VocalZoom's Vibration Sensors Reduce Machine Monitoring Costs

VocalZoom has launched the next generation of its vibration sensors designed to help predict and prevent mechanical failures. Because they can monitor machine health without touching the equipment, VocalZoom sensors cover a greater array of equipment and use cases than traditional predictive maintenance solutions without high factory downtime and deployment costs, the company says.

Many sensors rely on micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) or piezoelectric or acoustic technology that reduce their applicability to various types of machinery. VocalZoom’s non-contact vibration sensors, on the other hand, are intended to be easily deployable on both new and old machinery, whether it be wet, hot, moving, hard-to-reach or too small for other sensors.

“The Industrial IoT is only as good as the sensors that monitor machine performance,” says Tal Bakish, CEO. “Unfortunately, most IIoT sensors are built on technology that makes predictive maintenance solutions expensive and unreliable for a number of important use cases. Our vibration sensors represent the next generation of predictive maintenance solutions, offering better monitoring at lower cost for up to 70 percent of all industrial machinery.”

VocalZoom’s vibration sensors use self-mixing laser diode (SMLD) technology to measure the vibrations of a machine. The sensors measure 15 × 6 × 3 mm in size and operate at a distance of up to 3 m away from the machine they are monitoring. The sensors use lasers, which are immune to ambient and environmental noise, rather than mechanical or audio technology. With fewer moving parts and operating without batteries, the sensors require less maintenance than other sensors.