Thank you again for attending our session on IoT Solutions for Heavy Civil Construction. Here are the questions that followed the presentation and their answers. If you have additional questions, be sure to reach out.
For concrete temp sensing, the sensors have to be hardwired inside the Digi box, is that right?
Ports are provided with the HardTrack Cloud Sensor, so that the sacrificial temperature sensors can be attached on the outside of the Digi Connect Sensor+.
Can data be redirected to other platforms?
Yes. Digi Remote Manager offers REST APIs allowing you to ingest data into any platform whether Cloud or Enterprise.
Is a subscription to Digi Remote Manager required? If so, how is that priced?
Yes. Digi offers a bundled price for both wireless services and Digi Remote Manager for $2.80 a month. This includes 1 MB of data and Digi Remote Manager Cloud Services.
Wake includes the cost of the Digi Remote Manager subscription in its annual maintenance fees for the HardTrack Cloud Sensor, so that a separate subscription is not necessary.
What is the sampling rate for the sensors?
Digi Remote Manager allows you to set the read and the reporting intervals for Digi Connect Sensor+. The HardTrack Solutions allows you to set the temperature logging interval and the upload or reporting interval to whatever values you prefer.
It is ruggedized for construction field? With sensors?
Yes. The HardTrack Cloud Sensor II (HTC II) is designed to be deployed outside. The HTC II enclosure is waterproof (MIL-STD-810F Immersion – submerged at 1 meter for 30 minutes).
What is the cost of the device?
The Digi Connect Sensor’s ASP is $469 which includes batteries. Please contact Wake, Inc. for pricing on the HardTrack Cloud Sensor II. www.wakeinc.com
Regarding Wake sensors, how are they installed to the concrete infrastructure to measure temperature: Are they stuck on it, or installed at certain distance from the site?
The sensors are deployed to various locations within the concrete pour, which are typically specified by the project owner’s engineers. For example, at the core/center of the pour, a few inches into the concrete pour at the top, side, or other further distance from the core.
Regarding the Wake Sensors are they continuously installed in the concrete forever control of temperature? Or are the sensors just used for temporary inspection?
The HardTrack temperature sensors can be used indefinitely. However, it is more typical that they are used until the end of the concrete monitoring period, at which time the concrete is consider cured.
Regarding temperature parameters, who's mandated to decide about temperature range? Is the Wake software deciding about concrete reliability based on temperature or is it assessed by the civil engineer?
An engineer will specify the temperature parameters for each concrete mix type, and these are entered into the HardTrack application. If concrete maturity is being used, the results of samples are entered into the HardTrack application and standard concrete maturity calculations are used within HardTrack to determine the estimated strength of the concrete at each temperature logging interval.
To Digi, regarding external DC power, what is the voltage? Does it support 12 V or 24 V?
8 to 30 VDC, so 12 or 24 V are supported.
Are the installed batteries chargeable?
No. The HardTrack Cloud Sensor II (HTC II) includes rechargeable batteries that last from 60 to 120 days on a single charge, depending upon the number of sensors, the length of the temperature sensor probe cables, the logging interval and the upload or reporting interval. The non-rechargeable backup battery can power the HTC II for several months, should the rechargeable batteries not be sufficient to complete the monitoring of a concrete pour.
Does Digi Connect Sensor support Cat M? I have seen you have the Cat 1 module from Telit; have you plan version supporting Cat M?
We support CAT 1 and plan to support CAT M in the next version of the product.
Regarding the Pulse connectivity interface for Digi Connect Sensor, how many for example water meters could be connected together with the Wake temperature sensor?
The Digi Connect Sensor has one DIO port which can support 1 pulse meter.
Is the Digi Connect Sensor able to connect via Wi-Fi in areas where we have no cellular?
No, it is a cellular device.
Can you speak to the Bluetooth purpose in the Digi connect module?
You can communicate to the BLTE radio from a Smart Phone or Tablet using the Digi Connect Wizard Application.
Is the Bluetooth antenna internal to the Digi Connect Sensor enclosure?
What is the typical distance between the Digi Connect Sensor enclosure and the different sensors?
For most applications, it is usually in close proximity. The limits are the same as any typical cabled sensor in an industrial environment.
Temperature sensor cables can be ordered for the HardTrack Cloud Sensor II, in standard lengths of 1-meter/3.28 feet to 100-meters/328.08 feet.
Will this product work with a standard consumer cell phone plan, or do I need a special cellular plan?
It is low data rate, so you would want to use an IoT plan from Digi or a mobile operator.
Wake includes the cost of the cellular data plan in its annual maintenance fees for the HardTrack Cloud Sensor, so that a separate cellular data plan is not necessary. The devices arrive preconfigured and ready to use, right out of the box.
Are IoT cellular service capabilities widely deployed by cellular providers yet? Is it available wherever there is normal cell phone coverage?
Yes, IoT services are widely available and where there is cellular coverage.
Is the Digi Connect Sensor+ only meant for temperature reading or can they be used to perform other functions?
It can support any industrial sensor with an analog, 4 to 20 mA, 485 serial or digital output.
Some of our sensors send out an ASCII data strings. Can Digi Connect Sensor accept a serial string?
No, it just supports 485 Serial Modbus.
Does it support B40 on LTE band?
No, Band 40 is not supported.
Can the Wake sensor be used for asphalt as a permanent sub-base or base layer sensor?
Yes. However, there is a temperature limit of 100°C or 212°F on the temperature sensor cables. Please keep this in mind when deploying the sensors near hot asphalt. Wake can supply the temperature sensor cables within aluminum sheathing, if this is necessary for your application.
Does Wake have other structure monitoring sensors?
Wake also offers wireless sensors that can communicate to either a handheld computer, wireless tablet or a HardTrack Cloud Gateway that is deployed at the construction site to monitor wireless sensors remotely.
How much cellular data does the product use?
Typical users are under 1 MB. It is really application dependent. The Connect Sensor is designed to minimize data traffic over the mobile network to save our customers money.
Where can I buy the Connect Sensor?
From any authorized Digi Reseller. You can find these under “How to Buy” on the Digi Connect Sensor product page. Contact Wake, Inc. at www.wakeinc.com, to purchase the HardTrack Cloud Sensor II.
To use the HardTrack Cloud Sensors, do I have to directly work with the Digi Remote Manager and HardTrack to set up and monitor my concrete pour?
No, using the application interface (API) tools provided by Digi, Wake has fully integrated HardTrack with the Digi Remote Manager, so that all of the functions needed are in HardTrack.