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The air compressor works, but the pneumatic machine suddenly stops. The cause is a gradual and unnoticed drop in pressure over a long period of time due to a leaking hose or fitting. A bad surprise.
“With the FTMg flow sensor, leaks in the pneumatic system can be detected long before the machine breaks down due to a loss of pressure. And that's not all: the sensor can help to minimize the operating costs for the production, supply and distribution of compressed air, thus creating more efficient pneumatic processes, because with the FTMg flow sensor , it is now possible to continuously measure and make transparent the flows and energy consumption. The sensor can even report leakage losses measured in kWh, allowing a direct comparison with the energy of the supplied compressed air - which is ideal for an energy management system conforming to DIN EN50001 ” , says Helen Zimmermann, Product Manager for Flow Measurement Technology at Sick AG's New Business Global Business Center, Waldkirch.
Three measurements - one measuring point
According to Helen Zimmermann, from the point of view of measurement technology, the strong point of the FTMg is undoubtedly the simultaneous measurement of flow, pressure and temperature by a single sensor. It is therefore not necessary to install three separate sensors, which allows for significant savings. The straight measuring channel minimizes the pressure loss associated with measuring technology in the pneumatic system during measurement. The FTMg, which comes in three nominal pipe and process fitting diameters, is characterized by its lightweight, compact and user-friendly construction. Its all-in-one design also eliminates unnecessary risk of leaks in pneumatic systems.
A single unit of measurement for the energy of the supplied and incoming compressed air
The sensor's highly dynamic calorimetric measurement principle allows it to detect the smallest changes in the consumption system when monitoring bottles and leaks. It is thus possible to detect and locate unexpected pressure losses in a targeted manner. Pressure losses are visualized on the sensor screen as flat or steep edges on the pressure curve and can thus be interpreted directly.
The measured energy loss is indicated in kWh and can be compared and compensated with the energy injected into the compressed air supply network. This allows true transparency of energy consumption, as required by energy management systems according to DIN EN 50001. This applies both to the sensor variant with IO-Link connectivity and to the one with an Ethernet interface, an OPC UA communication protocol and an integrated web server.
Digital output up to eight analogue values via IO-Link
The FTMg multifunctional flow sensor is capable of providing up to eight process parameters in total: flow velocity, flow volume, cumulative volume, mass flow, cumulative mass, energy consumption, current pressure and temperature.
The FTMg is equipped with an IO-Link on the surface. All of this process data is transmitted digitally via this point-to-point connection and can be accessed on a PC, via a mobile terminal device or via an automation system. This sensor variant also offers analog and digital outputs for signal transmission and integration of controllers.
Ethernet version with OPC UA for ERP and cloud connectivity
“The FTMg ensures the efficient and trouble-free operation of compressed air systems. The sensor can be accessed remotely via an integrated web server, for example to read and view the measurement data of the last seven days stored in its circular memory. In addition, the statistical analyzes integrated into the FTMg allow basic monitoring functions to be set up, for example to detect peaks or changes in average energy consumption. The information from the multifunctional sensor is not only of interest to the control system, but also to higher levels of automation, for example ERP systems or cloud-based applications , ” explains Helen Zimmermann.
In order to be able to use the values measured by the FTMg for the efficient operation of compressed air supply networks throughout the company, an Ethernet-based variant of this sensor is available, which transmits the data using the OPC UA standard. This makes it possible, for example, to use the measurement information not only for condition monitoring or facility management, but also in production or process-oriented industrial 4.0 applications and dashboards. Analyzing the energy consumption profile of machines or pneumatic systems running on compressed air - possibly combined with data from other intelligent sensors or actuators - can provide insight into the quality and productivity of processes.
“For example, consistent consumption patterns for a process are indicative of uniform product quality or production volume. Machines of the same design and functionality can be compared with regard to their compressed air consumption, and the differences can be analyzed in a targeted manner. Edges of a consumption profile that drift over time can suggest changes that are not visible from the outside, for example a change in the speed of a pneumatic cylinder. This may be a sign of cylinder wear or a leak in the compressed air supply to that cylinder. In any case, an inspection or maintenance of the cylinder is justified ” , notes Helen Zimmermann.
Failure prevention and energy management
“With its versatile measurement and analysis technology, the FTMg breaks new ground in the efficient use of compressed air machines and pneumatic systems. Energy consumption becomes transparent, leaks are detected in time and energy changes and losses become visible and can be interpolated and compared ” , emphasizes Helen Zimmermann. Energy management systems according to DIN EN 5001 benefit from this, as do process quality, system availability and productivity. All these benefits translate into a short payback period when purchasing the multifunctional FTMg - and also a highly scalable solution thanks to the connectivity options offered. "
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