The PT-RF series of pressure transmitters presented by Stauff at this year’s Hannover Messe is an in-house development that has a patent pending. This new product in the field of universal pressure measurements for fluid technology applications will provide benefits for system operators, maintenance personnel and repair technicians as well as for original equipment manufacturers.

The use of these transmitters in a hydraulic system allows for the wireless collection of pressure data without having to connect any measuring devices to the user’s equipment, thus eliminating the possibility of introducing contamination into the system and significantly speeding up the process.

The operating principle of the pressure transmitters is based on the RFID (radio frequency identification) technology. The energy required for a measurement is transferred to the pressure transmitter via the antenna of the associated reading and display device so that the transmitter requires no internal or external power supply in the traditional sense (for example, in the form of a battery) and no external wiring.

Besides the actual system pressure, other relevant information is also transmitted as a standard, including media temperature, date and time of the measurement and the unique serial number of the pressure transmitter. The software included with the unit allows subsequent evaluation and further processing of the measurement results previously transmitted to the PC or notebook via the USB interface.

The pressure transmitters are available in five different versions and cover the usual measuring ranges for hydraulics between 0 … 16 bar and 0 … 600 bar (relative), depending on requirements, with a precision of max ±0.5 per cent full scale. Temperature values can be displayed from -40 °C … +85 °C.

The pressure transmitters are available with 1/4” BSPP (with FPM profile sealing rings) or 1/4” NPT screw-in threads. Corresponding connection pieces are available for the temporary or permanent use of existing test couplings.

ADVANTAGES

The advantages resulting from the use of the new technology for system operators, maintenance personnel and repair technicians are clear: Measurements can be carried very easily, without extensive training and within a few seconds at the press of a button and then documented in a reliable process. Unscrewing and re-installing pressure gauges or other measuring and display devices – practically a temporary opening of the system – is not required. Potential hazards for people, machines and the environment, for example from emitted residual oil in the test hose or leaks at the measuring point, as well as ingress of dirt into the system (for example, in dusty environments) can be effectively excluded.

For original equipment, mechanical engineering companies and line builders will also benefit from this new product: If the pressure transmitters are installed at the factory, the innovative technology can provide a competitive edge over alternative suppliers and open up specific advantages for the users, increasing the value retention of their own devices in the long term.

RISE OF STAUFF

Walter Stauffenberg GmbH & Co KG was founded in the 1950s in Werdohl, in the German province of North Rhine-Westphalia, and was initially a contract turning shop. Today the company operates under the trade name Stauff, developing, producing and marketing fluid technology components for use in plant construction and mechanical engineering. In the fields of tube, pipe and hose clamps, measuring technology and hydraulic filtration, Stauff is one of the world’s leading organisations in a growing industrial segment.