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Our long range wireless enterprise series sensors are an easy to use and reliable start to any data aggregation application. This video will demonstrate how they work, what they do, and how to use them.
The Industrial IoT Wireless Predictive Maintenance Sensor boasts up to a two-mile range using a wireless mesh networking architecture. The Predictive Maintenance Sensors are also known as Condition Based Monitoring Sensors. This IoT Preventative Monitoring Sensor consists of four of our most popular sensors in a single package to help control costs in most predictive maintenance applications. This Sensor include a Vibration Sensor, Thermocouple, 100 Amp AC Split Core Current Sensor, and a Machine Body Temperature Sensor.
How NCD’s Predictive Maintenance Sensors Work
Our IoT Wireless Predictive Maintenance Sensor samples vibration, acceleration, velocity, displacement, frequency, RMS current and temperature data. After data collection, our sensor will send a fixed user-designed transmission interval over your wireless network. This device comes with a 1.25-meter, split core current sensor, a 2-meter vibration probe (which will also measure machine body temperature) and a 1-meter thermocouple probe that makes installation straightforward and simple.
Exclusive NCD Predictive Maintenance Sensors Features
Our 3-Axis Vibration Sensor Characteristics include: Incorporating a 16-bit vibration and temperature sensor. This sensor will transmit highly accurate vibration data at user-defined intervals. These All-In-One Vibration Sensors can send computed and measured data thanks to Inbuild FFT and also RAW data for further processing on the user end. Using a 3-Axis Sensor as opposed to a 1-Axis (such as Piezo Sensors) users will achieve a much more accurate measurement count, and user friendly process.
Our Vibration and Temperature Sensor includes many features such as acceleration calculation, velocity calculation and time domain data analysis for FFT. As well as, user configurable data aggregation interval l ranging from one-second to 10-seconds. This type of sensor can be used in various applications. One, is for aircraft. This sensor can measure the about of “G-Force” during flight to protect the aircraft and passengers alike. This Sensor may also be used in automobiles to detect rapid deceleration, possible collision, and airbag deployment.
Our Industrial IoT Wireless Vibration Sensor samples 2048 samples each Axis and then calculates RMS and maximum vibration readings. This sensor then combines this data with temperature data into a packet and transmits the results to modems and gateways within wireless range. Once the transmission is complete, the vibration sensor goes back to sleep, thus minimizing power consumption. Our Vibration Sensor can be used for a multitude of applications to gather data AND detect early faults from compressors, pumps, motors, conveyors, etc. All at a safe distance from the factory floor.
Our Thermocouple Sensor Characteristics include: Long Range Industrial IoT Wireless Predictive Maintenance Sensor, which is capable of measuring extreme high and low temperatures. This wireless thermocouple includes one 5SRTC-TT-K-24-36 K-Type thermocouple probe from Omega.com with a 1m, 24 AWG connection cable, rated for temperature measurement applications up to 260°C (500°F) with an accuracy of ±2.2°C. This wireless thermocouple device comes with a K-Type connector, which can be used to connect higher temperature range thermocouple if needed. This sensor has a built-in hot and cold junction to provide highly accurate readings. This wireless IoT sensor is an ideal product for high temperature measurements, industrial boiler temperature measurements, liquid temperature measurement, and temperature monitoring of food storage units.
Our AC Current Sensor Characteristics include: Capabilities of measuring AC RMS current. The Long Range Industrial IoT Wireless Predictive Maintenance Sensor comes with a 100 Amp Split Core AC Current Sensor. Our Current Sensor can be applied to supervision of circuits, protection against over-current on machinery, motors, and various power supplies.
This Predictive Maintenance Sensor is powered by just six AA batteries and an operational lifetime of 500,000 wireless transmissions, a 10-year battery life can be expected. (Depending on environmental conditions and the data transmission interval.)
*PLEASE NOTE — RMS is calculated using Parseval’s theorem.
When obtaining the Predictive Maintenance Sensor, there are Vibration guides to observe. Here are some recommended Vibration standards, you can compare these readings with our Long Range IoT Wireless Vibration Temperature Sensor to determine if your device is operating properly or if it may require service (note that actual equipment and application may vary):
A. 0.01g or Less — Excellent condition, No action required
B. 0.35g or less — Good Condition, No action required unless the machine is noisy or running at abnormal temperature
C. 0.5g or less — Fair Condition, No action required unless the machine is noisy or running at abnormal temperature
D. 0.75g or More— Rough Condition, possible action required if machine is noisy and also check the bearing temperature
E. 1g or More — Very Rough Conditions, further analysis and see if its doing this continuously. Also check for noise and temperature
F. 1.5g or More — Danger Level, there is definitely a problem in the machine or installation. Also check the temperature Log
G. 2.5g or More — Shut-down the Machine immediately and look for possible causes. Call a technician for immediate repair
For Heavy Machinery these readings could be 1.5 times to 2 times more than listed above.
This Predictive Maintenance Sensor sends data periodically, based on user-preset timing intervals.
NCD IoT Sensors send a lot more than just sensor data. For instance, a unique serial number is sent so you can always identify a particular sensor on the network. A Node ID is also included, which a single byte of data that you can use for anything, such as the floor of a building or to help identify which group a sensor belongs to. Also included in the data packet is a firmware version, battery level, and sensor type. This allows your software to positively identify and manage the health of NCD IoT wireless sensors. While signal strength data is also available, it is handled in a different way, and is not included in the sensor data packet (but rest assured, signal strength data for each sensor is available). Please see the Resources tab to see detailed information on the data structure of this device.
NCD wireless sensors transmit data and require a receiver. There are many options available for receiving data from NCD IoT devices, which will be discussed in much greater detail below. We highly recommend at least one USB Modem for the purposes of sensor configuration (available during checkout). Also, our LabVIEW software is typically used for advanced sensor configuration, which is located in the “Resources” tab above.
Most NCD IoT Sensors are rated for 300,000 to 500,000 transmissions until the batteries become so weak they are unreliable. You could spread these transmissions out over a 10 year period and send 50,000 transmissions per year. This would allow up to 136 transmissions per day, or about 5 transmissions per hour (for a 500K sensor, or 3 per hour for 300K sensor). If you only need the batteries to last 3 years, you could send 166,666 transmissions per year, or about 456 transmissions per day (about 19 transmissions per hour for a 500K sensor). As you can see, battery life is really up to you. By altering advanced settings in the NCD IoT sensor, you have control over longevity. Please note the 500,000 transmission rating is for premium alkaline batteries. NCD ships all sensors with premium Lithium batteries, which include a ultra-wide temperature range that typically lasts in excess of 600,000 transmissions for some sensor types. These batteries weigh less than half of alkalines, and they work in the freezer! A word of caution though, putting a sensor in configuration mode will drain the batteries very quickly. It’s important to configure your sensors and exit configuration mode as soon as possible or use a external power supply during configuration (if supported by the sensor). The table below indicates how many Transmissions Per Hour (TPH) your can expect from different sensors over a lifespan of up to 10 years.
| Battery Life: | 3 Months | 6 Months | 1 Year | 2 Years | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300K Sensor | 136 TPH | 68 TPH | 34 TPH | 17 TPH | 11 TPH | 6 TPH | 3 TPH |
| 400K Sensor | 180 TPH | 90 TPH | 45 TPH | 22 TPH | 15 TPH | 9 TPH | 4 TPH |
| 500K Sensor | 228 TPH | 114 TPH | 57 TPH | 28 TPH | 19 TPH | 11 TPH | 5 TPH |
| 600K Sensor | 272 TPH | 136 TPH | 68 TPH | 34 TPH | 22 TPH | 13 TPH | 6 TPH |
TPH = Transmissions per Hour
Under the best of circumstances, the best non-rechargeable batteries commonly available today are limited to a 10 year non-working shelf life in a room temperature environment. Factors such as actual usage, temperature, and humidity will impact the working life. Be wary of any battery claims in excess of 10 years, as this would only apply to the most exotic and expensive batteries that are not commonly available. Also note that most battery chemistries are not rated for use in extreme temperatures. NCD only uses the best Non-Rechargeable Lithium batteries available today, which are also rated for use in extreme temperatures and have been tested by our customers in light radioactive environments. Lithium batteries offer a 10 year maximum expected shelf life due to limitations of battery technology. NCD will never rate sensor life beyond the rated shelf life of the best batteries available today, which is currently 10 years.
Using our long-range USB wireless modem, users can expect easy operation over a virtual COM port at 115.2K baud. Simply open the virtual COM port of the USB modem and watch data stream in. Optionally, we offer a Wireless receiver that operates over Ethernet. Data from NCD sensors will appear over TCP/IP on port 2101. Simply open a TCP/IP socket, port 2101, to the IP address of the Ethernet modem and see your data stream in to your local area network. We have developed LabVIEW® software for each sensor to change advance sensor settings using both Ethernet and USB modems. Alpha Station also allows display of sensor readings as well as limited configuration (this feature is still in development). Of course gateways are also available for sending data to popular cloud platforms such as Amazon® AWS® IoT, Microsoft® Azure® IoT, and Losant (more information below). We take software samples seriously, so be sure to to check out the “Resources” tab to see code samples for Raspberry Pi, Visual Studio, LabVIEW®, Arduino, Python, and more.
During purchase, you will see three frequency options. Not all options are legal for use in all areas, so it’s important to make the right selection during purchase. We will build your product and accessories based on the options chosen. Here, we will explain these options in much greater detail, but please check your local laws BEFORE purchase.
If you are located in North America, the 900MHz Option will provide the longest range currently supported with the best penetration through walls, buildings, industrial equipment, and trees. This option is also the best choice for long range applications. The official Line of Sight rating for this option is 2 Miles with included antennas or 28 Miles with high-gain antennas. We suggest contacting Digi.com for a high-gain antenna recommendation if required. Please check your local laws before choosing this option.
If you are located in Europe, the 868MHz Option is the longest range choice available at this time. This option offers better penetration through walls, buildings, trees, and industrial equipment than 2.4GHz. The official line of site rating for this option is 14.5km using 2.1dBi antennas. Please check your local laws before choosing this option.
The 2.4GHz option should be chosen if 900MHz and 868MHz are not legal for use in your country. This option is now certified for use worldwide, including Europe, United States, Japan, Australia, Brazil, and South Korea. Please check your local laws before choosing this option just in case 2.4GHz is not legal in your area.
If you are unsure of which sensor option to choose, please contact us. We may be able to help determine which sensors are legal for use in your area.
Predictive Maintenance And Condition Monitoring Applications
We realize that the Industrial Wireless version and the Long Range IoT version seem very similar and in fact are. The Industrial Wireless line has a few improvements over its counterpart in the Long Range Wireless line in form and fit, but maintain the same function. Industrial Wireless versions may have a longer battery life, optional off-board sensors, more accurate readings, and other frequency ranges. Below is a table based on the Vibration Sensor included in the Predictive Maintenance Sensor:
| Feature | Industrial Wireless | Long Range IoT | Industrial Wireless V3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 900 MHZ | X | X | X |
| 868 MHz Option | X | X | |
| 2-Mile Range | X | X | X |
| Battery Powered | X | X | X |
| Optional External Power | X | X | X |
| Wireless Mesh Capabilities | X | X | X |
| IP65/Outdoor Rated | X | X | |
| Magnetic Mounting Attachments | X | (Optional) | X |
| External Sensor Probe | (Optional) | X | |
| Acceleration Measurement | X | X | X |
| Velocity Measurement | X | ||
| Displacement Measurement | X | ||
| Time Domain | X | X | |
| FFT | X | ||
| Frequency Measurement | X | ||
| OTA | X | ||
| FIIR Filters | X | ||
| Configurable Frequency Range | X | X | |
| Configureable Sample Duration | X | ||
| 1/4 NPT Housing | X | ||
| 1/4-28 UNF Housing | X |
Resolution
Not for use in outdoor applications or for use in excessive temperature conditions. Prolonged freezing will prevent batteries from functioning until thawed, using extended temperature range industrial batteries may improve the useful temperature range. Extended freezing applications should use a full-time powered solution. Prolonged exposure to extreme humidity conditions may damage this device. The sensing element is rated for use for 5 years and may be replaced. Exposure to high temperatures may cause the batteries to leak, causing permanent damage to this device. NCD Warranty does not cover battery corrosion or use in excessively smoky environments under any circumstances.
