Send Pulsed output to Online servers

[Derby]

We are trying to detect the pulsed output of the lathe machine at different current input stages. We bought the wireless frequency meter and trying to test the pulsed output at the longer range of around 700 meters instead wiring we are using these wireless meters with good battery backup. Till now we were working with a local mesh network but we need to connect these sensors with online analysis platforms. But not aware of these at all, So we need some advice and the easiest way to connect the sensors with the online platform.

Will be looking forward to your replies

 

[Pommie]

You need to explain what you are doing as I have no idea what you are talking about.

Mike.

 

[Daveychef]

Hi there Derby. I don't know a lot about lathes but your post Intrigued me. Looking at it I was already wondering if you could integrate this system with something cheap and adaptable like a raspberry pi.
This got me looking through the company blurb for the device and sure enough:


"With an open communication protocol this sensor can be integrated with just about any control system or gateway. Data can be transmitted to a PC, a Raspberry Pi, to Microsoft Azure® IoT, or Arduino. Sensor parameters and wireless transmission settings can be changed on the go using the open communication protocol providing maximum configurability depending on the intended application."


Now how you go about integrating these systems would be up to you but more details of why you would like to remotely monitor a lathe (woodworking ? Industrial machinery). Is it a harsh environment or just something running on its own in a remote location.

Anyways good luck. Get back to me if you need to bounce some ideas. I'm no Einstein but I enjoy all things tech.

 

[Derby]

Hi Pommie and Daveychef

Actually its about industrial machinery, we are making a project for my spare parts industry for predictive analysis system, through a wireless mesh network. The sensor which I have mentioned are much useful and battery efficient.

According to their tutorial to use this sensor with specially designed software much nicer but we are going to design a custom function for the old lathes (which company is using much long ago) through raspberry pi.

I need to test the speed of the motor as well the vibration caused by the motor used in the lathe and send the complete analysis to server office using the internet cloud(secondary) as well as the Local long-range connection(Primary)

To strength the signal for the long range we are using the gateway receiver which strength the signal, But I am bit confused about how can I measure the speed or a pulsed output to check the status of the motor.

By any means If could help me out to make both solution work or any theoretical concept which will be much use to make this solution work will be a great help.

 

[Pommie]

You want to measure the speed and vibration of a motor and continuously send it to a server? Why? Just schedule a 6 month check of the motor and order maintenance if required. OR, is there another reason that makes more sense?

Mike.

 

[rjenkinsgb]

The motor speed will not tell you anything useful in a predictive way.
Many machines also use variable speed drives so you don't know what it should be running at, at any particular instant.
Vibration readings are likely to be swamped by cutter vibration & vibration reading also change drastically with speed & load variations as different parts of the mechanics resonate.

Mechanical wear, lack of lubrication, swarf/dust contamination, damaged slideway covers & wipers etc. are all common problems with machine tools but need physical inspection to diagnose - that's the idea of a routine service agreement, eg. a six monthly inspection as Pommie notes.

For example, by the time a slideway demonstrates mechanical symptoms - it starts to seize up due to lack of lube or swarf ingress - you are at the point of a major stripdown to fix it.

Nothing beats the "Mk 1 Eyeball" and simple "feel" of how a machine responds for catching problem.


For data input to a central site, just use a web site with a database and have the sensor devices emulate a form entry, with the data o be added to the database.
The page / php script you post to can be hidden from the normal site pages.

That's how we manage that type of setup (though for somewhat different data).

[Working on machine tool control systems & rebuilds / retrofits for over 35 years].

 

[johnHighTime]

Derby, There are different IoT platforms like Azure, ThingSpeaks, UbiDots, and others you can use to analyze the data in the cloud. You can have a look at this blog where I have published the sensor data to the Azure platform.

 

[gophert]

You want to measure the speed and vibration of a motor and continuously send it to a server? Why? Just schedule a 6 month check of the motor and order maintenance if required. OR, is there another reason that makes more sense?

Mike.

At this point, you are missing the point.

The point is, the OP has found a value proposition to sell to his market of power equipment owners, one solution is to do nothing different (I.e. the procedure you suggest of a sneaker-net connected sensor checking everything every six months), then urgently repair anything that is near failure (if you have time because some other equipment isn't kind enough to give at least 6-months warning) vs the OPs option to collect data on a continual basis and project, quite accurately, when each piece of equipment will require maintenance so resources can be scheduled, production can be planned and inventory can be adjusted.

If there is anything that adds unexpected costs and gray hair, it is unscheduled maintenance or, worse, two unscheduled maintenance events at the same time (I have never had three because the whole plant is already down by then - no chance for something else to fail when it is not being used.

Seems like going overboard but most companies make a 3 to 6% margins and customers make decisions about vendors based on less than 1% price difference. Minimizing downtime costs is critical - as long as the solution is not more expensive than the problem. But a handful of raspberry pi boards makes me think the OP is on the right track.

 

[MichaelaJoy]

It's a hybrid project. You'd need a computer to receive the sensor data, pack it up and send it off to a server somewhere.

I don't want to start a discussion as to what Computer and OS are the best; That's to be determined by the skill set of the system designer.

Whatever computer you get, you'll need some kind of interface to it. Something that can take the sensor data and provide it to the computer.

If it were me, I'd first look for something "off-the-shelf". If it doesn't exist, I'd design a USB appliance (receiver / USB interface with PC / MAC / 'NIX drivers) which will interface with your wireless mesh network.

Then, you can poll the USB appliance and collect up the sensor data.

 

[gophert]

I would personally go with the Little ESP8266 boards that are so popular. Amazing what they can do Ian's, if you are only setting up a simple dataset to be regularly measured and transmitted, the single ADC, range of pins, timer and WiFi will knock this out in no time. The libraries and example code are getting better and better. Even programming with the Arduino IDE works fine now.

Mesh networks, server, client are all possible with the same chip. Even possible to jump between modes in software (no reset required) as need requires.

 

[MichaelaJoy]

gophert: Do you mean this?

https://www.espressif.com/en/products/hardware/esp8266ex/overview

That looks really cool.

 

[gophert]

gophert: Do you mean this?

https://www.espressif.com/en/products/hardware/esp8266ex/overview

That looks really cool.

Yup, I just made a setup to simulate an old-school RC remote control on a vintage toy display a collector asked me to build. The old RC remote and onboard radio were a pain (the servos would keep re-adjusting when the radio was turned off). The new display allows kids to play with the RC box and communication is by password protected LAN (not connected to Internet) and I can send requests and get status acknowledgment with a simple http protocol.