With growth in population and associated infrastructure, water is becoming more and more of a precious commodity. This means water market stakeholders need to find the best equipment and services to support water capture, storage and distribution.
Over the past 30 years, VEGA Australia has worked with the Australian water industry to understand, develop and manufacture level and pressure instruments that meet this requirement.
For the water industry, there are some criteria that cannot be compromised on, including: quality, suitability, reliability and performance.
As a German manufacturer, VEGA understands the demanding needs of a vast array of installations and applications that vary across all sectors in this market.
By working with the industry, VEGA is able to offer solutions that fit the needs of these challenges. Whether that be as simple as a level switch, or a complex control loop, there is no one-stop solution.
That is why, when it comes to applications, it offers a number of choices in each category that are defined as suitable for use, by the conditions of the applications.
Different requirements around the country
Being one of the major industries within Australia has allowed VEGA Australia to gain first-hand knowledge of what forms of technology suit the particular outcome required for an application.
That experience is shared within the water industry to take the gamble away from the client having to make assumptions, which can cause costly mistakes.
The Australian water industry makeup varies across all the states, and therefore VEGA needs to work at both a local and state level.
For example, New South Wales regional councils are responsible for their water and wastewater infrastructure, but in Western Australia, the large majority is handled by Water Corporation.
Another uniqueness about Western Australia is the vast area it covers, requiring travel to these distant regions to service the customer as diligently as the metropolitan area.
VEGA Australia recognises this, and has committed to covering these regions for many years. It has employed technical people to sell and support equipment as a standard, because support forms a major part of the respected relationship that has been created.
Bluetooth communication changing the game
Advancements in technology have also created requirements for instruments to work from batteries/solar panels and the digital form of output communications.
VEGA instruments are at the forefront of this advancement, as it has developed instruments that can operate on low voltage supplies and have industry-accepted outputs such as 4 – 20mA HART, Modbus and SDI 12.
Another development has been the introduction of Bluetooth communication. VEGA received feedback from a number of industries that felt there was a definite need for a simpler way of programming and communicating with field mounted instruments.
VEGA listened and took on the challenge by developing instruments that are Bluetooth enabled. It also recognised that there is a very large installed base of instruments already supplied and working in the field, so it made Bluetooth compatible with instruments that were manufactured as far back as 2002.
These days, most people have access to smartphones and tablets, which was the driver behind the development of the Bluetooth app VEGATOOLS.
This free downloadable app (available from the App Store or Google Play stores) allows access to all VEGA instruments that have Bluetooth functionality, and for VEGA transmitters, this is almost 100 per cent.
From the app, you not only have the ability to set up the instrument but also diagnostics to identify any abnormalities within the instrument. It also allows for the field technicians to access instruments in a location away from any unsafe working areas.
You have to know what you sell
In the last two years the world as we know it has changed, and site access for visitors and service technicians has been heavily restricted.
VEGA has acknowledged this and for a number of years has offered all its customers support, either via onsite practical training or remote technical support via a variety of communication protocols.
At VEGA, it is not enough to just identify and offer the correct instrument, it is also vital to offer after sales support.
For the different technologies that VEGA offers, there is a mandate that all sales and support personnel are given in-depth practical training on the functionality of the instruments; because you have to know and understand what you sell.
There have also been challenges relating to international freight delays which have been mostly overcome by increasing the off-the-shelf stock within its Sydney warehouse. VEGA understands how these things can happen and that replacement speed is the number one requirement.
Continuous innovation
VEGA is often asked by clients how much these technologies can be improved. This is always a great question, as technology advances quickly and VEGA’s R&D department is constantly working on improvements for the future.
IIoT has set new standards and the ability for instruments to provide accurate up-to-date information on a constant basis is now seen as a basic function rather than a ‘nice to have’.
These developments are partly driven by the industry as needs and requirements change and improve. VEGA takes all feedback onboard and, if feasible, sets to work to offer a solution.
Focusing on the development and manufacture of level and pressure instrumentation has allowed VEGA to concentrate its resources into these two important forms of measurement technologies.
Its recent release of water industry based instruments has proven that it has met the needs and requirements for the industry.
As with all technology developments, the units have become more compact while increasing their ability to offer reliable, accurate and fit-for-purpose application solutions.
So whether you are looking to monitor a dam level or deep water bores, the upgrade of open channel flow into a treatment plant or the pressure of liquids within pipes and pumps, or even the monitoring of levels within added chemical tanks, VEGA can offer best in class suitable instruments, that can give you the satisfaction that a solution is available and proven in field.
This Sponsored Editorial was brought to you by VEGA. For more information visit www.vega.com/en-au
