iQunet wins the BEMAS Digital Innovation Award 2017
The BEMAS Digital Innovation Award 2017 was granted to the iQunet Vibration Monitoring Sensor and is a recognition for the innovative digital character and relevance of a new solution and product in the field of maintenance and asset management.
The founders Dirk Van den Branden, CEO (Ing., MBA) and Wim Vereecken, CTO (Dr. Ir.) guarantee a great innovative product, an international outlook and a sharp focus on solutions for customers in the maintenance sector.
BEMAS – Belgian Maintenance Assocation vzw-aslb awarded iQunet among 27 innovation cases presented at Easyfairs Maintenance 2017 in Antwerp. The evaluation was made by an independent jury of maintenance and asset management professionals.
iQunet is a Belgian hi-tech startup (° July 2015) creating IoT-solutions that addresses the limits for wireless battery operated sensor networks. iQunet sensors are used in various businesses and cover the exponential demand within the (Industrial) Internet of Things. By connecting intelligent wireless battery operated sensors with the internet, the collected data brings smart-factories nearby.
Current sensors and wireless sensor networks still suffer from the following problems in industrial environment and buildings :
- High latency when building up the network (long response times)
- Unstable network (loss of connection)
- High power consumption relative to the payload which limits battery life
- Large dimension of the sensor nodes (due to the inherent larger batteries to fulfill life time)
iQunet creates therefore innovative solutions for reliable and intelligent wireless battery operated sensor nodes in a Wireless Private Area Network (WPAN) for Condition Based Maintenance (CBM) and industrial monitoring in existing machines knowing that “44% of production assets in BE-NL will reach end of life within the next 10 years.” (source: Mainnovation)
The iQunet sensors measure physical machine parameters (such as bearing vibration, temperature, proximity, rotation, etc. ). This way easy equipment and asset monitoring benefits reducing costs; follow up of status alerts benefits increased efficiencies; generating usage reports improve productivity; condition based maintenance scheduling enhances customers service; and remote access and diagnostics develops competitiveness.
Technology for Industry 4.0
iQunet develops, manufactures, and markets solutions for the above mentioned application. The iQunet innovative technology consists of :
- Intelligent sensors: iQunet sensors are very compact with on board intelligence. The sensors decide autonomously if measurements are needed and/or relevant to transmit. Sensor parameters can be remotely configured, and software be upgraded over the air. Transmission is secured and encrypted. But above all iQunet sensors have very low power consumption and a sophisticated battery power management resulting in long battery life on only 2 standard coin cells.
- Smart network: sensors are using state to the art network protocols which are managed to the essence to serve best the harsh wireless conditions in industry and buildings. This offers following features:
- Low latency, low overhead network (ultrafast connection from sleep)
- Lowest power consumption (longevity of batteries)
- High security (against hacking)
- Flexible (towards different applications in industry and buildings)
- Reliable (even in harsh building conditions)
- Ready to use data (valuable data available in OPC UA, Sheets, Excel, … or open vibration monitoring software from third parties)
Digital Innovation
iQunet sensors and iQunet network technology are introducing a major breakthrough in wireless battery operated applications for asset management in industry and buildings. This enables our customers to connect their business equipment to the internet (connected operations), and / or make their products smarter by itself (connected products).
