With more than 2.2 million installed applications and 50 years of experience, time-of-flight (ToF) instruments are an important part of the Endress+Hauser portfolio. ToF instruments are used in a wide variety of applications and are a reliable solution even under difficult process conditions, such as high pressures or temperatures and in corrosive or aggressive media. The company's new generation of Micropilot instruments offers a compact design and high flexibility of use to provide solutions for mobile and stationary plastic tanks.
Liquid storage plays an important role in many industries. Liquid fertilizers or irrigation systems for agriculture, additives as well as cleaning agents for the food industry or admixtures for the production of concrete are just a few examples. Usually plastic tanks are used for this purpose. In order to ensure continuous production and to avoid downtimes, liquids must always be available in sufficient quantities. This is where level measurement is used.
As the number of tanks increases, so do the measurement requirements. Plastic tanks are often located at remote sites and are widely dispersed geographically, making monitoring even more complex. In more than 80 % of the production sites, level measurement is performed manually. This type of manual monitoring is both time consuming and costly. For example, very often the lack of inventory is only noticed when the tank is already empty and production is at a standstill. In most cases, increasing inventory is not an alternative due to the storage costs involved.
A radar level sensor connected to the Cloud
To meet these challenges, Endress+Hauser has developed a solution consisting of a level sensor and software that simplifies inventory management in fixed and mobile applications. As with conventional devices, the measurement is based on high-frequency radar pulses. These are emitted by an antenna and reflected by the surface of the stored product. The travel time of the reflected radar pulse is directly proportional to the distance. With a known vessel geometry, the level can be calculated.
As the world's first 80 GHz wireless IIoT sensor, according to Endress+Hauser, the FWR30 cost-effectively combines cutting-edge technology and user-friendly digital services in one device. Continuously recorded measurement data can be accessed at any time and from anywhere via the device's cloud connection. This communication is possible thanks to its integrated SIM card.
"Installation is simple and can be completed in less than three minutes. A built-in battery allows operation without an external power supply, which is an advantage especially for hard-to-reach or mobile measuring points. This compact device is ideally suited for stackable tanks and provides a plug-and-play solution, says Endress+Hauser. In addition to the measured level, the user receives information about the location of his tanks via cell phone base stations. The first IIoT radar sensor provides facts where previously only assumptions were possible. It helps users to optimize logistics and storage processes. It saves valuable time by providing continuous and easy access to inventory information."
The Micropilot FWR30 can be used for level measurement and inventory management of mobile and fixed plastic tanks. In addition, the monitoring of mobile tanks is also possible. The free emission measuring device covers measuring ranges up to 15 meters at ambient temperatures between -20 °C and 60 °C. Thanks to the non-contact measurement, the Micropilot FWR30 can be used for all liquid products. It works where other measuring principles cannot be applied due to corrosion, abrasion, viscosity or toxicity and can be used in many industries.
Associated services
Depending on their needs, users can choose from a wide range of services. All applications can be used on various devices such as desktops, tablets or smartphones and meet the highest requirements for security and data protection.
Netilion Value is a simple digital monitoring solution. The web application provides a dashboard, measurement values, history, alarms, notifications and a simple user interface. Intelligent sensors can be integrated and connected with just a few clicks.
Netilion Inventory offers a simplified monitoring service to support simple inventory management applications. It comes with add-ons like volume calculation or forecasting and determines the available storage capacity. This extended service provides the user with a clear overview of the status of tanks, silos and containers.
SupplyCare Hosting is a comprehensive inventory management solution that provides users with event history, a customizable overview, and evaluation of key performance indicators such as average inventory, efficiency, or turnover. User management is simplified with customizable, role-based access rights, allowing suppliers, customers and partners to be integrated into the software. SupplyCare Hosting also enables user-friendly demand planning and can be synchronized with all popular ERP systems.
The Micropilot FWR30, in brief
- Reliable and economical level measurement with 80 GHz radar technology
- Total transparency for the storage and transport of liquids
- A simplified solution, from purchasing to operation
- Access to information, from anywhere, at any time
- Scalable applications, from point-of-use monitoring to inventory management
- Battery-powered stand-alone sensor with mobile communication
- Certified cloud service that meets the highest standards of security and data protection
Visit the site:
www.fr.endress.com