Project requirements: The fill level is to be monitored automatically on mobile flow racks in production.
In production logistics, material replenishment in many companies is still based on established, predominantly manual processes. Status information along the material flow - such as the occupancy of storage locations, the availability of containers or the fill level of replenishment material - is often recorded and passed on by visual inspection, routing slips or manual input. For example, an automated guided vehicle system (AGV) requires information on whether a targeted storage location is occupied or free in order to store or retrieve material correctly. The presence or absence of a container in the warehouse or in the staging rack is also relevant information for a smooth process. With increasing automation and more flexible logistics concepts, the importance of reliable and promptly available status data is growing. In existing plant structures with heterogeneous technical requirements, however, consistent recording of this information is often not implemented, which limits transparency and process reliability in the material flow.
IoT partner solution : Self-sufficient and modular
However, the WILSEN IoT wireless sensor node adds a new element to the economic calculation. The device does not require any cables and can also be installed as a retrofit; it works autonomously and offers a long maintenance-free operating time. For data communication, it uses standardized procedures that can be easily integrated into established processes.
WILSEN is a modular platform that can be used for many different measuring tasks. It is based on a central unit with a powerful lithium battery that supplies both the connected sensor and the completely autonomous data communication with power. The device uses the manufacturer-independent Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) to establish a wireless connection to the control room or an assigned IoT platform.
The central processing unit has a robust outdoor housing with protection class IP66/67 and offers a temperature range of -25 to +70 °C. This makes it suitable for both harsh industrial environments and outdoor use. It is also equipped with an integrated GPS receiver, which enables the device to be precisely localized even in remote locations. This function is particularly important when used on mobile units such as circulation containers or building material silos. Up to two sensors of different types can be connected to the central unit.
Numerous application options
The sensors can be used for distance measurement, level monitoring and other detection tasks. In the WILSEN.sonic product variant, an ultrasonic sensor is already integrated into the central unit. It is optionally available with measuring distances of 2.5 m, 4 m and 7 m and can, among other things, monitor the presence of an object (parking space free/occupied) or detect a fill level with millimeter precision. This makes the device suitable, for example, for level monitoring in circulation containers, insulated tanks and silos as well as collection containers for smart city applications. Its fill level data provides the necessary information to optimize replenishment logistics or ensure an uninterrupted production process.
The WILSEN.node version is optimized as a universal solution for object detection. The device allows the connection of two sensors, which can be selected from several hundred products in the comprehensive Pepperl+Fuchs portfolio. As both channels of the central unit work independently of each other, different sensor types can be combined with each other. For example, a capacitive device can be used to detect non-metallic materials such as plastic containers or cardboard boxes on a supply trolley, while an inductive sensor can be used to monitor the presence of metal objects of any size. In the environmental technology/municipal operations sector, the device is also combined with float and vibrating level switches for level measurement. Pepperl+Fuchs offers a wide range of suitable energy-optimized sensors for all types of application for WILSEN.node.
Another product variant has been specially developed for the valve reset signal of manual valves. WILSEN.valve offers M12 connections for two inductive dual sensors (NAMUR or 2-wire low-power DC sensors), which detect the position of two 90° manual valves. Thanks to the standardized connections, initial installation and sensor replacement can be carried out very quickly.
Optimized communication with LoRaWAN
Where WILSEN devices are in use, the status data is typically detected and transmitted at defined intervals - as frequently as necessary, as infrequently as possible. With the WILSEN versions .valve and .node, an additional monitoring interval can be activated to check the statuses more frequently and report any changes immediately after detection. The fixed intervals are selected to suit the application in order to maximize battery life. It can last up to 10 years, also because LoRaWAN enables extremely energy-efficient data transmission.
LoRaWAN can bridge distances of up to several kilometers. In addition to the measurement data, diagnostic data and error states such as line breakage or short circuits are also sent to the higher-level system. WILSEN devices can be integrated into any LoRaWAN network. There are no running costs or license fees when using this wireless standard.
The networks are usually operated with long-range gateways in a star topology. The data from the WILSEN sensors is sent to these gateways, then translated into an Ethernet-compatible protocol and forwarded in converted form to the LoRa network server. There it is decrypted and transmitted to an application server for initial processing. The data is then sent to the designated IoT platform for evaluation. In the opposite direction, parameter settings in the WILSEN devices can be queried or changed via remote access using a downlink channel. Pepperl+Fuchs provides a free web service for this purpose. On-site commissioning and parameterization is supported by the intuitive WILSEN app, which is also available free of charge.
Effects and benefits of automated fill level monitoring
- Battery-powered IoT wireless sensors in industrial quality for distance measurement, fill level monitoring and solving various detection tasks
- Broad sensor portfolio with several hundred sensors
- Power-saving LoRaWAN® wireless standard, license-free and without running costs
- Practically maintenance-free thanks to high energy efficiency and long battery life
- Complete wireless sensor solution from a single source, installed quickly and reliably
Dennis Baden, Account Manager
With the modular WILSEN IoT wireless sensor platform from Pepperl+Fuchs, the fill levels and document statuses of mobile flow racks can be fully automated and made transparent. The self-sufficient, battery-operated sensors can be integrated into existing systems as a retrofit without cabling and reliably deliver status data via LoRaWAN® - at the exact intervals required for processes.
Thanks to modular variants such as WILSEN.sonic, WILSEN.node and WILSEN.valve, we cover level, object and valve monitoring with just one platform. This ensures maximum flexibility, a battery life of up to 10 years and noticeably higher process reliability in the material flow - with minimal maintenance and no ongoing license costs.
