MMF VM40C User manual

Instruction Manual
Valid from version xxx.012
Manfred Weber
Metra Mess- und Frequenztechni in Radebeul e.K.
Meißner Str. 58 - D-01445 Radebeul
Tel. [phone] Fax [phone]
Email: [email protected] Internet: www.MMF.de
IoT Connection
with the Triaxial
Vibration Monitor
VM40C

Published by:
Manfred Weber
Metra Mess- und Frequenztechnik in Radebeul e.K.
Meißner Str. 58
D-0 445 Radebeul
Tel. [phone]
Fax [phone]
Email [email protected]
Internet www.MMF.de
Note: The latest version of this manual can be found at
http://www.mmf.de/product_literature.htm
Specification subject to change.
© 2022 Manfred Weber Metra Mess- und Frequenztechnik in Radebeul e.K.
Full or partial reproduction subject to prior written approval.
Sep. 22

Contents
. Introduction...........................................................................................................
2. AskSensors............................................................................................................
2. . General...........................................................................................................
2.2. Setting up a Device Channel...........................................................................2
2.3. Entering Measuring Channels.........................................................................3
2.4. Dashboard.......................................................................................................4
2.5. Data Export....................................................................................................7
2.6. Email Alerts....................................................................................................7
2.7. Settings at the VM40C....................................................................................8
3. ThingSpeak.......................................................................................................... 0
3. . General......................................................................................................... 0
3.2. Setting up ThingSpeak.................................................................................. 0
3.3. ThingSpeak Settings at the VM40C..............................................................
3.4. Channel Settings in ThingSpeak................................................................... 2
4. Troubleshooting................................................................................................... 8

These instructions apply in addition to the VM40C operating manual, which can be
downloaded from our website https://mmf.de/building vibration.htm.
1. Introduction
The technologies of the "Internet of Things" (IoT) make measurement data available
worldwide. This also has advantages for the VM40C structural vibration monitor.
Structural measurements often take place in remote or difficult-to-access locations.
The VM40C in conjunction with the modem available as an accessory can send its
measurement data to a sensor data platform on the Internet. This makes it possible to
follow the vibration history both currently and in retrospect remotely via an Internet
browser.
The following IoT platforms are supported:
•AskSensors, an easy to use Internet data visualization platform.
•ThingSpeak, an Internet data interface for collecting, visualizing and analyzing
measurement data that is part of MathWorks' MATLAB software.
Both platforms offer a comparable range of functions in terms of visualization.
While ThingSpeak should mainly be interesting for users of the MATLAB software,
AskSensors is significantly less expensive.
The data usage in IoT mode is below kilobyte per record sent.
2. AskSensors
2.1. General
AskSensors is an internet platform for storing and visualizing sensor data. At
https://asksensors.com/ you start with setting up a user account.
Then you select a suitable license type. AskSensors offers a flexible licensing model
on a monthly or yearly basis. The license type "SIMPLE" is recommended. For test-
ing, AskSensors can be used for 4 days free of charge.
After licensing, select "My Workspace" in the menu. The view shown in Figure
opens.
Figure : Main menu of AskSensors

2.2. Settin up a Device Channel
First, set up the connection to the device from which data is to be received. This is
done under "Sensor devices" (Figure 2).
Click "New Sensor". The menu for entering the device data opens (Figure 3). Under
"Name" enter a designation for the VM40C.
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Figure 2: Devices, example with two VM40C units
Figure 3: Setting up a device channel

2.3. Enterin Measurin Channels
In the next step information about the measuring channels of the device needs to be
entered. The following channels are sent by the VM40C:
- Amplitude values for X, Y and Z in mm/s or m/s².
- Main frequency in Hz
- Battery charge level in percent
- Current status (0 = heartbeat; = warning; 2 = alarm)
Click "Add Module." Add six modules and name them as shown in Figure 4. Further
down you can enter the longitude and latitude of the measuring point. This will then
be displayed on an interactive map. With "Save sensor" you save your entries.
By clicking on the device channel (Figure 2) you can check the settings of device
and measuring channels.
Here you will also find the key "API Key In", which must be entered in the VM40C
(cf. page 8) to establish the connection to AskSensors.
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Figure 4: Setting up measuring channels

2.4. Dashboard
Now switch to the menu item "Dashboards" (Figure 6). Here the settings for the
measurement data visualization are made. A dashboard is an arrangement of dia -
grams or other visualization elements, here called "widget". Clicking on the device
channel opens the dashboard.
Click “Add new widget” to add a visualization element (Figure 7).
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Figure 6: Dashboards
Figure 7: Adding visualization elements
Figure 5: API Key In

Line charts (Lines) for the measured values and bar charts (Bars) for the status dis-
play are particularly useful. However, you can also use all other elements.
"Command widgets" are not supported by the VM40C.
Figure 8 shows an example for the output of the amplitudes of X/Y/Z over time as a
line chart. Under "Sensor" you select the device and under "Module" the channel.
Under "Results" you specify how many measured values are displayed in the dia-
gram. The maximum value is 50.
Figure 9 shows an example of a dashboard for displaying amplitudes X/Y/Z, warn-
ing/alarm status, main frequency and battery status.
Note: A battery charge value of 0 % indicates that the battery is being charged.
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Figure 8: Settings for an X/Y/Z line chart

The number of messages already sent and possible connection errors can be checked
up in measurement mode by pressing F2.
The AskSensors connection is deactivated by switching off the VM40C.
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Figure 9: Example of a configured dashboard

2.5. Data Export
In the header of the display elements you will find the symbol . It is used to ex-
port the saved data to a file (Figure 0).
CSV and JSON are available as output formats. The export must be done individu-
ally for each measuring channel.
2.6. Email Alerts
AskSensors can send alert messages by email when thresholds are exceeded. To en -
able this function, click "Devices" in the AskSensors menu, then on the name of the
device, select the tab "Modules" and "Add alert" for the desired module (Figure 2).
Useful is, for example, "module6" with the warning/alarm status. If you enter “ ”
under "Max value", a message will be sent in the event of an alarm (Figure ).
Select "Min/Max threshold" as criterion
and enter the email address. "Check in-
terval" determines how often emails are
sent. Selectable are 5 minutes to
week. The sender is
[email protected].
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Figure 0: Data export
Figure 2: Setting up email alerts
Figure : Email alert example

2.7. Settin s at the VM40C
To set up a connection between the VM40C and AskSensors, select "IoT/SMS/
Alarms" in the VM40C main menu, then "AskSensors" and there "Settings".
First, you specify the Access Point Name (APN). This is the name of the gateway
through which the mobile network operator provides access to the Internet. You can
find it on the mobile network operator's website. Use the arrow keys to enter the
APN. Press F to switch between upper and lower case letters and digits (Figure 4).
Press OK to switch to the next line or save the entry after the fourth line. Press F3 to
skip the entry.
Next, specify the "API Key In" of AskSensors. This code is used to assign the mea -
surement data sent to AskSensors to a specific AskSensors channel. In AskSensors
you will find the API Key under "Devices" after clicking on the relevant device
channel (cf. page 3). Press F to switch between upper and lower case letters and
numbers (Figure 5). Press OK to switch to the next line or save the entry after the
fourth line. Press F3 to skip the entry.
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Figure 4: APN input
Figure 3: IoT menu
Figure 5: Entering API Key

As a last step, you specify the time cycle ("Heartbeat") in which the VM40C reports
to AskSensors if no oscillation events are present (Figure 6). This will allow you to
check if the connection still exists. The shortest selectable interval is 5 minutes.
Please note that each modem connection causes an increased current consumption.
Note: The longer the interval, the longer the operating time per battery charge.
The VM40C is now ready for connection with AskSensors. The entries only need to
be made once. The data remains stored even when the device is switched off.
Now select "AskSensors connection" in the AskSensors menu with the modem con-
nected. Switching on the modem and establishing a connection to the mobile net-
work takes a few seconds. Meanwhile, the type and version of the modem, the net-
work operator and the network are displayed.
After the display "Ready for AskSensors" AskSensors receives data from the
VM40C in case of warnings and alarms as well as in the time cycle. You can recog-
nize the active AskSensors function in measurement mode by an "A" at the top right
of the display (Figure 7). AskSensors communication is enabled after a delay of 0
seconds after the start of the measurement. Before this, the wait symbol appears.
9
Figure 6: Heartbeat interval input
Figure 7: AskSensors indications

3. Thin Speak
3.1. General
The ThingSpeak data interface is integrated into the MATLAB mathematics soft-
ware, which offers many possibilities for further processing.
Information about the license models can be found at https://thingspeak.com/.
3.2. Settin up Thin Speak
After creating a ThingSpeak user account, log in and create a channel for the
VM40C (Figures 8 and 9).
A ThingSpeak channel consists of a maximum of eight data fields, of which the
VM40C uses six in the following manner:
Field : Current status; OK/Warning/Alarm (0/ /2).
Field 2: Measured value X in mm/s or m/s² (for SN 6403 2a the vector sum)
Field 3: Measured value Y in mm/s or m/s² (for SN 6403 2a zero)
Field 4: Measured value Z in mm/s or m/s² (for SN 6403 2a zero)
Field 5: Main frequency in Hz
Field 6: Battery charge in percent
0
Figure 9: Entered channel
Figure 8: ThingSpeak channel menu

3.3. Thin Speak Settin s at the VM40C
To set up a connection between the VM40C and ThingSpeak, select "IoT/SMS/
Alarms" in the VM40C main menu, then "ThingSpeak" and there "Settings". First,
specify the access point name (APN). This is the name of the gateway through
which the mobile network operator provides access to the Internet. You can find it
on the mobile network operator's website. Use the arrow keys to enter it. Press F to
switch between upper and lower case letters and digits (Figure 20). Press OK to
switch to the next line or save the entry after the fourth line. Press F3 to skip the en -
try.
Next, specify the Write API Key from ThingSpeak. This code is used to assign the
measurement data sent to ThingSpeak to a specific data channel. You will find the
Write API Key under "API Keys" in the newly created channel (Figures 9and 2 ).
Enter this letter/digit combination using the arrow keys in the VM40C (Figure 22).
Figure 20: Entering the APN
Figure 2 : Write API Key of a ThingSpeak channel

As a last step, you specify the time cycle ("heartbeat") in which the VM40C reports
to ThingSpeak when there are no vibration events (Figure Fehler: Verweis nicht ge-
funden). This will allow you to check if the connection still exists. The shortest se -
lectable interval is 5 minutes. Please note that each modem connection causes an in-
creased current consumption.
Note: The longer the interval, the longer the operating time per battery charge.
The VM40C is now ready to connect to ThingSpeak. The entries only need to be
made once. The data remains stored even when the device is switched off.
Now, with the modem connected, select "ThingSpeak Connection" in the Thing -
Speak menu (Figure 23). Switching on the modem and establishing a connection to
the mobile network will take a few seconds. Meanwhile, the type and version of the
modem, the network operator and the network are displayed.
After the display "Ready for ThingSpeak" the platform receives data from the
VM40C in case of warnings and alarms as well as in the heartbeat intervals. You can
recognize the active ThingSpeak function in measurement mode by a "T" at the top
right of the display (Figure 24). The ThingSpeak connection is enabled 0 seconds
after the start of the measurement. Before this, the wait symbol appears.
3.4. Channel Settin s in Thin Speak
To display the data correctly, some settings are necessary in the “Channel Settings”
menu of the ThingSpeak channel (Figure 25).
2
Figure 22: Entering the Write API Key
Figure 23: ThingSpeak connection Figure 24: ThingSpeak indication

3
Figure 25: Channel settings

The texts entered under “Name” and “Description” appear later above the measure-
ment data.
Activate the fields to 6 by clicking the check boxes and enter a name for each
field. The entered field names will later be displayed above the time histories.
Further down you can activate “Show Channel Location” and enter the longitude
and latitude of the measuring point. The position will then be displayed on an inter -
active map.
With “Show Status” a text window will be shown in which the last events are listed.
Click “Save Channel” to finish the settings.
The entered channel can be found in the menu “My Channels”/”Private”. Figure 26
shows an example.
4

5
Figure 26: Example of a measuring channel view in ThingSpeak

The “Channel Status Updates” window displays the operating mode that the VM40C
transmits once after startup. Furthermore you will find the last warning and alarm
events with timestamp. Figure 27 shows an example.
The graphs headed with “Field ...” show the data of the fields to 6 (cf. page 0).
By clicking on you can label and scale the axes and change the style of the
graphs.
By clicking on “MATLAB Visualization” you can create additional visualizations.
Various templates are available for this purpose.
After selecting the template, you can create the desired visualization in the MAT-
LAB scripting language. The following script example generates a diagram with the
curves of the amplitudes X/Y/Z and the frequency according to the example in Fig-
ure 26 on the basis of the template “2-D line plots with y-axes on both left and right
side”.
To connect the script with the data of your measuring channel you only need to enter
the channel ID for x...x and the Read API key for y...y. Both can be found in the
“Private View” of your channel.
Note: A battery charge value of 0 % indicates that the battery is being charged.
6
Figure 28: MATLAB visualization templates
Figure 27: Channel Status Updates