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Turck Expands Latest Line of Real-time Sensors to Measure Critical Industrial Processes

August 27, 2021 by Robin Mitchell

How are temperature sensors essential for industrial control processes?

Who is Turck?

Turk is an industrial automation specialist company that focuses on sensors, connectivity, interfaces, and RFID. Since the company was founded in 1965, they have grown to over 4,650 employees, with more than 30 subsidiaries located in over 60 countries globally.

Turck designs, develops, and manufactures its products in Germany, Mexico, the U.S., and China. 

 

The TS+ Range of Temperature Sensors

Recently, Turck announced its latest range of programmable temperature switching points, the TS+. The TS+ range comes in a variety of options depending on the temperature accuracy and range required. Each product is split into multiple parts, including a probe, a reading unit, and an external connector.

 

The T+ temperature sensor. Image used courtesy of Turck

 

The reading unit integrates multiple touch sensor buttons with a large 7-segment display and various LED indicators. The display on the reading unit is titled by 45° to provide a better viewing angle while using a translucent front cap to protect against scratches and temperature variations. The controls include mode settings, connection status, temperature reading units, and the reading unit with a minimum IP rating of IP67.

Connectivity for the TS+ range includes digital switching outputs (both NPN and PNP), analog, and IO-Link. These outputs are automatically adjusted depending on the detected external circuit. One example is the ability for the TS+ range to determine if it should operate in NPN or PNP mode (the NPN/PNP input circuit determines this).

The temperature probe can directly connect to the reading unit or through a cable. Although temperature probes have different characteristics, the TS+ range can automatically detect the type of probe attached and configure itself for proper use. 

Resistance temperature probes are available with measurement ranges of -50°C to +500°C. Thermocouple probes have a measurement range of -200°C to +1100°C. The temperature reading unit is available with temperature ranges of -50°C to +150°C. 

 

Critical Sensors in Control Processes

Many control processes are highly dependent on temperature, with a few examples including food processing, sterilization, chemical reactions, and metallurgy. In many of these examples, the temperature of the process cannot fall outside of a very specific range. 

 

The Turck T+ temperature sensor being used on a hydraulic power unit. Image used courtesy of Turck

 

In the case of semiconductor wafer production, molten silicon must be within 1°C of 1000°C. As such, any temperature-dependent process should have some means of feedback so that temperature variations can be counteracted with either heating or cooling. 

This can be achieved manually using a control station, a human operator, and a large temperature dial. However, this can be an expensive solution that may not provide accurate results.

Instead, digital systems are far more suitable for these applications, as they can respond to changes in temperature and follow all kinds of temperature cycles. For example, a digital hot-air reflow system can provide changes in temperature that are ideal for soldering parts to a PCB (warm, quick heat, low heat, and cooling). 

 

The Turck T+ temperature sensor being used on a drum washer in an automated facility. Image used courtesy of Turck

 

Now that many industrial processes are moving towards complete digitization and cloud systems, having temperature sensors that can be accessed over industrial networks has never been more important. 

Turk’s latest TS+ range of temperature sensors aims to provide automation and future-proofing in the control process. These sensors can be remotely accessed, interfaced with, and be checked for reliability, all from a single control station located anywhere in the world.