At embedded world, Alpha-Omega Technology shows the further development of the LoRaWAN product innovation KLAX. The reader for optical interfaces can now capture electricity meters from additional manufacturers as well as values from gas meters.
Berlin, 28 January 2020: A year ago, the IoT product provider Alpha-Omega Technology GmbH & Co. KG presented a solution that uses the Smart Message Language (SML) protocol to capture the values of the optical interfaces of smart electricity metering systems and transmit them continuously via LoRaWAN. The IoT experts have developed the product further: KLAX now addresses considerably more devices via SML, including meters for the gas sector. In addition, a newly developed version can also address meters via the Modbus communication protocol, for example to read values such as gas temperature or gas pressure from volume converters continuously and make them available. The new KLAX is therefore suitable for use by energy utilities, for example to increase transparency in the grids, or for monitoring plants in industry. KLAX, LoRaWAN sensors and gateways from various manufacturers such as Kerlink, and the newly launched "KLAX Bundle", created in cooperation with the LoRaWAN initiative The Things Network, can be seen at embedded world at stand 725 in Hall 3.
The demand for LoRaWAN-based readers for the optical interfaces of smart metering systems continues to grow, driven by the rising number of smart meters in electricity, gas and water supply in the German-speaking region and the simultaneous penetration of LoRaWAN technology. KLAX, an attachment for the integrated optical interface that is fixed with a magnet, automatically captures data from consumption meters and makes it possible to transmit it continuously. The signals from the interface are picked up by the optical head and transmitted via the licence-free Long Range Wide Area Network, LoRaWAN for short. The measured values are available in the back end shortly after measurement. Users can thus record their electricity consumption at the industry-standard intervals of 15 or 60 minutes, for example, and transmit it in bundles. The LoRaWAN-capable optical head thus helps to implement effective energy-saving measures.
KLAX successfully in use for recording electricity consumption
The product innovation presented by the IoT company Alpha-Omega Technology in January 2019 was originally designed to capture readings from electricity meters and has already proven itself in practice: the Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) , for example, is currently optimising its energy management together with Stromnetz Hamburg (SNH). Using the city's LoRaWAN network and KLAX, more than 300 remotely readable digital electricity metering points are recorded fully automatically every 15 minutes.
The original KLAX is based on Smart Message Language, SML for short. It is particularly suitable for capturing and transmitting data from electricity meters that use this protocol, typically in apartment buildings or office buildings. To capture gas values, KLAX now also communicates via SML with meters from manufacturers such as Feingerätebau Tritschler GmbH Laufenburg.
The new KLAX: optimising gas grids and monitoring plants
To be able to address even more meters, Alpha-Omega Technology has developed a further version of KLAX: using the Modbus protocol, the new KLAX now addresses gas meters in particular, such as the Primus 400, Prilog 400 and TME models from RMG Messtechnik GmbH. LoRaWAN-based data capture gives grid operators additional readings and data for analysis, so gas temperature and gas pressure can be monitored and grids optimised, for example.
"After KLAX had been used successfully in the electricity sector, we quickly identified a need for a KLAX solution for capturing readings in the gas sector and developed the product accordingly. KLAX is now suitable for use by end consumers to optimise their individual consumption, as well as for capturing readings at energy utilities or industrial companies. The data collected helps, for example, to manage the efficient maintenance of plants. We are working on enabling KLAX to communicate with more and more devices," explains Jan Bose, managing director of Alpha-Omega Technology.
KLAX and the "KLAX Bundle"
The product innovation KLAX from Alpha-Omega Technology is a reader for the optical interfaces of electricity and gas meters.
The newly launched "KLAX Bundle", created in cooperation with the LoRaWAN initiative The Things Network, will also be on show. Both devices, KLAX and The Things Indoor Gateway (TTIG), are optimised for easy commissioning and thus give private users an entry into LoRaWAN. With the inexpensive gateway, users can build their own LoRaWAN network at home. In combination with KLAX, individual electricity or gas consumption can be measured on this basis. From the end of February, the "KLAX Bundle" will be available via iot-shop.de .
Kerlink “Wirnet iStation”
Kerlink's "Wirnet Station" gateway is already in use more than ten thousand times worldwide. Thanks to their reliably high performance and rugged build, Kerlink gateways are well suited to industrial use. The „Wirnet iStation” is the current successor to the "Wirnet Station" and is available via iot-shop.de .