alerting the user to a problem and its possible cause. (www.turck.com) Enter 698
Stifle it
Omron Electronics E3Z-LS diffuse photoelectric sensor. This sensor offers either foreground and background suppression in a single package. Background suppression (BGS) is needed in applications where a highly reflective background can trigger false detections and should also insure that objects beyond a set distance will not be detected. Foreground suppression (FGS) is used where targets have a shiny or irregular surface. The single-package detector is possible thanks to development of two-part diode detectors, which feature areas for detecting near and far reflections, according to Mike Frey group sensor product market manager. Two of these diodes are used to cancel out any intermediate "dead zone" signals. "No mechanical adjustments are needed, say for a mirror that changes alignment, thus vibration is not a problem," he notes. A proprietary processing algorithm also minimizes interference from external fluorescent lighting. The E3Z-LS used a red LED's visible light beam to ease alignment. (www.info.omron.com) Enter 699
See your true colors
Banner QC50 color sensor. An ice-white LED light source is only one vital element that allows this sensor to analyze and identify user-programmed colors. A microprocessor and redesigned send/receive optics facilitate not only contrast detection but also electronic filtering of the reflected white light into its primary color components to determine true color. "What makes it possible is efficient algorithms and a microprocessor fast enough to analyze three independent values to determine true colors, at speeds suitable for automation equipment," says Chris Benson, product manager. A small, cost-effective package is also key, he adds. A color-plus-intensity mode allows gray-scale sorting within a color family. The processor permits the use of just two push buttons to adjust color channels, sensing modes, and tolerance levels. (www.bannerengineering.com) Enter 700
Sealed strain gauges
Texas Instruments 3PP8 hermetic pressure transducers. Using silicon MEMs technology, these strain gauge sensors are designed for pressures from 150 to 40,000 psig. Hermetic sealing in a stainless steel case allows for operation in most industrial applications and provides corrosion resistance in severe environments. Users can store details of each unit's calibration coefficients and serialization data in an EEPROM memory. A key feature is a proprietary ASIC for diagnostics of the sensor itself as well as its connection to a server, says George Verras, engineering supervisor. Such capability allows the sensor, for example, to keep a running tab on a refrigeration system, allowing performance tracking of food storage facilities under FDA regulations. The transducer is based on automotive brake pressure sensor technology, which has pushed down the cost of diagnostics and tightened tolerances. (www.ti.com/snc) Enter 701
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