The Accumeasure capacitance probe system offers major improvement over conventional eddy current probes; network up to four probes per system to deliver rich geometrical in-situ measurements in a variety of industry standard formats.
Albany, NY—June 28, 2022—MTI Instruments, a US-based manufacturer of advanced test and measurement equipment, announces the introduction of 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 gap 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 to 2.0 mm from fixtures to the rotating machine surface. Measurements are optimized for machines with a surface velocity of 6,000 SFM. 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- Replaces Outdated Eddy Probes – Capacitance-based technology is insensitive to target material, provides self-contained absolute calibration, is non-contact, and can also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
- Wide Measurement Range – 0.1-2.0 mm
- Cost Effective – Designed for affordability and mass unit deployment
“The capacitance technique utilized by our Accumeasure Wireless Gap Measurement Probe System is far superior to eddy current gap measurement,” said Moshe Benjamin, MTI Instruments’ President and CEO. “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.”
