Wireless data loggers widely used in the transport industry get miniaturised

In the transport sector, data loggers are used to accompany a cargo during transport as a means to investigate everything from damage events to the various physical parameters of the voyage. The data collector itself consists of a programmable processor, data storage, interfaces and one or several input channels to connect the various sensors to it.

Transport data loggers mostly operate on batteries and through an analogue-to-digital converter information can be converted to storable data and saved on the transport data logger. The data can be preserved if the batteries die or the batteries are taken out. Captured data can be read via the serial interface or via USB and evaluated by using the relevant software. Key players include: OMEGA Engineering, Hioki, Dwyer Instruments, PCE Instruments, Dickson, Bestech, Newsteo and Nielsen-Kellerman.

Small data logger with integrated sensors measuring temperature, pressure, humidity, light and 3-axis acceleration by MSRDatenlogger - MSR Electronics, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

New miniature data logger

The Swiss developer and producer of miniaturised, universal measurement data loggers as well as radio mini-data loggers MSR Electronics GmbH, recently unveiled its new miniature data logger, the MSR175. The company says, “The two 3-axis acceleration sensors, integrated in one MSR175 data logger, record critical events such as bumps and blows with a high measurement rate.”

The transport data logger’s storage capacity of over 2 million measured values ??is enough to record, “at least ‘1,000 shocks’ over several weeks.” In addition, the MSR175 measures and stores temperature profiles from -20° to +65° C. In a second type variant, the data logger is equipped with an internal humidity, pressure and light sensor, which provides further useful transport data.

Temperature control

Hanwell Solutions Ltd, the UK based designer and manufacturer of high-quality environmental monitoring systems, has launched a number of new sensor and transport data logging products. Its ‘Pro Transport Loggers’ are small, reusable temperature data loggers that monitor temperature parameters during transit. One of them, the 43792-TR is a single channel logger with 2 pin Lemo socket for remote probes.

Features include: a data logger format with up to 100,000 readings; up to 3 year battery life; accessible battery and USB socket; ease of attachment to a wall bracket; high performance internal or external sensors; and compliance with RoHS, EU and WEEE directives. Hanwell has also introduced its new EMS Alarms App that is designed for users of Hanwell EMS software.

Access to data is now easily accessible 24/7 via android phones (4.1 or later) or iOS (8.0 or later), through the app. It provides: alarm notification in and out of working hours; continuous monitoring of critical sensor groups; and an overview sensor data for sites. The app is capable of displaying data from 300 to 900 sensors. The new software can be used with ‘Hanwell Pro’ and ‘Hanwell IceSpy’ hardware.

MadgeTech launches line update

At the start of the year, MadgeTech Inc., the US based designer, engineer and manufacturer of data loggers, launched a number of new data logging products in its Oct/Quad product line. The latest features now include higher speed - boosting one reading every two seconds to four readings a second - expanded memory, enhanced accuracy and faster download speeds, all tucked into a smaller body.

The OctProcessV2 is a 4-channel, battery powered, low level DC current data logger with a reading rate of up to 4 Hz. It can measure and record 32,736 readings per channel. The device features a 1 year battery life, user replaceable battery and programmable engineering units. The storage medium is non-volatile solid state memory, providing maximum data security.

Downloading data from the OctProcessV2 is done via MadgeTech’s software. The data can also be automatically exported to Excel® for further calculations. The QuadProcessV2, meanwhile, is also a 4-channel, battery powered, DC current data logger but it can measure and record 130,944 readings per channel.

The company said, “New developments in this product line began after an inquiry from a customer looking to record at a faster reading rate. MadgeTech took this customer feedback as an opportunity to make process improvements.”

Bluetooth support

As of March this year, T&D Corporation, the Japanese based supplier of PC compatible compact temperature and humidity data loggers, will make available to its customers an update for the Bluetooth compatible version of its Android app. This will optimise the checking of data via a smart phone. T&D’s TR-7wb Series Wi-Fi-connected data loggers connect seamlessly to T&D’s cloud-based WebStorage Service via Wi-Fi and through the T&D Thermo app, both provided free of charge.

Outlook

By 2023, the worldwide market for data loggers is expected to reach $210 million, according to a new RFM (Research for Markets) study. Although this represents a slight decline from the $240 million reported in 2017, the longer term outlook for the industry is nonetheless more positive because the number of applications is steadily increasing.