NDC launches Ethernet-enabled on-line gauges

A NDC Infrared Engineering product story

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Nov 25, 2008

NDC Infrared Engineering has announced the launch of the series 710e range of Ethernet-enabled on-line gauges for process measurements.

The 710e combines the light engine from the series 710 with new, high-speed digital processing technology and Ethernet and other digital communication protocol connectivity.

The company said this produces the high accuracy, robust real-time measurements essential for use in closed loop control, yet offers flexibility and simplicity of installation and operation.

The gauge is used in a variety of industries including foods processing, chemicals, detergents, paper making, converting and pharmaceuticals, and can be configured to measure critical parameters such as moisture, fat, protein, sugars, temperature, coatweight and coating thickness.

By providing accurate process measurements that can help avoid costly production downtime and utilising Ethernet communication hardware such as cables, repeaters and routers, the modular 710e system offers low installation costs, low cost of ownership and a fast return on investment.

Key components of the 710e gauging system are the gauge, operator workstation (OWS), and the human machine interface (HMI), offering flexibility of configuration for a variety of system structures.

The OWS enables local interaction with an individual gauge, while the HMI provides supervisory access to up to 16 series 710e gauges within the same network.

Both units feature high-definition multi-lingual colour touch screen displays.

A Hub featuring advanced switching technology, enables multi-gauge configurations and facilitates network connectivity.

Digital inputs and outputs and scaleable analogue outputs are available to provide additional connectivity anywhere in the network.

With Ethernet communication as standard and the option to extend to Ethernet IP, Profinet, Modbus TCP, Profibus DP or Devicenet, together with Automatic Device Discovery capability, the system can be integrated into existing factory networks and management information systems.

Complex power supply configurations are avoided since all 710e components run on 24VDC either from an on-site supply or power over Ethernet (POE).

At the heart of the series 710e gauge is NDC's near-infrared light engine.

Using high precision optical components, manufactured in-house by NDC's optics division, the pre-calibrated system is capable of using up to 16 different wavelengths.

Designed to give reliable, repeatable measurements of the highest accuracy, the robust optics ensure that the gauge rejects any interferences from external contributions from the process that could affect the measured values.

These include contributions from ambient light, relative humidity, particle size, colour variations and temperature, as well as variations in product height as it passes under the gauge.

The high-speed light sampling and digital signal processing incorporated into the gauge means low background noise giving high quality clean signals for process control.