InnoTrans 2018: transducer innovations by Knick

For Knick Elektronische Messgeräte, this has been the cornerstone in the development and manufacturing of highly available transducers and signal conditioners over several decades. The instrumentation manufacturer based in Berlin, Germany, has been supplying the international railway industry with products for high-voltage applications for over 40 years.

At the 2018 InnoTrans exhibition in Berlin, Knick will showcase its proven transducers for traction power substations as well as new products for use on rolling stock: the SIL-2-compliant P16000 pulse frequency conditioner converts pulse signals from speed encoders into galvanically isolated analog 0/4…20mA or 0…10V standard signals required by control systems and subsystems to detect the travel speed.

The transducer's signal input is designed according to the SIL 2 safety integrity level to ensure that there can be no inadvertent impact on the signal source. The ability to separate the encoder signal and make it available for other applications eliminates the need to install additional encoders on vehicle axles.

Another highlight is the new ProLine P 50000 transducer series for high-precision energy measurement according to EN 50463. This series enables current and voltage measurement in traction inverters and auxiliary converters, and short-circuit detection in protective devices.

These are the only devices in their class featuring calibrated range selection, which enables high flexibility in selecting input voltages in the ±4200V range or currents in the kA range. After range selection, the transducers meet the high specified accuracy without renewed calibration.

As the latest addition to the P 50000 series, Knick will present the P 52000 VPD voltage detector for reliable detection of voltages up to 4200V. The detector compares the input signal with a selected threshold value that can be set at the unit.

If, irrespective of positive or negative polarity, the threshold is breached, the detector displays an optical alert and generates an output signal that can activate or control hardware relays, protective devices, or controllers.

The signal level is matched to type 1 PLC signal inputs according to EN 6131-2. All products are fully compliant with applicable railway standards and comply with demanding requirements regarding fire protection (HL3 according to EN 45545-2 [2016]), electrical safety, mechanical robustness, high resilience to extreme climatic conditions and low EMI susceptibility.