Time to take your temperatureJuly 2006It's been about a year since my assistant, Simon Smart last took a look temperature data logging, so here's an update and hopefully a useful, if brief, guide to what's currently available It's July, it's hot out there, so what time better than to think about temperature measurement - or, more precisely, temperature data acquisition. A year on from Simon's last hardware roundup, I've discovered one or two interesting products that might just solve your particular temperature data logging problem.
Measurement Computing (http://mcc.adeptscience.co.uk) has come up with some miniature, low cost USB based devices - not much bigger than USB memory sticks - that offer single-channel measurement of temperature (USB-501) or temperature and humidity (USB-502) for around £35 and £49 respectively. Both the 501 and 502 store in excess of 16,300 temperature readings (-35 to +80oC), while the 502 offers that extra humidity measurement functionality, again at around 16,300 readings. When you've collected your data, you simply plug them into the USB port of your PC and save the data to the hard drive. Software bundled with this hardware will even allow you to display the data in strip chart format or export it to an Excel spreadsheet.
Omega Engineering (www.omega.com) has launched a range of all-in-one surface mounting thermocouples featuring fast response (less than 0.15s) and high temperature capability. The SA1Xl series will measure temperatures of up to 175oC when simple located in place using the self-adhesive backing, or up to 315oC when cemented in place using Omega's 'Omegabond' air set cements. Thermocouple types include J, K, T and E.
DataTaker's (www.datataker.com) DT80 is a robust, stand alone data logger featuring USB memory stick support and an integral display. The 15 universal input channels automatically select measurement range based on the signal level, and support a whole range of sensors in addition to temperature devices (RTDs, thermistors, thermocouples), including strain gauges. Communication options include USB, RS232/422/485 and Ethernet.
If you need to monitor and record temperature profiles in curing ovens in order to meet key quality criteria, then Elcometer's (www.elcometer.com) Model 215 temperature data recorder is worth a look. Logging both the product's surface temperature and oven air temperature, the 215 can store up to ten batches, each comprising as many as 25,000 measurements. Various functions let you start and stop logging according to pre-set times, dates or temperatures, while an integral display shows you the results of every stored batch, including the Cure-Index. A range of temperature probes is offered with the logger, including magnetic, ring and clamp type surface probes and either clamp or magnetic air temperature probes.
Another product for in-process temperature profiling is Datapaq's (www.datapaq.com) EasyTrack data logger, which also features a programmable start-up option, together with selectable sampling intervals from one second to ten minutes. If your application is a little more demanding, Datapaq's XL temperature profile logger offers very high accuracy (+/-0.5oC) and high resolution, while the eight or ten channel Tpaq21 offers similar accuracy and sampling intervals as short as 0.1s.
Gemini Data Loggers (www.tinytag.info) has upgraded its Tinytag Ultra and Tinytag Plus temperature data loggers for applications ranging from rugged industrial uses to environmental monitoring in healthcare environments. The Plus 2 is IP68 protected, so it can be used submerged, whereas the dust and splash-proof Ultra 2 is more readily applied to indoor and outdoor ambient monitoring applications, the latter requiring a suitable cover to protect the instrument from direct rainfall. Enhancements include a resolution improvement from 8 to 16 bits, faster data downloading, a larger memory and a useful battery condition monitor.
Pico Technology (www.picotech.com) has introduced a USB based device that accepts any thermocouple type as long as it has a miniature size connector. Featuring integral cold-junction compensation, the TC-08 data logger measures temperatures from -270 to +1,820oC (depending on what type of thermocouple is connected to the instrument), an impressive 20-bit resolution, and the ability to take up to ten temperature measurements every second. The device is powered directly from the USB port, which gives it a bit more portability in both field and lab applications.
Dr Know's recommended download is the new Measurement Computing PC-based Data Acquisition Catalogue. Download yours today: http://www.adeptscience.co.uk/download/dlddsp/8849/0/All/Measurement+Computing+PC-based+Data+Acquisition+Catalogue.html
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