Biodata Ltd announces the Microlink 840, a versatile 8-channel data logger which can also monitor alarm thresholds and output digital control signals.

Windmill software makes it easy for users to configure the Microlink 840 and regularly download its data. Data can be saved as text, xml, EnergyLens files and to a MySQL database on the Internet or Ethernet network.

Users can choose custom engineering units through software, scaling readings into the required units: oC, bar or products per hour for example.

Two alarms can be set on a combination of channels, and a digital channel switched when an alarm occurs. Remote PCs can also be notified over Ethernet or Internet.

Maximum, minimum, average and final values can be saved over the logging interval, which can be between 1 minute and 9 hours long. The logger can count totals, frequency, periods, pulse widths and elapsed time. Counting can proceed to over 16 million. The default voltage input range is 0-3.3 V, but this can be changed at the factory or by users

The Microlink 840 costs £295 and comes with free technical support for life.

The Microlink 840 offers many counting options: Accumulating counts, Frequency measurement, Period measurement, Pulse width counter, Elapsed time counter, 6-bit or 32-bit counting: 16-bit allows counting up to 65000; 32-bit allows counting to over 16 million.

You can set a scale and offset factor to the count from software. For example if the pulses came from a flow meter which produced one pulse for every 50 millilitres, a scale factor of 0.05 would give a reading in litres.

Alarms can be set on analogue level, on-off state or count. Set two alarms on a combination of channels. Switch a digital output on alarm, sounding a buzzer, turning on a light or switching equipment off for example. Notify alarms to remote PCs over Ethenet or Internet. Insert a delay before an alarm is triggered, helping prevent false alarms. For example, if freezer lid was opened and the temperature momentarily rose, the alarm would not activate unless the temperature remained over the limit for a certain time.

Biodata is a British company established in 1973, specialising in data acquisition and control systems. The versatile, compact Microlink 840 is the culmination of their 38 years of experience.