What if you only needed one more level sensor?

The application dictates the law in sensor technology. Depending on the medium, the environment and the predetermined measurement goals, the right sensor, with the right process connections and antenna system, is carefully chosen. Those times are now over. VEGA enters a new era with the VEGAPULS 6X, where only one radar sensor is needed to map the level of all your applications.

With one million instruments installed with customers, VEGA can rightly call itself a specialist in radar technology. It does so with two product lines: the basic radar instruments - which have the same price tag as ultrasonic sensors, but perform much better - and the PRO series, radar technology that brings even the most challenging measurements to a successful conclusion. 

Headquartered in Schiltach, in the Black Forest, the company once again lives up to its reputation as a radar pioneer with its latest innovation. Indeed, the VEGAPULS 6X can measure every conceivable level application. Product manager Florian Burgert: “Choosing the right sensor is no easy task. Of course, our local teams are always on hand to provide support, but we nevertheless wanted to simplify this process for customers to make their lives easier. The result is one sensor, which can measure at 80, 26 or 6 GHz, and that for both solids and liquids. This gives customers the certainty of choosing the right sensor faster and always having the best solution available.” 

Easy to tune 

Does that mean the application has lost its relevance altogether? Not at all. Although the heart of each VEGAPULS 6X is the same, the implementation will differ depending on what exactly the customer needs. So the customer does not have to worry about technology, frequency or execution, but gets a customised sensor. 

“Depending on the conditions the sensor will be exposed to, it is actually configured to suit the application. The user does not even need specialised knowledge to do this. Via the configurator on the website, he is guided to the right configuration in a few simple steps,” adds product manager Jürgen Skowaisa. “Whereas previously he might have needed ten different sensors to map the level in his processes, he can now have all possible electronics, antennas, mechanical connections, housing... needed with one and the same type.” 

Better performance 

So a huge step forward in ease of use, but a lot of hard work has also gone into even better performance inside. Most notable is the new radar chip. VEGA has had these built entirely to its own specifications for several years. It has now brought that experience into the development of a second generation. 

“The new chip primarily contributes to the ease of use we aim for. With its built-in intelligence, users only need a handful of parameters to arrive at a complete set-up. A second notable improvement is the higher dynamic range, which leads to better measurement results. We did the test with a metal target, the size of a marble. Standard devices on the market still ‘see’ this target to a distance of up to 17 metres. With the new VEGAPULS 6X, we can go beyond 30 metres without any problems. Our test track was no longer,” Burgert says with a wink. 

In addition, the measuring range (now for both solids and liquids up to 120 metres) and bandwidth (previously 1 or 4 Ghz, now 8 GHz) also improved. This again broadens VEGA's radar technology's application range. 

Safety first 

Safety has also been considered. Functional safety, because VEGAPULS 6X features a microcontroller with software fully compliant with the SIL standard, and that for the entire measuring range. 

“For this, we have combined our know-how in radar technology with the practical experience we have been able to build up with customers over the past few years. As a result, the sensor functions according to SIL safety rules. There are far fewer undetected errors (158 instead of 1,200) than with competitors, and we have also managed to halve the number of critical errors (44 instead of 110). So we prove black and white that it can be done safely with our new radar level sensor, while at the same time remaining simple for users. They only need to go through the set-up to get to a safe application step by step,” Skowaisa summarises. 

But security today goes even further than that. In the Industry 4.0 era, more and more connected devices are popping up. The VEGAPULS 6X therefore also meets the cybersecurity IEC-62443-4-2 standard. So safety and security in one sensor.