VEGA ushers in a new level era with the 6X® radar sensor

Until now, choosing an instrument was a laborious process and often involved a lot of questions and product research.

Traditionally, the search for a suitable radar sensor begins with the question, which frequency would work best for this particular application? 26GHz or 80GHz? Or perhaps 6GHz would be better? This is followed by thoughts about the properties of the media and how it could influence the measurement, as well as the specific installation environment. Furthermore, the temperature range or the presence of aggressive chemicals may give cause for concern. Will a standard process fitting be sufficient, or would special materials that meet the highest requirements be the right choice, if only because the user is not completely sure and wants to be on the safe side? And what else should be considered if the sensor is to measure great distances or be exposed to wind and weather all year round?

These and countless other questions make one thing clear: with such a wide choice, users also have to select the right choice. They have to choose from the large variety of radar sensors that are currently on offer, and because the areas of application are becoming more multi-faceted and processes more complex, the buyer needs a good understanding and overview of what’s on offer on the market. It takes the right know-how, experience and time to avoid making costly bad investments and get a reliable measuring system.

A new certainty: One for everything

Until now, choosing an instrument was a laborious process and often involved a lot of questions and product research. VEGA is now turning this process inside out with its new VEGAPULS 6X.

“Ultimately, it’s not the sensor that counts, but what the user can achieve with it in their individual application,” said Florian Burgert, VEGA product manager. “Just knowing that they’ve chosen the best possible instrument solution, and that they’ll reach their goal faster with it, makes a big difference in their everyday operations.”

With the VEGAPULS 6X, selecting the right frequency or determining the dielectric constant of the medium are no longer obstacles, because choosing the right sensor specifications has become much easier. The new configurator asks for the type of application and then quickly determines which sensor version is required. The entire procedure now consists of just a few mouse clicks, but of course an advisory discussion with a VEGA radar specialist is still a good alternative to the configurator. In any case, the result is unprecedented simplicity for users and a measurement solution that delivers perfect results independently of the media properties, process conditions, vessel shapes and internal installations.

Focusing on the application

Product manager Jürgen Skowaisa sums up in two words the strategy VEGA is pursuing with VEGAPULS 6X: maximum simplification.

“Until now, there were many different sensors that could be used for an application, but today, with VEGAPULS 6X, there is one sensor for all applications,” he said.

Even setup and commissioning, he says, has been reduced to a minimum, requiring now just a few clicks and the input of basic data.

“Our customers can even order a sensor that has been factory calibrated, customer-specific down to the last detail, which only has to be installed and connected. It doesn’t get any easier than that.

“Furthermore, our technology has reached such a high level today that reliable function is no longer the issue,” said Skowaisa. “The only risk now is choosing the wrong sensor.”

Thanks to the new approach with VEGAPULS 6X, VEGA now provides the tools to get the right sensor version for the application in 99% of all cases, while keeping experienced application engineers on standby to help with the special, more difficult applications.

“In the future, the user will no longer have to worry about the technology, frequency or instrument version — the measurement will simply work,” he said.