Data loggers

Data loggers are independent electronic devices, with microprocessor and internal memory, which measure and record data (in normalised signals) of one or several variables, depending on the number of entrance channels enabled on each device. In the case of multiple channel devices, it is possible to storage, using its sensors, dissimilar registers, of for example temperature, humidity, pressure, current air speed and voltage, and in the same time, register calculated values, as the temperature of the dew point or the temperature difference between two sensors, among others, as well as the alarms corresponding to the measured values. Data loggers can operate punctually for a specific task or conversely can carry out measurements for long periods of time, therefore they have a real time clock, which functions with more or less exactness (depending on the field of use and the task it is going to do), that allows to determine the time and date corresponding to each register.

Data loggers, generally, are small battery powered devices of very easy maneuverability. Some of them are portable and others fixed installed. Many of them have a LCD display, which allows users to see the recorded data, whereas others are communicated with computers or other equipment where the registers are analysed. The latter are activated using specific software and are left operating unattended during long periods of time to monitor several parameters.  

Data loggers are being increasingly more used in industry, transport, meteorology and agriculture, etc. They can be installed in machines, specifically in hard access areas, to measure the temperature of them or the air speed, during a specific industrial process and that way anticipate overheating or failures in their performance. Also they are used to check that the adequate temperature is kept during the transport process of food or medicines very sensitive to this parameter. Another use of data loggers is in the vibration control, either in transport of very delicate and fragile objects or utensils or to verify the vibration levels of machines in the industry or workshops.  

In weather stations, the use of data loggers is very common; their sensors capture normalized values of temperature, humidity, precipitation rate, wind direction and speed, solar radiation, among others, and they inform about the weather conditions in few seconds. On the other hand, to check packaged food, sealed in a protective atmosphere, the gas analysers quickly verify CO₂ and O₂ levels adequate in each case, warning us of possible losses or product deterioration, due to a poor conservation.  

There are multiple applications of the data loggers and is increasing the design of more versatile devices, with greater intern memory capacity and possibility of wireless communication, etc. To control the internal climate in industrial installations and the production in greenhouses, laboratories, museums or to supervise food temperature, wireless data loggers transfer to a computer with high accuracy thousands of sets of data for inspection and analysis.

For more information about data loggers, contact PCE Instruments UK.