Industrial Grade Wireless CAN bus Multi-Sensor Strain Gauges

Leap Sensors are specially designed to easily adapt to your specific needs. If this isn’t exactly what you need, please contact us.

CAN bus Strain Gauge Module Specifications

• 2 full-bridge strain sensors may be connected to each module.
• Up to 16 modules may be daisy-chained to the industrial CAN cable that connects to the transceiver node.
• Modules are rugged – IP67, powder-coated aluminum with IP67 glands and connectors.
• Each module has a cable-in and cable-out M8 connection. The last module needs a terminating connector.
• Strain sensors are connected to terminal blocks inside the module. The strain sensor cables exit through IP68 metal cable glands.
• Axial, bending, or torsional strain may be monitored depending on how the strain sensor is connected to the terminal block inside the module
• The strain sensing circuit is inside each module: excitation voltage, amplifier, 24-bit A/D.

Wireless Strain Sensor Specifications

• The Leap wireless sensor electronics can be integrated with a wide range of strain sensors:
  • Using a full-bridge, the sensors measure axial strain only.
  • Full bridge (standard for axial-only measurement), half bridge, and quarter bridge.
  • 120 ohm, 350 ohm, and 1000 ohm.
  • Gage factor (2.0) standard.  Other gage factors also available.
  • Spot-weld-on (most common), foil, silicon…  Contact us for advice on applying strain gauges.
• Most wireless strain sensors are tailored to specific needs. Contact us to integrate an application-specific strain sensor with the Leap Sensors wireless system.
• Over-the-air wireless zeroing to compensate for installation residual strain.
• Standard strain sensors comes with 2 half-bridge (350 ohm) weld-on strain sensors with 10 foot cables.

Leap Wireless Sensor Transceiver Node Specifications

• Transmission distance to gateway: typically 1500 feet in open air. Several hundred feet in an industrial environment.
• Battery
  • Field replaceable off-the-shelf Tadiran  TL-5930/F 3.6V battery with tethered connector – designed for high vibration industrial environments.
  • Typical battery life of at least 5 to 8 years. Replaceable in less than a minute.
• Bi-color LEDs integrated into the power switch blink to provide user feedback on sensor functions.
• Rugged sensor enclosure
  • IP68 enclosure rated to 120C (248F). Panel connectors and glands rated to IP68. Power switch with LEDs rated to IP66.
  • Rugged polycarbonate composite enclosure. UL 94 V0 rated, flame-resistant and self-extinguishing.
  • 4.4 x 3.2 x 3.4 in  (113 x 80 x 90 mm), not including optional mounting feet.
• Long-range antenna inside the enclosure: Keeps the total footprint small and prevents damage to the antenna.
• Mounting options
  • See all enclosure mounting options.
  • Optional mounting feet may be installed horizontally or vertically.
  • Enclosure may also be mounted with screws directly to surface.
  • Magnetic mount option.
• Cable connection options
  • Standard: Metal IP68 cable glands seal cables to the enclosure. Industrial spring terminal blocks connect the cable to sensor board.
  • Optional: M8 panel connector and cable: Molded M8 cable connects M8 panel connector to sensor.
    • Cable length may be shortened in the field if desired.
  • More information here.
• Industrial power switch: Latching push button. IP66 rated.
• Operating temperature: Standard sensor -40C to 85C (-40F to 185F).
  • High operating temperature option available: -40C to 125C* (-40F to 260F). Unique to Leap Sensors.
• 2-way communication with the sensor through the user interface:
  • Name the sensor (device), set sensor sampling time interval, set wireless transmit time interval, over-the-air firmware updates.
  • Gateways send an acknowledgement to the device that the data was received for high reliability.
• Sensor data logging: When sensors do not receive an acknowledgement from the gateway that the radio transmission was received, the sensor will store the time-stamped data on-board (up to 10,000 readings) until the gateway connection is established.
• Reliable industrial over-the-air radio communication
  • Industry-standard 802.15.4 with Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS).
  • Gateway “handshake” acknowledgement of successful transmission and sensor data logging for extra reliability.
• Over-the-air protocol: Standard and established 6LoPan and Thread.
• Data security: “gold standard” internet security with AES encryption.
• FCC certified.

Leap Wireless Sensors Gateway (Receiver) and User Interface Software

• See the Leap Sensors gateway page and the Leap Sensors User Interface options page for more detailed information.
• Leap Sensors wirelessly transmit data to a gateway*.
  • Gateway can support over 250 sensors that are in range. (Additional gateways can extend sensor coverage.)
  • The gateway then passes the data to the Leap user interface software. The user interface software may be hosted on the gateway (and connected to a PC with a USB cable), on the password-protected Leap Sensors Cloud web site, or an on-site server.
• User interface supports: logging-in, set user rights, view sensor data, set email and text alerts (cloud version), graph sensor data, download data to excel, add or subtract sensors, update firmware, and other functions.

*Custom-ordered leap sensors are available with a direct-to-cellular option where no gateway is needed and the data is sent directly to a cloud server. Contact us for more information.

This wireless sensor is ideal for:

• Structural Health Monitoring (SHM)
• Predictive maintenance on rotating equipment such motors, propellers, turbines.
• Load monitoring on crane structures, bridges, overpasses.

Patents pending.