Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons have become a valuable technology for adding location tracking capabilities to your hazardous areas. With the right planning and configuration, BLE beacons can provide accurate indoor and outdoor location. This allows organisations to cost-effectively add location tracking of personnel and assets whilst reducing the total cost of ownership.  This article provides practical guidance on deploying BLE beacons to achieve optimal tracking performance. It covers indoor and outdoor setup considerations, best practices for beacon placement, and configuration tips for maximizing location accuracy.  What is the difference between a beacon and anchor?  For trilateration purposes it is recommended to use beacons. A beacon is simply a term used to describe a fixed beacon that is contributing to a tag’s position. An anchor is typically the term used when discussing Wirepas Mesh networks.   […]

Ensuring product quality within manufacturing is crucial to business success. Quality is the bedrock of any company, whether considering people, products, processes – quality sits at the heart of excellence. This article discusses two indispensable tools which operate in tandem to not just guarantee quality but also efficiency: PFMEA – Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis – and DFMA – Design for Manufacture and Assembly. The terms may sound technical, but their value within manufacturing is integral for a successful business. In essence, there are ample lean tools to assist any manufacturing businesses to succeed. From 5S to Six Sigma, there is a broad toolkit for companies to choose from to enhance their operations. Focusing on quality between production and design, PFMEA and DFMA form excellent foundations to start with. PFMEA guards against process pitfalls, while […]

Solar insolation is not insulation! Sometimes these two terms can get confused.  Solar insolation is the incident solar radiation onto an object.  Specifically, it is a measure of the solar energy incident on an area over a period of time.  Typically expressed as either:  Kilowatt-hours per square metre (kWh/m2); or  Watts per square metre (W/m2)  The energy from solar radiation can either be absorbed or reflected by an object. When the radiation is absorbed, it is converted into thermal energy and the object will heat up. If you have ever sat on a hot metal park bench in summer and burnt the back of your knees, then you have experienced firsthand the effects of radiation absorption. The metal structure of the bench has absorbed the solar radiation, which has heated the material making it hot […]

Background John Crane, a global leader in rotating equipment solutions, supplying engineered technologies and services to process industries, have launched the John Crane Sense® Turbo, a first-tomarket dry gas seal digital diagnostics solution to monitor conditions at the heart of the compressor. The Turbo solution consists of sensors embedded into a dry gas seal that monitor process conditions and seal health. By using John Crane Sense® apps, users can monitor the seal from anywhere and receive alerts about process upsets or other operational irregularities. This allows you to respond immediately before manageable issues become more significant failures that require downtime. It also ensures you’re getting the most out of your equipment. Traditional forms of seal monitoring provide some information, but they don’t give a complete picture or sufficient indication of a seal’s health. Understanding health […]

There are many misconceptions when it comes to hazardous area wireless installations. As experts in this field, we notice the same questions recurring time-and-again. Notably: As an end user, can I buy and install non-certified wireless equipment inside a pre-certified hazardous area enclosure myself? This Q&A is based on a discussion we had on our recent podcast, which focused on this misunderstanding and what you can and cannot do under global Ex directives and health and safety legislation. What is a pre-certified wireless enclosure? Before resolving the misconception, it makes sense to set the groundwork of what a pre-certified wireless enclosure is. There is a lot of wireless technology out there, and customers want the latest generation. They also want to deploy this technology in potentially explosive atmospheres. However, there is a lag between the […]

Digitalisation of the process industries is gathering pace. The deployment of wireless technology is both a key driver and enabler of this rapid rate of change. Radiofrequency identification (RFID) systems operating at ultra-high frequencies (UHF) are one such solution finding increased uptake in the sector. More specifically, users are increasingly looking to deploy Gen 2 UHF RFID readers and tags for location tracking and asset identification across plants. However, RFID technology comes with its own challenges.  Using wireless electrical equipment near dangerous substances and explosive atmospheres naturally must be done within a regulatory framework. Standard UHF RFID systems are unlikely to be compliant with the hazardous area certification requirements. Yet a suitable solution is to use pre-certified hazardous area wireless enclosure systems. Provided the wireless device fits into the enclosure and meets some basic limitations […]