7 Ways a Data Logger Can Save You Money

Every day we talk with dozens of customer to help them find the right data logger for their project. One of the first questions we ask is “Why are you buying a data logger?” Our goal is to understand the problem they are trying to solve or reason they are looking for a logger. Like many things, it often boils down to money: trying to reduce the cost of lost product or production or finding ways to improve efficiency and reduce expenses. Based on the responses from customers in many kinds of industries with all different types of applications, we have compiled a list of 7 common ways that using a data logger can help businesses save money.

What Does a Data Logger Do?
First off, if you are not familiar with them, you might be asking yourself “What is a Data Logger?” We have an article devoted to What is a Data Logger, but briefly, they are devices which record information by taking electrical measurements from external or internal sensors over an extended time period. Data loggers are an ideal way to capture data by removing the need for personnel to spend time taking and recording measurements themselves. In addition, many data loggers can provide alarm capabilities to notify staff of excursions outside of the acceptable range.

Data loggers can record Temperature, Humidity, Current/Voltage, and many other types of data. There are small inexpensive single channel models that record just one or two parameters or if you need to capture multiple measurement values or process the data as it’s collected, there are multi-channel models available to meet your specific needs.

How Can Data Loggers Save You Costs?
So, from the businesses--large and small—that we work with every day, here are 7 common ways you can save money and time by using automated data logging:

1. ‘Stand-alone’ operation means it records on its own – no need to have staff manually read and write down values.
2. Reduce errors – since the data is measured and stored electronically, accuracy is improved and costly errors or data loss are eliminated
3. Simplify analysis – having the data in electronic format allows it to be immediately used in Excel or other programs without time consuming manual entry.
4. Capture data on machine and worker productivity by shift, week or month to identify opportunities to increase output/reduce cost
5. Improve product quality and reduce scrap by capturing process data such as oven temperature profiles.
6. Monitor energy usage to find targets for conservation or retrofit to reduce energy costs
7. Alarm outputs can provide immediate notification of potential problems before product loss occurs.

Examples
I thought it might be useful to provide some examples as to how different data loggers are used in specific applications to get you thinking about how you might be able to employ data loggers in your operations to save money and improve the bottom line.
Remote Alarms Save Your Products

By continually monitoring temperature using a system like the Accsense A2-05, that offers email or text alarms, you can be notified the instant that your product goes outside safe temperatures. This is popular not only in medical and life science applications but also in food, beverage and industrial monitoring applications. This feature alone can pay for the logger by helping to avoid a disastrous loss of product or a costly process delay!

Wireless Communication for Instant Access to Data

Wireless data logging systems with remote monitoring capability allow access to temperature data anytime, anywhere. The TR-71wf WiFi Temperature Data Logger is a two-channel model with a a measuring range of -40° to 230°F that can automatically send data to TandD's free WebStorage Service. Users can access stored data and get alarms from their mobile devices directly from the cloud. Imagine the time you can save being able to check temperatures remotely without having to walk across the plant or drive to the office. And, like they say, time is money!

Prove Product Quality to Inspectors & Vendors

SwiTrace IPlug-IPST8 Data Loggers continually monitor product temperature whether in storage or transit, electronically storing the data for quality compliance purposes. These simple temperature monitoring solutions are easy to use, log automatically, and are designed to operate in any industrial environment. Built in LED’s indicate if the product has been outside the acceptable temperature range allowing immediate acceptance or rejection of a shipment at the receiving location. If you need a report, their built-in USB interface makes connection to a PC for downloading the data a snap!

Proof of Regulatory Compliance

If you need compliance for FSMA, HACCP, FDA or another industry regulation, dataloggers like the Lascar EL-21CFR-2-LCD can easily capture and store critical measurments in an unalterable form as the basis for a documentation system proving regulatory compliance. As many of our customers have found, electronic record keeping can dramatically reduce the cost compliance reporting and virtually eliminate errors and missing data.

Not Sure Where to Start? Ask the Specialists!

At CAS DataLoggers, we work every day with callers to provide them with the ideal solution for their businesses. We want to help you select the most appropriate product for your application, no matter what field. Give us a call at 800-956-4437 to speak with one of our applications specialists today.

Computer Aided Solutions, LLC. dba CAS DataLoggers is a distributor of data loggers, paperless recorders and data acquisition equipment.

We have the industry’s most complete selection of data logging equipment, with hundreds of different models from more than 18 manufacturers. With data loggers from 1 to 300 channels we can record temperature, humidity, force/strain, pressure, flow, voltage, current, resistance, vibration and other digital signals, in connection with serial (RS-232/RS-485), CAN/OBD or SDI-12 devices. We sell directly to end users and also work through a network of distributors and resellers throughout the United States, Canada, Central and South America.

CAS DataLoggers
8437 Mayfield Rd Unit 104
Chesterland, OH 44026

This release was published on openPR.