Introduction
By understanding and carefully configuring the Smart Mode parameters, you can optimize the Vibration Sensor v4 for a wide range of asset monitoring applications. This flexibility enables you to balance the need for detailed vibration data with efficient power usage and targeted event detection. Be sure to consider your specific application requirements and environment when configuring these parameters.
msg types
In Smart mode, the sensor can transmit two primary types of data, indicated by the msg_type field in the data payload:
Regular
This indicates data transmitted at the configured Sampling Interval. The transmission of this data (both processed and Time Domain (Raw) Data) is subject to the Smart Mode Threshold and Smart Skip Interval parameters.
Motion
This indicates data triggered by the RMS acceleration exceeding the Acceleration Wake/Interrupt Threshold. The transmission of this data (both processed and Time Domain (Raw) data is also subject to the Smart Mode Threshold and Smart Skip Interval parameters.
Key Parameters
This section details the functionality and impact of the parameters that govern the sensor’s behavior in Smart mode.
Set Dead Band in mg
- Description: This parameter defines a minimum acceleration value. Any acceleration reading below this value will be treated as zero.
- Impact: This helps to filter out very low-level vibrations that might be considered noise, leading to cleaner and more relevant data.
- Example: A dead band of 10 mg means that any measured acceleration below 10 mg on any axis will be reported as 0. If you put the sensor in a machine with a very low vibration, it is very possible you will get zero values on sensor data, in that case you should reduce this parameter.
Sampling Interval
- Description: This parameter defines how frequently the sensor takes a vibration sample and checks against the Smart Mode Threshold and Smart Skip Interval for potential regular transmission.
- Impact: This interval controls the regularity of processed data transmissions when the vibration is above the Smart Mode Threshold and the Smart Skip Interval is met.
Set Acceleration Wake/Interrupt Threshold
- Description: This parameter specifies the vibration level that triggers the sensor to wake up and evaluate potential data transmission (including Processed Data and Time Domain (Raw) Data, if configured). It allows the user to specify a vibration threshold indicating that the machine is ON. When the vibration exceeds this level, the sensor’s internal uptime counter increases. This uptime value is included in the FLY message.
- Impact: This feature is essential for detecting sudden or intermittent high-vibration events, even between regular sampling intervals. Data transmitted due to this trigger will have the msg_type set to “motion.” However, transmission is conditional on checks against the Smart Mode Threshold and Smart Skip Interval. If these conditions are not met, no ‘motion’ data transmission will occur.
- Example: Setting the threshold to 3 (150 mg) will cause the sensor to wake up and evaluate data transmission if the RMS acceleration on any axis exceeds 150 mg. The sensor will only transmit data after confirming that the Smart Mode Threshold and Smart Skip Interval conditions are satisfied. If either condition is not met, no transmission will occur.
Set Auto Raw Interval
- Description: This parameter determines how often the sensor evaluates and potentially transmits Time Domain (Raw) data automatically. The value set here is a multiplier of the Sampling Interval.
- Impact: This setting enables periodic transmission of detailed vibration data without requiring manual requests. The Auto Raw Interval controls the frequency of Time Domain (Raw) data transmissions, provided the vibration exceeds the Smart Mode Threshold and the Smart Skip Interval conditions are met.
Set Auto Raw Destination Address
- Description: This parameter specifies the network address (the MAC address of your gateway) where the automatically transmitted Time Domain (Raw) data packets will be sent.
- Impact: Setting a specific destination address (unicast) improves the reliability of Time Domain (Raw) Data transmission, especially given the large size of raw data packets, as it often involves a check mechanism to ensure data delivery. Broadcasting raw data is generally not recommended.
Set Smart Mode Threshold
- Description: This parameter specifies the minimum RMS acceleration level (on any X, Y, or Z axis) required for the sensor to permit data transmission (including Processed Data and Time Domain (Raw) data, if configured). Transmission occurs at the configured Sampling Interval or when triggered by the Acceleration Wake/Interrupt Threshold (if enabled), provided the Smart Skip Interval has elapsed. All regular or motion transmissions are evaluated against the Smart Mode Threshold before being sent.
- Impact: This threshold filters out transmissions during periods of normal or low vibration, conserving power and prioritizing significant vibration events.
- Example: Setting the Smart Mode Threshold to 5 means that a transmission will only potentially occur if the RMS acceleration on any axis exceeds 250 mg (5 × 50 mg). If the Smart Skip Interval is not met, no transmission will occur.
Smart Mode Skip Interval
- Description: This parameter dictates how many consecutive sampling intervals the sensor will skip transmitting data if the RMS acceleration remains below the Smart Mode Threshold. All a regular or motion transmission will be evaluated by Smart Mode Threshold and Smart Mode Skip Interval before being transmitted.
- Impact: This further optimizes power consumption by preventing redundant transmissions during sustained periods of low activity. After the skip interval is complete, a processed data packet will be transmitted once, even if the vibration is still below the threshold.
For all sensor configuration descriptions, we recommend to take a look at User Manual:
- One Channel Vibration v4
- Two Channel Vibration v4
- Standalone Smart Vibration v4
Flowchart
Practical Configuration Examples
This section provides practical use cases with example configurations to illustrate how the Smart mode parameters influence the sensor’s behavior.
Use Case 1: Basic Monitoring at Defined Intervals
Goal: Monitor a continuously running machine and receive processed data every 10 minutes.
Configuration:
- Mode: Smart
- Sampling Interval: 10 minutes
- Auto Raw Interval: 0 (Disabled)
- Auto Raw Destination Address: (Disabled)
- Smart Mode Threshold: 1 (50 mg) – Assuming minimal baseline vibration. Adjust as needed based on your environment.
- Smart Mode Skip Interval: 3 (default)
- Acceleration Wake/Interrupt Threshold: 0 (disabled for this use case)
- Dead Band in mg: (Set as appropriate for your environment)
Expected Sensor Behavior:
Upon initial power-up and baseline learning, the sensor will start sampling every 10 minutes.
If the RMS acceleration exceeds 50 mg on any axis (Smart Mode Threshold value), the sensor will transmit processed data (msg_type: ‘regular’). If it remains below 50 mg for three consecutive 5-minute intervals, it will skip transmission (Smart Mode Skip Interval value). On the fourth interval, it will transmit processed data once, even if still below the smart threshold.
Use Case 2: Basic Monitoring with Automatic Raw Data for Periodic Detailed Analysis
Goal: Monitor a continuously running machine and receive processed data every 5 minutes. Additionally, receive a detailed Time Domain (Raw) data sample every hour for in-depth analysis.
Configuration:
- Mode: Smart
- Sampling Interval: 5 minutes
- Auto Raw Interval: 12 (12 × 5 minutes = 60 minutes)
- Auto Raw Destination Address: (Set to your gateway’s MAC address)
- Smart Mode Threshold: 1 (50 mg) – Assuming minimal baseline vibration. Adjust as needed based on your environment.
- Smart Mode Skip Interval: 3 (default)
- Acceleration Wake/Interrupt Threshold: 0 (disabled for this use case)
- Dead Band in mg: (Set as appropriate for your environment)
Expected Sensor Behavior:
Upon initial power-up and baseline learning, the sensor will start sampling every 5 minutes.
If the RMS acceleration exceeds 50 mg on any axis (Smart Mode Threshold value), the sensor will transmit processed data (msg_type: ‘regular’). If it remains below 50 mg for three consecutive 5-minute intervals, it will skip transmission (Smart Mode Skip Interval value). On the fourth interval, it will transmit processed data once, even if still below the threshold.
Every 60 minutes, the sensor will automatically transmit Time Domain (Raw) data to the configured Auto Raw Destination Address only if the Acceleration value is above the Smart Mode Threshold value and Smart Mode Skip Interval is met (as long as the sensor is awake and functioning).
Use Case 3: Event-Driven Monitoring with Motion Detection
Goal: Primarily monitor a machine that operates intermittently. Only transmit data when significant vibration occurs, and receive regular processed data every 10 minutes as a heartbeat.
Configuration:
- Mode: Smart
- Sampling Interval: 10 minutes
- Auto Raw Interval: (0 – Disabled)
- Auto Raw Destination Address: (Disabled)
- Smart Mode Threshold: 2 (100 mg) – To allow regular transmissions during operation.
- Smart Mode Skip Interval: 3 (default)
- Acceleration Wake/Interrupt Threshold: 4 (200 mg) – To immediately capture significant vibration events.
- Dead Band in mg: (Set as appropriate)
Expected Sensor Behavior:
The sensor continuously samples vibration. If the RMS acceleration exceeds 200 mg on any axis, uptime will increase and the sensor will immediately transmit processed data with msg_type: ‘motion’.
If the RMS acceleration exceeds 100 mg during a regular 10-minute sampling interval, and the Smart Skip Interval is complete, the sensor will transmit processed data (msg_type: ‘regular’). If it stays below 100 mg for three intervals, it will skip, and transmit once on the fourth.
Use Case 4: Testing Auto Raw Data Transmission on a Stationary Device
Goal: Verify the functionality of the Auto Time Domain (Raw) data transmission on a sensor placed on a stationary desktop.
Configuration:
- Mode: Smart
- Sampling Interval: 1 minute
- Auto Raw Interval: 1 (1 × 1 minute = 1 minute)
- Auto Raw Destination Address: (Set to your gateway’s MAC address)
- Smart Mode Threshold: 1 (50 mg)
- Smart Mode Skip Interval: 0 (Disabled)
- Acceleration Wake/Interrupt Threshold: (Disabled)
- Dead Band in mg: (Set as appropriate, e.g., 5 to account for minimal ambient vibrations)
Expected Sensor Behavior:
Since the Smart Mode Threshold is set to 50 mg, and assuming the ambient vibration on the desktop is below this, the transmissions will be processed data only (msg_type: ‘regular’), occurring every minute.
Because the Auto Raw Interval is set to 1, the sensor will attempt to transmit Time Domain (Raw) data every minute following the processed data transmission. However, the sensor will only transmit Auto Time Domain (Raw) data if the vibration exceeds 50 mg (Smart Mode Threshold).
Why Zero Values in Processed Data?
If your sensor is in Smart Mode (the default setting) and you are receiving zero values in the processed vibration data payload, (Or, you may be receiving zero values at time intervals longer than what you have defined) as the right image, this could be due to several reasons, which we will explain below:
Scenario 1: The sensor is situated on a powered-off or stand-by machine, a desktop, or in a location experiencing no movement during the Sampling Interval.
Scenario 2: Sensor on a Machine Exhibiting Very Low Vibration Levels
Behavior: The sensor initiates Smart vibration sampling based on the configured Output Data Rate (ODR), Sampling Interval, Filters, and Full Scale Range (FSR). Given the low vibration or absence of movement in these scenarios, the sampled vibration values will be close to zero. The sensor applies the Dead Band filter (set to 20mg by default). As none of the vibration values exceed this Dead Band, they are treated as zero. The sensor then proceeds to evaluate if the Sampling Interval has elapsed. If so, the msg_type property in the data payload will be set to ‘regular‘. Next, the sensor checks the Smart Threshold (500mg by default). Since the vibration values are zero, this threshold is not met, which will prevent the transmission of Processed data (or Auto Time Domain (Raw) data – even if enabled). This entire process of smart sampling, checking the Dead Band and Smart Threshold, and skipping transmission repeats for the duration of the Smart Skip Interval (default is 3). On the fourth sampling interval after the last successful transmission (or sensor reset), the Smart Skip counter will be met, and the sensor will transmit a regular processed data payload containing all zero values, without the option for Auto Raw Transmission. Consequently, under these conditions and with a 1-minute Sampling Interval, you will receive regular processed data with zero values every 4 minutes.
Recomendations.
If your intention is to test the sensor on your desktop before installing it on your machine, or if the sensor is already mounted but the machine’s vibrations are very low, we recommend adjusting the Dead Band value. For example, setting the Dead Band to 0 will ensure that even very low vibration values are not treated as zero (noise).
We also recommend setting the Output Data Rate to a lower value (depending on your specific target machine) and configuring the Smart Threshold to 1. This will set the threshold to 50 mg, a very low vibration level. Additionally, you can set the Smart Skip Interval to 0 to prevent the sensor from skipping transmissions when vibration values are below the Smart Threshold parameter.
With these adjustments, the sensor’s behavior will change, and you should observe non-zero vibration data in the sensor transmissions. In the case of desktop testing, we recommend applying slight movement to the sensor to generate low vibrations. Even with these settings, if the sensor consistently samples zero vibration values, the behavior described previously will still apply.
For available and default Vibration Version 4 parameters, please refer to the User Manual and Datasheet.