Transitioning from Amazon Monitron to NCD Vibration Sensors: A Practical Guide
Recently, Amazon announced that it will no longer support its Monitron product line. Monitron was a popular choice among AWS users for monitoring vibration and temperature in industrial settings, with data sent directly to AWS for analytics. Many users now face the challenge of finding an alternative to ensure their machine monitoring capabilities continue without interruption.
At NCD, we’ve received numerous inquiries from Monitron users wondering how they can transition from Monitron to NCD sensors. In this article, we’ll explore Monitron’s use case, its limitations, and how NCD’s vibration sensors can serve as a comprehensive replacement.
What Was Amazon Monitron?
Amazon’s Monitron was a battery-powered vibration sensor designed to collect RMS vibration data at fixed intervals. This data was transmitted via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to a Gateway, which then sent it to AWS for monitoring and analysis. The AWS dashboard provided built-in analytics to diagnose potential machine issues such as shaft misalignment, bearing problems, or other mechanical faults.
Monitron offered an easy starting point for users looking to monitor machine health. However, it had certain limitations, particularly in data transmission due to BLE’s inherent range and interference issues, as it operates on the 2.4 GHz frequency band. BLE’s range is typically limited in industrial settings, where dense machinery and walls can reduce its effectiveness.
Now, with Monitron support ending, users are asking: What’s next?
Why Transition to NCD’s Vibration Sensors?
NCD offers a powerful and flexible alternative to Monitron. Our vibration sensors (Product Linkhttps://store.ncd.io/product/smart-industrial-iot-wireless-vibration-temperature-sensor/) not only provide machine health monitoring but also offer additional customization and expandability, making them a robust choice for various industrial use cases. Here’s how NCD can fill the gap left by Monitron:
Data Transmission: NCD vibration sensors communicate via a sub-GHz wireless network, significantly increasing range and minimizing interference compared to BLE. This ensures reliable data transmission even in large industrial environments.
Cloud Flexibility: While Monitron was tied to AWS, NCD sensors can send data to any cloud service—including AWS, Azure, or any MQTT-enabled platform. This flexibility ensures that users have complete control over their data and can build custom dashboards or integrate with existing platforms.
End-to-End Ownership: With NCD, you own both the hardware and the data. Once the sensors and Gateway are purchased, they remain operational as long as you need them, with no dependence on external cloud services unless you choose to use one. This is a key advantage for users who prefer to avoid vendor lock-in and retain full control over their monitoring solutions.
Customizable Solutions: NCD sensors don’t just stop at vibration monitoring. We offer a wide range of sensors for temperature, pressure, current, air quality, and chemical monitoring. This means that users can expand their monitoring solution beyond vibration, creating a more comprehensive system for predictive maintenance and machine health monitoring.
Partnerships and Analytics: NCD collaborates with partners who offer machine learning algorithms and advanced analytics, similar to what was available in Monitron’s AWS dashboard. Whether you want to develop your own algorithms or work with pre-built solutions, NCD gives you the flexibility to make the most of your data.
How NCD’s Vibration Monitoring System Works
NCD’s vibration sensors ( Datasheet) are designed to fit seamlessly into your existing infrastructure, while offering enhanced functionality over Monitron:
- Sensor to Gateway Communication: NCD vibration sensors communicate with a Gateway using a sub-GHz network, providing a longer range and more reliable connection than BLE.
- Data Routing: The Gateway can transmit data to a local server or a cloud platform of your choice (AWS, Azure, etc.).
- Full Data Access: Whether you build your own dashboard or work with NCD’s partners, you retain full access to your data and have the flexibility to analyze it as you see fit.
Expanding Beyond Vibration
One of the key advantages of NCD’s system is the ability to easily expand your monitoring solution. If you start with vibration monitoring, it’s easy to add additional sensors to monitor other parameters like temperature, pressure, or air quality, creating a comprehensive predictive maintenance solution. NCD also offers custom solutions to meet specific monitoring needs.
Conclusion
For those looking for an alternative to Amazon Monitron, NCD provides a flexible, powerful, and scalable solution. Our vibration sensors offer reliable data transmission, cloud flexibility, end-to-end ownership, and expandability, ensuring that your machine health monitoring remains uninterrupted and future-proof.
If you’re ready to transition from Monitron or are looking for an industrial machine health monitoring solution, contact us at NCD, and we’ll help you build the right solution for your needs.
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