Doug Anderson discusses a new breed of battery powered, IIoT sensors that are helping streamline the task of remote monitoring of stock.

Darren Pratt explains why adding IO-Link compatibility to an encoder is a vital breakthrough on the road to Industry 4.0.

Getting the balance right between an optimised process and product safety is a fine line that engineers have to walk every day. We spoke to Thomas Hedemark, industry sector manager at BAUMER A/S for advice on how sensors can help get this balancing act right.

Control Engineering Europe reports on the 2018 HERMES Award winning thermometer which is able to continuously calibrate itself in the ongoing process using IIoT technology. 

In response to feedback from industry customers SICK has recently upgraded its optical sensor technology to meet industry needs today and in the future.

Gems understand that standard products are not always the best solution. The company provides outsourced design and development services including custom components and feasibility studies. A Gems program manager structures each project to meet individual needs, timing and budget, making the company the ideal partner for your next development cycle.

Dr Darran Kreit discusses a technique for measuring torque with angle sensors which was first used in the 1950s. Although it offers many advantages, the technique had fallen out of fashion but is now making a comeback due to new developments in inductive angle sensors.

Control Engineering Europe reports on the use of level measurement devices which are able to monitor build up and automatically alert maintenance personnel when cleaning is required.

There are several things that need to be considered before purchasing or specifying a non-contact colour sensor, including accuracy, the type of surface or object being measured, environmental conditions and mechanical set up, says Stephen Smith.

The result of collaboration between Microsoft and Leuze electronic has been the creation of a sensor whose process data and metadata can be transferred directly to the Azure Cloud via OPC-UA without the need for an intermediate gateway.

To achieve the best accuracy and reliability, care is needed with installation of the probe, connections, and choice of the host instrumentation when using Pt100 sensors in industrial applications, says Labfacility.

Red laser triangulation displacement sensors have been around for some time, while blue laser versions are a newer addition. Before selecting which to use, it is important to understand which type performs best on which target materials, says Chris Jones.

Industry 4.0 will soon start to place greater demands on sensors, which have a increasingly important role to play. This is already starting to be seen in intralogistics applications.

Suzanne Gill reports on the development of an innovative design for pressure regulation devices which results in a longer life, lightweight solution with a small footprint.

Developments in dissolved oxygen sensing technology are opening up new possibilities for accurate measurement and energy and maintenance costs savings in aeration processes. Jonathan Penn explains how. 

Pressure sensor manufacturers are now widely employing ceramic materials because it can offer some real advantages for a range of measurements.

American Sensor Technologies discusses the difference between pressure sensors, pressure transducer and transmitters.

The successful evolution of Industry 4.0, from a concept into a practical reality, will be heavily contingent upon the quality of data that can be acquired and shared between the component parts of a digital production system. This will require a new generation of sensor technology that is not yet available to engineers. Rahman Jamal, technology and marketing director for Europe at National Instruments, looks at the building blocks that will define the impact of Industry 4.0 on manufacturing.

The latest overfill protection standard API/ANSI 2350 states that device verification of most overfill prevention sensors should be carried out semi-annually. Carl-Johan Roos, functional safety officer at Emerson Process Management, explains how this can be achieved without having to raise the level in the tank above its maximum working level.

At the recent European Emerson User Exchange, Peter Zornio, chief strategic officer at Emerson Process Management, highlighted some of the key drivers for the process industries today and identified a new role for sensing technologies in business critical applications.