Advanced test and measurement equipment manufacturer MTI Instruments has released its Accumeasure Wireless Gap Measurement Probe System. The system consists of up to four battery-powered, wireless capacitance probes paired via Bluetooth to their receiving device. The wireless capability and compact form factor of the battery-powered probes are designed specifically to measure gaps in difficult-to-reach or inaccessible locations. Unlike eddy current probe systems, capacitance probes are not susceptible to temperature drift, have built-in calibration and are immune to magnetic field interference.
The capacitance probes transmit displacement (gap) readings ranging from 0.1 mm to 2.0 mm from fixtures
Source: MTI Instruments to the rotating machine surface. Measurements are optimized for machines with a surface velocity of 6,000 surface feet per minute. Data from the receiver via RS-485 Modbus RTU interface protocol can be used for real-time monitoring of vibration and bearing health.
Key features include:
- Wireless reliability — Proven to work via Bluetooth in electrically noisy industrial environments, and immune to jamming by other wireless devices
- Smart sensing technology — Provides unique ID for each sensor
- Networking capable — Up to four sensors/receiver, networked together for rich geometrical measurement
- Replaces outdated eddy probes — Capacitance-based technology is insensitive to target material, provides self-contained absolute calibration, is non-contact, and can also measure dielectrics
- Standard PLC interface — Simple to hook up to a PLC without any custom wiring
- Battery-operated compact form factor — Can be easily placed in hazardous or unserviceable environments
- Fast max sample rate — Up to four samples per second
In addition to being highly reliable in noisy environments, the Accumeasure’s compact, wireless, battery-powered probe design makes it perfect for using in tight and inaccessible spaces.
