Smartphone apps are a convenience most of us use extensively in our personal and professional lives. In fact, many people would no longer consider smartphones a convenience, but a necessity. Whether you’re among the former or the latter, Parker Hannifin’s Quick Coupling Div., Minneapolis, now offers wireless sensors that can communicate with iOS (iPhone, iPad, and iPad Touch) devices.
Each SensoNODE low-energy wireless sensor measures pressure, temperature, or humidity, and are the first in a family of products the company launched in 2014. A company spokesman mentioned that the division expects to release a higher-pressure SensoNODE sensor designed for hydraulic systems later this year. The sensors are intended to help plant personnel conduct predictive maintenance for preventing or reducing downtime and repair costs.
Small in size and easy to install into standard pipe thread (NPT) ports or by using a quick-acting coupling, the sensors offer a sealed housing to simplify placement in environments where a wired sensor is impractical or impossible. They operate on a common coin-cell battery for several months at a time.
Intended applications include medical devices, hydraulic and pneumatic equipment, laboratory and analytical equipment, food and beverage systems, and industrial manufacturing processes.
CliThe mobile app itself, SensoNODE, is available as a free download from the Apple App Store. With a maximum range of up to 150 feet from the sensors, the easy-to-use mobile app uses auto recognition to establish connections between an iOS device and one or more sensors. Live data can be displayed, and the app’s available diagnostic tools let users create and display trending graphs or user-defined alert notifications. As many as five discrete sensor inputs can be monitored at a glance on the mobile device.
Mario Calvo, business unit manager at Parker’s Quick Coupling Div., offered, “Through Parker’s investment in R&D, we discovered new methods of creating very low power sensing elements. They enable cost-effective wireless sensing solutions that are unique in the marketplace today. Moreover, they allow users to gather data at points in their devices, equipment, and facilities that were previously cost prohibitive, labor intensive, or not feasible given the existing sensor technology base.”
For more information on the SensoNODE app and sensors, click here or contact the Parker Quick Coupling Division at (763) 544-7781.
