Endress+Hauser’s next generation Liquiphant FTL51B point level detector ready for Industry 4.0
January 15, 2020
Endress+Hauser’s Liquiphant family has been literally first and foremost in vibronic point level detection, installed more than six million times worldwide since the 1980s when it made its debut as an entirely new measuring technology. Today, it’s the go-to technology for most liquid measurement in storage tanks and pipelines. Now, the next generation of the Liquiphant FTL51B is available in a full range of variants designed to meet Industry 4.0 requirements, notably for the addition of a mobile communication capability that can greatly simplify maintenance inspection and safety monitoring and even optimize process efficiency.
Operators can communicate with the Liquiphant by using the SmartBlue App from Endress+Hauser. The app, based on Bluetooth wireless technology, provides 24/7 onsite access to all product and diagnostic data, including information such as manuals or certificates, and is available for iOS and Android mobile devices. This mobile digital communications capability can speed inspections in hard-to-reach areas, where scaffolding may have to be provided to employees in order for them to read data on the device display. With mobile monitoring, employees can choose a safe, convenient location within a radius of 20 meters of the Liquiphant FTL51B from which to receive the same data.
NAMUR – the leading international association representing the interests of users of automation technology and digitalization in process industries – requires process sensors for the IIoT environment to include such a mobile means of communicating and that the sensor provide information for preventive maintenance and process optimization. The new Liquiphant displays the status of the level switch via ultra-bright LED on the device or displayed in the SmartBlue App. Verification via Heartbeat Technology enables complete documentation without process interruption. The app’s new SIL Wizard also guides the user through the periodic proof test required for SIL2 and SIL3 applications.
The Liquiphant’s extraordinary acceptance in the marketplace reflects the reputation it has earned as one of the most reliable point level detectors in industrial plants. This all-rounder keeps on working where other measuring principles reach their limits. Liquiphant’s measurements are not affected by changing media properties, flow, turbulence, gas bubbles, foam, vibrations or build-up. The Liquiphant FTL51B has been developed according to IEC 61508 and the “Safety by Design” principle and meets the international explosion requirements for SIL2 and SIL3 applications.
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For more information, visit www.ca.endress.com.
