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With ever-increasing demands for higher productivity from the land, the agricultural machinery sector is devising ever more complex multifunction equipment to make the farmer’s life easier and to complete routine tasks in a fraction of the time formerly required. The automation of traditionally labour-intensive tasks, particularly at harvest time, enables crops to be brought to market faster, in better condition and more cost effectively.

However, the increase in complexity of these machines is leading agricultural equipment manufacturers into new areas, particularly in terms of control systems. And the ESX series of CANbus controllers from Sensor-Technik is proving to be a perfect fit, with its flexible programmable architecture and rugged construction.

One recent case where the ESX has proved its worth is in the latest potato harvester from Standen. The new unit is the company’s most ambitious to date, with up to 24 hydraulic valves involved, and the machine’s designers swiftly realised that their traditional hard-wired control system would simply be too complex for the task. Fortunately at that point the company’s valve supplier suggested Standen contact Sensor-Technik.

The potato harvester now features a CANbus control system based on the ESX controller coupled with a Wachendorff OPUS Light four-line operator display panel in the cab of the tractor. This allows the operator to view and set defaults for flow rates, delay and response times and to monitor pressures in circuits. Crucially, many of the operating parameters of the harvester that could only previously be pre-set manually can now be adjusted by the operator without leaving the cab, improving both productivity and the quality of the harvest.

The ESX controller has ample power for the task, even with as many as 55 separate switching signals to control over the CANbus. It also has the capacity to take inputs from further optional sensors for machine levelling, discharge elevator height, depth control and axle steering position.

Thanks to the new CANbus design, the Standen potato harvester is considerably less expensive to build than it would have been using hard-wired control circuits. The wiring loom is greatly simplified and much lighter and the system can be reprogrammed for other tasks.

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Sometimes the elegance of a design is in using a single component for multiple tasks, saving space, component count and costs in the overall solution. One such case came when Sensor-Technik UK was asked to design a system for monitoring the water consumed by spray trucks typically used to damp down dust in quarries, construction sites and the like.

Dust is not only an annoyance, it can be a serious health hazard. So these water spray vehicles play an invaluable role in improving the health and safety of both the site workforce and the general public. But water is becoming an increasingly precious commodity the world over, and so accurate control over its use in this application is essential – not only to avoid waste, but also so that the truck driver knows how much is left in the onboard reservoir and can plan refills accordingly.

The design proposed by Sensor Technik used a single pressure sensor fitted at the base of the onboard tank to measure both the level in the tank and the rate of delivery through the truck’s spray heads. This sensor would be connected to a digital readout in the cab with programmable setpoints and an audible alarm to warn the driver of critical water levels.

The design was accepted, and initial installations were promising but highlighted two limitations in the design, both of which were easily resolved.

First, the sensor was being overpressurised while the tank was being filled. And while STW pressure sensors all have ample overpressure capabilities, the decision was made to resite the sensor away from the water inlet to avoid the false readings that had been occurring.

Secondly, the inherent sensitivity of the STW pressure sensor was greater than that required for the application, leading to fluctuating readings on the onboard digital readout. The simple addition of a digital filter between the sensor and readout provided the averaging effect required, stabilising the readings and providing the operators with a clear unambiguous readout of the pressure, level and flow.

The revised design of the single-sensor system has now been in service for several years. Its simple design and multiple capabilities have enabled payback many times over, maximising the efficiency of vehicle use, reducing wear and delivering savings on time, fuel and money.

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Sensor-Technik UK offers a wide range of inclination sensors for use in safety systems for off-highway commercial vehicles such as cranes, construction equipment and agricultural equipment. By integrating devices from the Micronor MR 400 Series of sensors in their equipment, manufacturers of construction and agricultural machinery can enhance the safe operation of their products by warning operators of excessive tilting that might lead to dangerous and costly tip-overs. The sensors are also suitable for integration with a whole range of other industrial machinery in applications where accurate orientation is crucial to efficient operation.

The MR 400 Series includes devices for sensing inclination over various ranges in one or two dimensions, and offers single or multiple outputs, with current, voltage, switch and CANbus options for easy integration with all manner of control systems.

The base model, the MR 401, is a high-resolution low-cost device offering single-axis sensing over a +/-10-degree range, with a 0-10V DC output and an accuracy to within +/-0.1 degrees. It is housed in a robust and compact ABS package measuring just 65 x 35 x 20mm.

Further up the range, the MR 407 is a two-axis sensor available with a choice of +/-10, +/-45 and +/-60-degree sensing ranges and a CANbus interface capable of operating at up to 1Mbit/s. It is also optionally available with four potential-free switch outputs for warnings and alarms. It is also housed in an ABS package measuring just 58 x 90 x 31mm.

And for applications simply requiring alarms, several models offer switching outputs only, including the MR 412, which has two solid-state switch outputs that can be programmed to trigger over a range of +/-10 degrees. This device comes in a rugged die-cast aluminium housing measuring 115 x 65 x 30mm.

All the sensors in the MR 400 Series are sealed to IP65 or IP67, and operate over a wide -40 to +80C temperature range, making them ideally suited to withstanding the typical environment experienced by agricultural and construction machinery.

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Available now from Sensor-Technik UK, the ESX-LT is a smaller and lower-cost version of the company’s ESX freely programmable universal controller that is ideal for mid-sized vehicle-mounted systems. The weatherproof design and wide operating temperature range makes the ESX-LT perfect for designers of off-highway and other construction equipment that has to operate in the most arduous conditions.

The controller is based on a powerful 16bit microcontroller running at 20/40MHz with up to 1Mbyte of Flash memory, 256Kbyte of RAM and 8Kbyte of FRAM or EEPROM. The standard unit has eight digital inputs, eight multifunction inputs and eight digital or PWM outputs. Each of the multifunction inputs can be programmed to read voltage, current, digital or frequency signals. Expansion units enable the ESX-LT to be specified with up to 28 I/Os.

Communications are provided in the form of an industry-standard RS232C serial interface with a programmable baurate, and one or two CANbus interfaces that support both low- and high-speed Controller Area Network communications at up to 1Mbit/s.

Using these communications interfaces, the controller can be freely programmed in C or using a CoDeSys IEC 1131-3 graphical interface.

The rugged ESX-LT controller comes in a compact cast aluminium housing measuring just 154 x 169 x 52mm. With the power supply spanning 9 to 32V DC, the fanless system is compatible with all standard vehicle supplies, and can operate over a wide -40 to +85C temperature range. Ventilation slots are protected with Gore-Tex membrane, maintaining both a continuous electromagnetic screen and environmental sealing to IP65 (optionally IP67).

The unit meets all environmental and EMC requirements of the automotive, agricultural and construction industries, including all requirements for CE marking of completed systems.

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Safety is paramount for the railway industry, and one of the most important aspects of this is maintaining all railway tracks in a safe condition. While today’s longer welded rails have made the ride much smoother than the shorter rails of old, they do make it more difficult to assess the condition of the lines.

The standard test of the condition of any line is to exert an upwards force on a rail and measure the displacement from the sleeper that results from the force. If the displacement is too high for any given force, then maintenance is required. 

Clearly such testing cannot be carried out while the track is in use, and so maintenance crews perform the tests at night. However, time is still important, particularly on the busiest of main lines, and the testing has to be performed in between services while assuring the safety of the maintenance crew and of the test rigs themselves. 

One rail operator approached Sensor-Technik to help improve the design of such a test rig to reduce the time taken to perform the all-important rail safety testing. This involved supplying a tension loadcell and a displacement sensor that could be interfaced with an existing handheld computer. 

Like any heavy maintenance equipment, the hydraulic test rig and all its components needed to be very robust. And while the sensors specified by Sensor-Technik were inherently robust, the design included a rugged housing to provide extra protection, stainless-steel conduit to protect all the cables and special protective boots for all the joints and connections. 

The electrical design – ie getting the sensors to communicate with the handheld computer – was relatively simple. The majority of the development effort went into ensuring that the test rig was robust enough to withstand harsh environmental conditions and capable of handling the inevitable abuse from operators.

The test rig has been a great success: the sensors work well and the failure rate is low. However, occasionally sensors have been left in the wrong place and have been crushed by trains, and sensor cables have been known to become caught in the hydraulics and pulled out. As Morten Moller, MD of Sensor-Technik UK, points out: “We can can go to great lengths to create ruggedised equipment that will survive day-to-day use with ease, but we can’t account for every possible misuse!”.

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Available now from Sensor-Technik UK, the ENIX 50 is a universal encoder that uses all of Micronor’s latest technologies to save space and cost and increase reliability in all manner of industrial rotary measurement applications on shafts from 6 to 15mm. 

With its 50mm-diameter housing and depth of just 37.5mm, the ENIX 50 is compatible with all standard 58mm size encoders, providing immediate space and cost savings. Its hollow shaft design features Micronor’s “Safety lock” bearing construction, which not only resists damage caused by inadvertent loading during installation but also increases the overall life of the encoder, further reducing the total cost of ownership by cutting out maintenance and replacement. 

The rugged encoder features a solid die-cast housing, sealed to IP65 or IP67, and has a wide operating temperature range from -40 to +85C. The level of shaft sealing does, however, have an impact on the maximum speed rating of the encoder: IP67 sealing reduces the maximum permissible speed from 12,000 to 6000rev/min. 

The ENIX 50 is amply protected against shock and vibration, and meets all CE marking requirements for electrical safety and electromagnetic compatibility. It is UL approved, and can be supplied as an explosion-proof assembly for use in Zones 2 and 22. 

The ENIX 50 series is available with a choice of standard resolutions from 1 to 3600 pulses per revolution, covering a wide range of applications. There are also many connection options, including cables and M12 connectors, and outputs can be specified as RS422 or push-pull. All outputs are protected against short circuits. 

Application flexibility is further enhanced by a wide operating voltage range. All encoders in the family operate from 5-30V DC supplies, removing the need to specify different models for each individual application.

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The Wachendorff OPUS A4 HMI available from Sensor-Technik UK is an ideal dashboard display for critical vehicle-mounted CANbus systems. Combining a high-brightness 16:9 format TFT display with the ability to superimpose live video inputs from vehicle-mounted cameras, the OPUS A4 ensures that the operator is always aware of the status of his or her onboard systems, and can monitor the outside environment at the same time.

Perfect for use in any off-highway application, including agricultural machinery and other commercial vehicles, the OPUS A4 HMI is designed with modern smooth lines that complement the décor of today’s vehicles, while featuring the rugged construction and reliability essential for the working environment.

Despite its compact size of just 250 x 140 x 74mm, the multi-talented HMI features a large 6.5-inch wide-screen display of 400 x 234 pixels and simple controls in the form of one hard-wired key with six softkeys for full control functionality. The display brightness is controlled from a single large-format potentiometer. Further feedback is provided by a single multicolour LED and a loud 80dB piezo alarm buzzer. All controls can easily be operated while wearing gloves – an important consideration in the off-highway machinery market.

At its heart, the A4 HMI features a powerful 16bit microcontroller with 1Mbyte of SDRAM, 8Mbyte of Flash memory for mass storage and 32Kbyte of serial EEPROM. The memory can be expanded via an optional SD card slot. Two CANbus interfaces are provided as standard, and an optional CCITT video input enables the overlay of video streams.

The unit runs from a wide 10 to 50V power supply, and so can be used with any commonly used automotive battery system. All standard connections are via a 12-pin Deutsch connector with protection against short circuits and reverse polarity. And although designed for the relative safety of the dashboard, the CE-marked HMI features a wide -25 to +65C operating temperature range and protection against shock (up to 30g) and vibration (5g up to 300Hz).

Systems integration is made easy with a choice of programming methodologies. The A4 can be programmed in C, or visually using Wachendorff’s own Projektor software package. Alternatively, Sensor-Technik can supply the attractive and versatile HMI ready programmed for the application or as part of a fully specified CANbus system.

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Available now from Sensor-Technik UK, the C2U-Mini is a compact unit that records data from CANbus systems for later analysis on a standard PC or notebook computer. Designed for easy integration with vehicle-mounted systems, the datalogger features both CANbus and USB interfaces to bridge the gap between the automotive and desktop worlds and enable CANbus systems analysis in a familiar desktop environment.

Housed in a rugged die-cast enclosure, the C2U-Mini is an all-solid-state device equipped with 128Mbyte of NAND Flash memory for data recording with a powerful 16bit microcontroller and 512Kbyte of RAM. There are two CAN 2.0B interfaces, each capable of communicating at up to 1Mbit/s with CANbus controllers such as Sensor-Technik’s own ESX family devices.

On the PC side, the logger has a full USB 2.0 interface, and comes with easy-to-use Windows-compatible software for downloading and analysis of the logged data. Alternatively, the C2U-Mini can be used “in reverse” for loading programs and data from a PC to a CANbus system. 

The unit is designed for easy installation and operation in automotive and off-road environments. A bespoke mounting bracket holds the logger securely in place, and all connections are by a single 8-pin M9 plug. Alternatively, Sensor-Technik can supply customised cable sets to suit individual applications. 

The logger operates from a wide 9-32V DC power supply, ensuring compatibility with all common automotive systems, and switches to 5V USB power when that interface is connected. All connections are short-circuit and reverse-polarity protected.

The C2U-Mini datalogger is available now from Sensor-Technik UK, both on its own and as an integral part of the company’s CANbus systems offering.

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The Richmond Industries 600 Series of folded shear-beam load cells offer compact and robust solutions to a wide range of industrial weighing applications. Their high-quality construction and high precision make these bidirectional devices ideal for use in vehicle and axle weigh platforms as well as in overhead crane weighing.

Available in standard ranges from 0-1 to 0-25kN, the 600 Series load cells are made from alloy and stainless steel, and the space-saving folded shear-beam design means that all devices share the same compact outline of 75 x 70 x 25mm. M12 threads are provided at the top and bottom for load connection, and all electrical signals are carried via an integral 2m-long screened cable. Longer cables can be supplied by special request, as can accessories such as load buttons, rod ends and eye rings to enable a full range of tension and compression measurement applications.

The 600 Series are highly accurate, with nonlinearity and hysteresis each quoted at better than 0.05% of full scale, and zero balance at 0.50% of full scale. They are also highly tolerant of rough treatment, accepting 150% overload with no loss of calibration and 200% overload without physical damage. All this is achieved over an operating temperature range of -20 to +70C, with full temperature compensation between +20 and +70C.

Engineers tasked with commissioning and checking of weighing equipment and systems based on the 600 Series will appreciate the provision of onboard calibration circuitry, which removes the need to carry physical weights to verify the accuracy of the load cells.

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Sensor-Technik UK is offering the latest in rotary measurement technology with the ENCAN 58 absolute encoder from Micronor. The highly reliable and versatile single-turn hollow-shaft 58mm encoder comes complete with a CANopen interface with the latest protocols embedded.

The ENCAN 58 is ruggedly constructed with a low internal component count to provide the highest levels of reliability. Its die cast housing is sealed up to IP67, and its OptoASIC design ensures that there are fewer points of weakness. These features combine to provide high levels of resistance to shock and vibration, contributing to long-term reliability in the field.

The encoder can be used reliably in high-speed applications. Versions are available for continuous duty up to 7000rev/min, and can tolerate maximum speeds up to 9000rev/min. All versions offer a generous -40 to +80C operating temperature range.

The ENCAN 58 supports the latest CANopen communication profile according to DS 301 V4.02, and device-specific profiles like the encoder profile DS 406 V3.1 are also included. The interface supports a choice of operating modes, including polled mode, cyclic mode, sync mode and a high resolution sync protocol. Scale factors, preset values, limit switch values and many other additional parameters can also be programmed via the CANbus, with all parameters saved in nonvolatile memory. Outputs can be chosen as position, speed or acceleration, as well as the status of the working area.

Electrically, the encoder runs from a wide 10-30V DC supply range, with a maximum current drain of just 60mA from a nominal 24V DC supply. A wide choice of connections is available, including a bus terminal cover with M12 connector or cable connection or fixed connection with M12, M23 or D-sub connector. Mechanically, the encoder can be mounted directly on large-diameter shafts up to 15mm.

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