Fast connection to the company intranet - Sartorius presents new products for connecting weighing components over Ethernet

Connecting components in Ethernet networks is a seminal topic in the process industry, bringing the vision of a universal data transfer method within a company one step closer to reality. This futuristic theme is already being addressed by Sartorius today through the implementation of process container scales, with the presentation two new products: the X3 process indicator and the PR5220 process transmitter.

A special highlight of both instruments is their convenient, state-of-the-art connectivity for Ethernet networks. The standard Ethernet TCP/IP interface enables trouble-free integration in existing computer networks. Basic transmission of weight values, process status messages or other information over a network is fast and easy. For identification of scales within the networks, the X3 and PR5220 are assigned names and IP addresses. There are three methods for assigning IP addresses: entering a known address, using an address defined by the instrument itself – referred to as "auto IP," or having a DHCP server assign an address. For detection of unknown IP addresses, a PC tool is available that searches for all Sartorius products in the network and lists them with their IP addresses and names. This way, the product can be assigned to any scale and is easy for operators to identify.

Configuration of these new instruments is remarkably uncomplicated. When the product's IP address is entered in a browser, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer, the product's own home page opens for convenient configuration of all settings. With the standard OPC server interface, all information on the scales is continuously available and can be used, for example, for visualizations. Furthermore, it is easy to integrate the instruments into Microsoft Office applications such as Excel.

New features made possible by the Ethernet TCP/IP implementation include also the possibility for wireless LAN (WLAN) and Remote Service. Wireless LAN can be used with any standard WLAN module. Remote Service from the company's intranet is easy to implement over a virtual private network (VPN) connection to the remote customer network. As soon as the connection has been established,
the settings can be configured from the remote device.

Another special feature of these products is SmartCalibration, familiar to many from other Sartorius products. Special circuitry and high-precision components in the input amplifier, together with the factory calibration of the instrument, enable complete preadjustment of the measurement chain with very high accuracy. Prerequisite for this level of accuracy, however, is the use of correspondingly accurate and precisely adjusted sensors, such as load cells made by Sartorius. Furthermore, devices can be replaced quickly and easily thanks to the option for loading device parameters battery-backed memory in the new device beforehand; thus the equipment replacement is simply a matter of unplugging the old and plugging in the new device. In many cases, this precludes the necessity of complex calibration/adjustment with weights, which in turn dramatically increases system availability.

Both products are equipped with high-quality A/D converters for connecting strain-gauge load cells with an internal resolution of more than 4 million intervals and a verifiability of up to 10,000e in accordance with OIML R76. In addition, Sartorius provides broad-based support for a variety of different communication systems for these instruments.