Smart sensors used for industrial

In industrial automation, sensors play a vital role in making production intelligent and automated. These
allow people to monitor, analyze, and process various changes that occur on the industrial
manufacturing site, such as changes in temperature, motion, pressure, altitude, external, and security.

Almost every process or environmental condition has a suitable sensor type. The smart sensor integrates
signal conditioning, MEMS technology, and firmware, so as to meet the easy-to-use and low-cost
perception needs of industrial design engineers, and greatly reduce the development burden of design
engineers.

Types of industrial sensors

The following are the various types of industrial sensors commonly used in automation:

 Temperature Sensors

 Pressure sensors

 Level sensors

 Infrared sensors

 Proximity sensors

 Smoke sensors

 Optical Sensors

 MEMS Sensors

Temperature sensors

In industrial production, temperature is the most frequently measured physical parameter, and various
sensors can be used for measurement. A temperature sensor is a device that collects information about
temperature from the environment and converts it into specific values. Among them, digital
temperature sensors and temperature and humidity sensors are most commonly used in industrial
automation.
The digital temperature sensor sampling card has a ten-digit dual-channel successive approximation A/D
converter and a standard RS-232 or 485 communication interface. The product adopts a filtering
method that combines recursive average digital software filtering and hardware circuit filtering to
minimize external interference to sampling, with high full-scale accuracy, strong stability, good
consistency, and fast response.

The temperature and humidity sensor is an integration of a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor.
The temperature and humidity probes are used as temperature measurement components to collect
temperature and humidity signals, and after circuit processing, they are converted into current signals or
voltage signals that are linearly related to temperature and humidity. It can also be directly passed
through the main control chip. Perform interface output such as 485 or 232.

Application of temperature sensors: Temperature sensors are widely used in various industries, such as
medical industry, industry, food industry, hydropower station, petrochemical industry, metallurgy
industry, printing, and dyeing pharmaceutical industry and other industries have applications.

Pressure sensors
The pressure sensor is a device that can sense the pressure signal and convert the pressure signal into a
usable output electrical signal according to a certain rule. The pressure sensor is usually composed of a
pressure sensitive element and a signal processing unit.

Pressure sensors are used to monitor pipelines and send leaks or abnormal alarms to the central
computing system to remind supervisors that maintenance and repairs are needed.

Application of pressure sensors: Pressure sensor is the most commonly used sensor in industrial
practice. It is widely used in various industrial automation environments, including water conservancy
and hydropower, railway transportation, intelligent buildings, production automation, aerospace,
military, petrochemical, oil wells, Power, shipbuilding, machine tools, pipelines and many other
industries. Another medical pressure sensor.

Level sensors

Level sensors are a device used to monitor, maintain and measure the level of liquids (sometimes
solids). Once the liquid level is detected, the sensor converts the sensed data into electrical signals. The
liquid level sensor is a device used to determine the liquid level flowing in an open system or a closed
system.

Liquid level measurement can be divided into continuous measurement and point level measurement.
The continuous liquid level sensor is used to accurately measure the liquid level, but the measurement
result is correct. The point level sensor is used to determine whether the liquid level is high or low.

Application of level sensors: The level sensor is mainly used in the manufacturing and automobile
industry, but it can also be found in many household appliances, such as ice makers in the refrigerator,
washing machines, and it is necessary to prevent the liquid level from being too high to overflow too
much. The water heater needs to automatically replenish water when the liquid level of the internal
water tank is too low, and the toilet needs to keep water in the water tank for leakage identification or
liquid level identification.
Infrared sensors

An infrared sensor is a device that uses infrared to process data. Infrared is also called infrared light. It
has properties such as reflection, refraction, scattering, interference, and absorption. Any substance, as
long as it has a certain temperature (above absolute zero), can radiate infrared rays.

The infrared sensor is not in direct contact with the measured object during measurement, so there is
no friction, and it has the advantages of high sensitivity and fast response. The infrared sensor can
control the operation of the drive device. Infrared sensors are often used for non-contact temperature
measurement, gas composition analysis, and non-destructive testing.

Application of infrared sensors: Infrared sensors are widely used in the fields of medicine, military,
space technology, and environmental engineering. Infrared sensors integrated with industrial IoT
solutions are also used in other industries.

Proximity sensors

The proximity sensor is a device with the ability to perceive the proximity of an object. It uses the
sensitive character of the displacement sensor to recognize the proximity of the object and outputs the
corresponding switch signal. The proximity sensor can perform non-contact sensing detection, so it will
not wear and damage the detection object, and there is no spark or noise. Since it is a non-contact
output mode, it has a long service life and hardly has any influence on the service life of the contact. The
proximity sensor is different from other detection methods in that it is suitable used in a water and oil
environment, and it is hardly affected by the stains and water and oil of the detection object.
Among them, the proximity sensor itself can only detect metal objects at close range and without
contact. The biggest feature of the variable-range elastic rod device is that it can overload the sensing
range of the contact. Spring-loaded pistons, probes, and buttons are generally used to contact the
product and then detect whether the product is in place, have accurate positioning, and verify the
product being tested.

Applications of proximity sensors: Proximity sensors are mainly used to detect the displacement of
objects, and are widely used in aviation, aerospace technology, and industrial production. In daily life,
such as hotels, restaurants, garages, automatic doors, automatic hot air blowers have applications. In
terms of security and anti-theft, such important places as data files, accounting, finance, museums, and
vaults are usually equipped with anti-theft devices composed of various proximity switches.

Smoke sensors

The smoke sensor can detect a large amount of smoke generated during a fire and send out an alarm
signal in time. The detector adopts MCU control, which can intelligently judge the smoke generated
during the fire and alarm. The smoke sensor is an indispensable sensor in a flammable and explosive
industrial production environment. When smoke sensors are integrated with industrial IoT solutions,
even the slightest gas leak or minor fire can be reported to the relevant team, thereby avoiding major
disasters.

Application of smoke sensors: Widely used in HVAC, construction site monitoring, and industrial units
with the high possibility of fire and gas leakage.
Optical sensors

The optical sensor is based on the optical principle for measurement. It has many advantages, such as
non-contact and non-destructive measurement, almost no interference, high-speed transmission, and
remote control. It mainly includes optical sensors and instruments such as general optical measuring
instruments, laser interferometers, gratings, encoders, and fiber optics. In the design, it is mainly used to
detect whether the target object appears, or to perform various industrial automation motion
detection.

Application of optical sensors: Widely used in industrial automation places such as telecommunications,
elevators, construction, healthcare, and security systems.

MEMS sensors

MEMS sensor is a new type of sensor manufactured using microelectronics and micromachining
technology. Compared with traditional sensors, it has a small size, low power consumption, high
reliability, and is suitable for mass production. The MEMS motion sensor is integrated with the ZigBee
wireless technology to perform anthropomorphic interactions while working with the machine. The
feature size on the order of micrometers allows it to perform functions that cannot be achieved by some
traditional mechanical sensors.

Application of MEMS sensors: As a key device for obtaining information, MEMS sensors have played a
huge role in the miniaturization of various sensing devices. They have been used in space satellites,
launch vehicles, aerospace equipment, aircraft, various vehicles, and special It has been widely used in
the fields of medicine and consumer electronics.

Conclusion:

As the entrance to the information collection, sensors are the “heart” of the Internet of Things, smart
industries, and smart devices. The realization and development of the Industrial Internet are inseparable
from the wide application of sensors and technological innovation. However, on the other hand, the
Industrial Internet has also brought a huge market for the development of sensors. Industrial Internet
and sensor development can be described as complementary.
An actuator is a device that converts any source of energy into physical motion movement. It receives an
energy source and then, it converts that into a motion that moves the object on which the actuator is
mounted.

In industrial automation applications, take a simple example of a valve. The actuator is a mechanical or
electro-mechanical device, which when connected with the valve; moves the valve through the
mechanical force applied by the actuator.

Types of Actuators

BASED ON THE SOURCE OF ENERGY.

Hydraulic Actuators

The hydraulic actuator uses a hydraulic fluid (for example, oil) to energize the actuator and cause
motion. They have a hollow cylindrical tubing or fluid motor, which generates pressure to cause motion.

A piston is suspended at the center of the actuator. When the fluid enters the bottom of the cylinder, a
large pressure is formed by the fluid, which forces the piston to move and slide.

This piston then moves the device with which the actuator is connected. The piston moves in the
direction opposite to the spring connected at the other side (upper part of the cylinder) and the applied
pressure moves the device.

Pneumatic Actuators

The pneumatic actuator uses compressed air as a source of energy for moving the device.

Similar to hydraulic actuators, compressed air enters the cylinder beneath which exerts pressure on the
piston and moves it.

Pneumatic actuators are very precise and accurate of all types of actuators.

Electrical Actuators

The electrical actuator converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. Typically, a motor is used as a
power for electrical energy into mechanical torque.

Similar to pneumatic actuators, electrical actuators are accurate and precise. They are widely used in all
types of industrial machines.

Thermal Actuators

The thermal actuators are relatively simpler types of actuators. It uses thermal energy as a source of
energy for movement.

When the temperature rises, the temperature-sensitive material begins to expand; exerting pressure on
the piston.

When the temperature drops, the material begins to compress and starts pulling the piston back to its
normal position.
Let us now classify the actuators on the basis of the motion.

Linear Actuators         

As the name suggests, the linear actuators produce linear motion (straight line motion). They are used in
applications where lifting, tilting, pushing, and pulling are needed.

Most industrial systems have equipment that moves in a straight line to perform a task. Such devices
require linear actuators for their working.

Linear actuators can be electrical, pneumatic, or hydraulic.

Rotary Actuators

Rotary actuators provide circular movement as compared to linear actuators.

Most of the rotating devices and equipment in industrial machinery use rotary actuators for their
motion.

Similar to linear actuators, rotary ones too can be electrical, hydraulic, or pneumatic.

How to Select an Actuator?

Actuators are chosen depending on the power source available, motion required, accuracy required and
the safety and environmental concerns taken into account.

If you are wondering the safety concern, it must be noted that electrical and thermal types are highly
sensitive ones and require proper operation by a trained person.

Any untoward incident can happen if he comes too close to the actuator and touches some
inappropriate parts in a hazardous manner.

In this way, we have seen some general types of actuators used.