Collecting vibration data wirlessly!
Collecting vibration data wirlessly!
A wireless vibration transmitter is the perfect tool when it comes to remote data collection. There are times when the desired measurement points are in difficult to access or hazardous areas, so wireless data collection is the best option.
Wireless technologies offer many advantages for interconnecting devices, however, there are limitations that prevent communication.
How to choose the best wirless technology?
To properly choose the technology used by a wireless vibration transmitter, it is important to identify the wireless communication protocols that are commonly used.
A wireless vibration transmitter is the perfect tool when it comes to remote data collection. There are times when the desired measurement points are in difficult to access or hazardous areas, so wireless data collection is the best option.
Wireless technologies offer many advantages for interconnecting devices, however, there are limitations that prevent communication.
| Wi-Fi | ZigBee | Bluetooth | Bluetooth BLE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Data Transfer Rate (Typical) |
200Mbps-1Gbps |
250kbps |
1-3Mbps |
1-2Mbps |
|
Range |
100 meters (line of sight)
50 meters (indoors) |
1-100 meters (line of sight) |
100 meters (line of sight) |
100-1000 meters (line of sight) |
|
Topology |
Point-to-Point, Point-to-Multipoint |
Mesh type netting |
Point-to-point |
Point-to-Point, Point-to-Multipoint, Mesh |
|
Energy consumption. |
High |
Low |
Medium |
Low |
Then, the following must be taken into account:
- These devices are usually in closed environments.
- A large number of devices may be on the same network.
- Battery life should last more than two years.
- A Point-to-Multipoint topology is preferred.
Considering the above statements, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE 5.0) is the best choice.
The Phantom® system from Erbessd Instruments® includes a wireless vibration transmitter that integrates a triaxial accelerometer, a Bluetooth BLE module and a processor to provide a complete solution for remote vibration monitoring. This transmitter is non-invasive and easy to install. Thanks to the wireless technology, it uses little power to operate, thus extending battery life considerably.
Factors that can prevent proper functioning
Many times, the machinery we want to analyze and monitor is located in environments that are not conducive to wireless communications. For example, if the wireless sensor monitoring a machine is located inside a metal enclosure and the receiver or Gateway is placed outside of it, the thickness of the sheet metal will greatly affect the transmission.
Normally, vibration transmitters do not support sending data in this type of scenario. However, the Phantom system transmitter is an exception.
Billed as “…possibly the ‘magic unicorn’ system we’ve been looking for,” the Phantom system’s wireless vibration transmitter was tested at Johnson & Johnson’s facility in Ireland. The device was placed inside one of their air handling unit (AHU) enclosures, which is a sealed container constructed of sheet steel. The maximum transmission distance obtained between the wireless transmitter and the Gateway was 35 meters (115 feet). A considerable figure given the circumstances of the test.
Today, vibration monitoring and analysis is a fundamental part of machine maintenance. It is necessary to create efficient maintenance plans to save costs.
The Phantom® system, in addition to a vibration sensor, has a wide variety of wireless transmitters that can measure extreme temperatures, three-phase amperage, RPM, speed or any other general purpose sensor. Each transmitter has an ideal design that allows for easy installation without the need for major machine modifications.
It is necessary to obtain a complete solution that gives us the possibility to monitor different variables to perform a complete monitoring in order to find the causes that generate failures more quickly.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Esteban Rodríguez, is a Electro-Mechanical Engineer from the Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán. He is passionate about technologies and a hobbyist programmer, he is currently part of the Programming and Tech Support Team at Erbessd Instruments®
ERBESSD INSTRUMENTS®, manufacturer company of Vibration Analysis and Dynamic Balancing Machines Equipment with office in México and the U.S.
Meet Our Products
In Erbessd Instruments, we created enough options of condition monitoring systems for you. Starting from low cost equipment with large capacities, to integral systems with multiple automatic parameters, such as our Phantom® vibration and condition monitoring system.
