March 2019

HYDRAULICS 32 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS March 2019 www.hpmag.co.uk service if mains power is not available. Each set up can handle up to 100 sensors per system. All sensors talk to a single wireless receiver and Watchlog software. Data is displayed numerically or graphically. Alarm levels can also be set for each channel individually, both a pre-warning and critical alarm. Alarms can also be set to start logging data numerically or graphically to record events. The software can be used to wake and sleep each sensor or all sensors at the same time. All sensors are individually calibrated and set up via an easy to use software. The software sets up the sampling and transmission frequency to adjust the accuracy/stability of readings as well as optimising battery life. Cloud integration will follow shortly which will give engineers alerts via text message and the ability to log in remotely to check on the status of their equipment. Components of a system 1. Pressure & Temperature Sensors Sensors connected to the HTUK Watchlog technology wirelessly beam readings to the receiver with a 5ms up to 1-minute sample time. Each system is capable of handling up to 100 sensors simultaneously. 2. Receiver Box & PC Software The receiver decodes the sensor data and displays it on a PC screen up to 800m away. Display and log data, set alarms, cloud integration 3. Booster Box An intermediate booster box can extend the range of the wireless signal by an additional 800m, totalling 1.6km distance. The booster box can be solar powered if mains supply is not available. HTUK Watchlog features at a glance Wide range of pressure sensors: 0-60, 0-250 and 0-600bar (more on request) Temperature Sensors: -50degC to +200degC Truly wireless sensing system with no need for any external power or cables View and log sensor data using user friendly Windows ‘Watchlog’ software Configure graphical backgrounds for unique display of sensor data Settable alarms (two levels) 100 sensors can run simultaneously Battery life up to 2 years Data logging can start on trigger events Wake, sleep and interrogate sensors www.hydrotechnik.co.uk Increased customer demand to derive maximum output from legacy equipment is driving pump manufacturers to integrate enhanced technological features into existing pumps, according to Frost & Sullivan. The consulting firm added that these manufacturers started off integrating variable frequency drives (VFDs) and controllers with the aim of conserving energy, monitoring performance, controlling the speed and measuring a few vital parameters, but these benefits are beginning to prove insufficient for next-generation automated industries. The rising adoption of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies has intensified the need to include capabilities that can transform intelligent pumps into smart pumps. Sophistication “With IIoT, there is a huge demand for sophisticated techniques such as predictive maintenance, remote monitoring, digital twin technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and virtual reality/augmented reality (VR/AR),” said Srividhya Murali, senior research analyst, industrial team at Frost & Sullivan. “Intelligent pumps will receive a further boost with pump companies adopting the 2020 strategy, wherein the focus will be on saving energy using advanced and sustainable technologies.” Frost & Sullivan’s recent analysis, European Intelligent Pumps and Controllers Market – Driving Smart Revolution, Forecast to 2024, analyses the benefits of incorporating IIoT technology into pumps. It discusses the impact of smart pumps on end-user industries such as water and wastewater, oil & gas (O&G), chemicals, pharmaceuticals, building services, and food and beverage. Lastly, it presents the perspectives of major participants on key market trends. ww2.frost.com IIoT fuels major growth opportunities for intelligent pumps in Europe Power management company Eaton has introduced the new ASV60 steering valve, a compact, modular valve that helps reduce cab noise and improve machine flexibility and intelligence. Designed for mobile off-highway equipment in the construction, agriculture and material handling industries, the valve allows machine designers to tailor equipment steering performance to the operator’s driving habits or operating conditions and sets the stage as the foundation for autonomous vehicles. “Mobile machinery is changing. In a drive to do more with less, machines are increasingly complex, intelligent and efficient,” said Jiri Foukner, product manager EMEA, Mobile Hydraulics advanced controls/Pro FX family, Eaton. “Advanced steering solutions allow designers to customise equipment, providing options for controlling steering reaction, drift compensation and varying input devices, while improving operator comfort and visibility.” The new ASV60 Steering Valve can be used in conjunction with an orbitrol control in an electrohydraulic steering assembly, or in a fully electronically actuated steer-by-wire system. The valve can be mounted on an orbitrol controller or remote mounted wherever space exists on the machine, allowing for more flexible machine design and reduced cab noise. In customer testing, a prototype of the valve allowed machine designers to remove front- and rear-mounted steering wheels, instead using a joystick and steer-by-wire system to allow the operator to control the machine from a 180-degree rotating seat. The valve also allowed the customer to move all the hydraulics out of the cab, significantly reducing operator noise. www.eaton.com/hydraulics Steering valve provides intelligent solution for mobile equipment