How smart sensors help some of the biggest names in manufacturing cut their energy usage
April 5, 2022
How self-powered current sensors measure consumption in real-time: Manufacturing companies save up to 10 percent energy through precise monitoring.
Reducing energy consumption plays a central role in meeting climate protection goals for most companies. This is particularly true for manufacturing companies looking to transition towards smarter and more interconnected factories. However, a crucial prerequisite for this is knowing exactly how much energy is being consumed where – information that many companies still lack today. Smart current sensors continuously provide data on power consumption and help identify energy wastage and potential savings.
The intelligent energy management consultants at Sensorfact enable industrial companies to get a precise picture of their energy consumption. Sensorfact’s clients include companies like Heineken and Henkel. For the development of their software solution, Sensorfact needed a sensor that could be installed quickly and easily without requiring customers to stop their production. They found Pressac, a manufacturer offering smart sensors with EnOcean technology.
Real-time information on energy consumption
Using Pressac’s wireless clamp current sensors, Sensorfact was able to develop a solution for measuring the energy consumption of each individual machine. The wireless sensors with extremely low power consumption are ideally suited for installation on machines even in hard-to-reach areas. They are simply clamped to a power supply line on a machine or in a distribution box. The precise real-time data they collect is seamlessly fed into Sensorfact’s software, enabling customers to measure, control, and reduce their energy consumption. Since the sensors use EnOcean’s energy harvesting technology, they are extremely low-maintenance and require neither power nor batteries.
The sensors measure each machine’s power consumption every 30 seconds. The generated data is transmitted to Sensorfact’s software, which provides precise real-time information on the energy consumption of machines and components. This keeps industrial companies constantly informed about the status of each machine and gives them more control over their production processes.
Continuous energy monitoring also shows companies ways to reduce their power consumption, for example when machines continue running after operation ends or when older machines deliver insufficient performance. Irregularities in machines’ energy patterns are also an important indicator of required maintenance or repairs – an early warning that can prevent operational disruptions and unplanned downtime. Using this information, Sensorfact’s customers save an average of 10 percent on energy. The Pressac portfolio has EnOcean certification level 3.0 and recently expanded its range to include wireless sensors for air quality, light, sound, and room conditions such as humidity and temperature.
Sensors as the backbone of future factories
The factory of the future is intelligent, networked, and energy-efficient – and sensors play a crucial role here. Thanks to EnOcean technology, Pressac’s products are particularly interesting for companies looking for an easily installable and low-maintenance solution, and are excellently suited for use in 24/7 production environments.
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