Does the temperature in a container with perishable goods remain within the margins, and what about the surrounding environment? Or is the temperature in a waste container rising too high, with the risk of fire? Temperature sensors measure the temperature accurately to the degree or even half a degree Celsius. And that up to as much as 1,000 degrees, because that is how high the temperature can rise in heavy combustion engines during detonations.

Want to know the location of a person or package? With GPS sensors in track & trace solutions, you always know where someone or something is. You can also set up ‘virtual fences’ with it (geofencing). A signal is then automatically generated when an object or person is near such a fence. We use this technology in our smart helmet, for example. This gives employees a warning if they enter a dangerous zone.

Accelerometers measure the acceleration from a certain point. They can be used very widely. This ranges from determining the movement of people or objects to measuring the force exerted on something. For example, accelerometers make track & trace applications much more energy-efficient. Instead of constantly contacting satellites, the GPS sensors are only active when the accelerometer detects movement. Accelerometers are often combined with a digital compass, for example, to determine the position and direction of an object.

With a vibration sensor, you measure the frequency of the vibrations, for example in a motor. Does the frequency spectrum change? Then that could mean that something is about to go wrong and that your mechanics need to take action for repair or preventive maintenance. Vibration sensors are actually also accelerometers, because vibrations are continuous movements.

Do vibrations fall outside the range of an accelerometer? In that case, an acoustic sensor offers a solution. A good example is monitoring steam trap of steam installations. The frequency changes when the steam trap fills up. If it reaches a certain value, you know it’s time to replace the steam trap.

With a pressure gauge, you can monitor the groundwater level in a standpipe, for example. Or the pressure in a boiler house. Are there differences between the incoming and outgoing flows because filters are not working properly or a pipe is leaking? Then you will see that immediately, so that you can quickly take measures.

For example, is the climate control in your business premises still healthy? With O2 and CO2 sensors, you can continuously monitor the air quality. But there are also sensors that measure other gases. Think of ammonia in large pig stables or toxic gases that are released by a defect in an industrial environment.

You can use light sensors, for example, to automatically turn the lights on and off on your company premises. Or to measure the light output of (emergency) lighting in a tunnel. Does the light output decrease to a certain level? Then you will automatically be informed that the lamps need to be replaced.

It is best to combine different sensors. This way you collect data on various aspects and you can use analyses to establish all kinds of relationships between them. For example, is there a relationship between the pressure in an installation and the temperature? It is also possible to combine sensor data with maintenance data. In this way, you can predict when a part is about to give out and carry out maintenance before that time to prevent this. Such a part can, for example, be a worn bearing in a pump. This means you are suddenly engaged in predictive maintenance.

Of course, you can also purchase individual sensors. But an integrated solution is better, such as the IIoT sensor platform AnySens from our partner CORE|Vision. In it, you combine existing sensors with customer-specific solutions. This provides valuable data with which you can further streamline business processes and optimize quality and safety.