With Oriel Systems’ past clients ranging from Roche, Unilever and Virgin to Nestle, Federal Mogul and Nordson, it’s clear that the firm – with its south west of England manufacturing, research and development facility as well as two sites in Manchester and north of London – has certain attributes in its supply of wireless telemetry systems that consistently draw the biggest names.

It is likely to have much to do with the company’s ability to design and install seemingly any type and structure of telemetry system, for any and every need, in any part of the world – as well as in the most prominent sectors. A client in the water industry may be looking to invest in an outstation with support for different pumping profiles on the basis of their energy tariffs, or they may be in the chemical industry and seeking the best means of transmitting tank level information back to one central location.

Oriel Systems also receives enquiries from oil and gas industry clients looking to cut down on the manpower required for a tank loading/unloading operation. Meanwhile, in the printing industry, the company’s wireless telemetry systems incorporate such features as the ability to over-ride a system and contact the supplier if ink levels fall below a pre-defined limit.

All of these functionalities are mere single aspects of telemetry systems as renowned for their reliability, flexibility and power as they are for their cost-effectiveness. The Oriel Systems technical team is confident and capable in the handling of the largest and smallest projects, implementing the right hardware, installing the appropriate software and designing control routines, prior to the testing necessary to ensure the utmost levels of system performance for a long time to come.

The company is also marked out by the services that it continues to offer long after installation, in the form of support and maintenance for the optimal running of a client’s system. Maintenance costs can be minimised with the use of Oriel Systems’ own remote diagnostic facilities. These are just some of the features making Oriel Systems such a highly regarded industrial services provider more than 25 years after its establishment, its wireless telemetry systems continuing to be seen across the industry as truly second to none.

‘Telemetry‘ is a term that the layperson may only be aware of from arenas in which it plays an especially high-profile role, like motor racing. However, this highly automated communications process actually embraces an extremely vast range of fields, from meteorology, the oil and gas industry and space science to agriculture, water management and healthcare.

Telemetry serves the purpose of making measurements and collecting data at remote or inaccessible points, with the transmission of this information enabling monitoring. Data can be transferred in many different ways in a telemetry system – the term may be used especially often for wireless data transfer such as radio, infrared or ultrasonic systems, but the information can also be transferred over such media as optical link or computer or telephone networks.

More and more relevance has been gained by telemetry in all manner of fields in the 21st century, as organisations in both the public and private sectors seek ever-greater operational efficiency. Increasing numbers of these firms – which in the case of Oriel Systems, includes but is not limited to Virgin, Unilever, BP, Roche, Federal Mogul, Oxfordshire County Council and Nestle – greatly appreciate being able to call upon a powerful, scalable, cost-effective system that reduces labour costs and manpower in an important area.

Those interested in a telemetry system for their own firm’s operations will need to make choices relating to such components as the telemetry outstation or RTU (Remote Terminal Unit) itself, which collects data from the various sensors located at a given remote site. The sensors themselves, of course, are for the measuring of a value obtained at the site. In addition, the outstation requires a means of relaying its information back to the main office. For this, transmission options include broadband, PSTN, GSM, GPRS, radio or 3G technology.

Finally, once that vital information does reach the main PC, there will need to be the right software to interpret it. In this regard, Oriel Systems is again a leader with its highly-rated VMI and SCADA packages. Such software presents the data gained in a pictorial format, this allowing decisions to be made to ensure the continued smooth operation of each site.

By contacting the technical team at Oriel Systems today, potential clients can get a greater sense of just what form their own telemetry solution could take, bearing in mind their most exacting and individualised requirements.

Even before one considers the complete Oriel Systems range of hardware and software products, it’s clear that the company – with its manufacturing, research and development facilities in South West England, in addition to two further sites in Manchester and North London – is well-placed to cater for the complete range of telemetry needs.

If there is just one Oriel Systems product that makes this especially evident, it is surely its highly rated low power outstation. Although the firm also specialises in intelligent outstations and video outstations, its low power outstation is in great demand among clients that appreciate its functionality for small solar panel and/or mini-windmill power.

Reliable, confident readings are ensured by an outstation that can generate its own 24 volt supply for ultrasonic sensors – or any other analogue sensor – thanks to the unit having its own internal charge pump. This outstation’s communication is usually over the radio or GSM/GPRS modem to the AWAX master station, with a repeater station generally unnecessary.

Power is also conserved by the Oriel Systems’ low power outstation, with all non-essential devices being turned off and the outstation sleeping until the next time a measurement is required. Despite power consumption of the outstation while asleep being below 1uA, even in this state, it remains capable of recording rainfall data.

The considerable flexibility of the unit’s I/O allows for the incorporation of any desired number of analog and/or digital inputs, while an RS232 or RS485 communications link enables the unit to talk to devices. When communication with the master station is required, all of the unit’s stored values are uploaded from its memory.

This low power outstation is just one of several outstation communication options offered by Oriel Systems for maximum remote monitoring and control functionality. For unlicensed frequencies, one may opt for Low Power Radio Outstation 10mW-750mW complying with MPT1329, subsequently replaced by the ETSI Standard EN 300 220.

A fine communication option for licensed frequencies, meanwhile, is Low Power Radio Outstation 100mW-5Watt, which complied with MPT 1411, since replaced by the ETSI Standard EN 300 220, EN 300 113, MPT1411.

By getting in touch with Oriel Systems’ receptive technical team, clients with an interest in realising the full potential of the low power outstation can have an initial discussion on how it can form part of the ideal wider telemetry system for their needs.

The need for the most reliable, cost-effective and scalable telemetry systems is as urgent as ever – as market leader Oriel Systems is well-placed to judge. The company does, after all, have a considerable installed user base across the globe, with such names as Celcon, Federal Mogul, AAK, Virgin, Unilever and Roche having all previously availed of its services and expertise.

Organisations across such industries as oil and gas, print, water and chemicals have benefitted from well-tailored solutions from a firm that has spent more than 25 years as a key player in high technology industrial services. In so doing, they have called upon not just in-depth knowhow in hardware including video, intelligent and low power outstations, but also software applications developed by those who have worked in the field since the infancy of Windows.

Nor are these firms exactly alone in giving telemetry an increasing place in their operations, particularly when one notes a recent report suggesting that the global telemetry market will be worth $72.42 billion this year. An anticipated Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 7.31 per cent is set to raise that figure to $103.42 billion by 2019.

The report, entitled Global Telemetry Market by Application & by Geography- Forecast Analysis, was published by US-based global market research and consulting firm MarketsandMarkets, and analyses prospects for the global telemetry market over the next five years. In addition to scrutinising the industry’s drivers, challenges and restraints, the report discusses the market, technology and industry trends of relevance to those offering or requesting telemetry solutions.

The findings of the report included that the global telemetry market is being driven by a continued need for cloud-based services, interoperability and scalability. Europe and the United States is where the primary market players are based, on account of their technical knowhow that is now enabling them to turn their attentions to emerging economies like Brazil, China, Australia, UAE and South Africa. Transition is also taking place within the market towards quicker, more efficient telemetry systems, in which Oriel Systems continues to play its own leading role.

Indeed, for both small and large projects, Oriel Systems remains the first telemetry contact of choice for all manner of prestigious clients, which have previously included such organisations as BP, Chick Master, SunChemical and Oxfordshire County Council. The firm remains of service for new clients seeking the most functional telemetry systems that also make economic sense, in the context of any investments that they may have already made in this area.

There are more than a few reasons why an organisation with significant involvement in the chemical, water, oil and gas or printing industries may contact Oriel Systems about a telemetry system, with the latter firm’s more than a quarter-century of providing high technology industrial services likely to be one major factor. Another key reason may be Oriel Systems’ record for the most reliable and scalable telemetry solutions, to mention nothing of another in-depth area of expertise: Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) software.

Those organisations looking to ensure the easy and confident monitoring and control of their remote sites, alongside openness, flexibility and the ability to expand on existing functionality, are advised to contact Oriel Systems about its Awax Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) solution. Such a solution enables data to be remotely controlled, monitored and collected in an industrial environment. Whatever the location of the client’s customer sites, an Oriel Systems VMI system can efficiently monitor critical stocking levels.

Whichever Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) solution is specified, the client can ensure the consistent and accurate prediction of delivery dates and times. The actual amount that has been delivered can be easily calculated, even if consumption has yet to take place, followed by the automatic sending of an invoice for every delivery. Beyond that, however, the client can also request that their Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) system is hosted by Oriel Systems online, so that it can be accessed whenever required.

This hosting arrangement means that if the client wishes to view not only their data, but also graph trends and data history, they can do so simply by logging into the Oriel Systems site. From here, the client can download their data into a spreadsheet. Alternatively, they may not wish to need to log into the site at all, instead specifying that their required data is regularly updated and forwarded to the smartphones of the responsible individuals at their firm.

Regardless, if one chooses to have their Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) system hosted by Oriel Systems, they no longer have to constantly check that it is functioning correctly. If a problem does occur with the client’s system, the engineers of Oriel Systems will immediately know about it, and will respond accordingly. Nor could one have a better firm to which to turn for the most suitable software than Oriel Systems, which has engineers with software development experience extending back to the earliest days of Windows.

For both the smallest and largest Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) projects, it will therefore always be difficult to look past Oriel Systems.

For many years, telemetry has proved invaluable in the oil and gas industries, as in the case of the uphole and real time transmission of drilling mechanics and formation evaluation information, while a well is being drilled. Oriel Systems, with its more than quarter-century experience of providing high technology industrial services, has a formidable reputation of its own for oil and gas telemetry, founded not merely on the considerable scalability, power, reliability and cost-effectiveness that its solutions can offer.

That’s because, for loading and unloading tasks, Oriel Systems’ oil and gas telemetry incorporates a DCD (Driver Controlled Delivery) system that adds on-site CCTV to control, level monitoring and safety systems. This all means that instead of the two operatives that are traditionally required for this task, only one is necessary.

An Oriel Systems Video Intelligent Outstation at every remote tanker loading/unloading site enables the incorporation into the process of multiple inputs and control outputs, with the depot manager able to review the entire operation via a local PC displaying as many as four live video feeds. If there is a possibility of the bulk tank running dry, pump seals are protected from damage by the activation of low level alarms and an auto-shutoff. Similarly, in the event of the bulk tank overfilling, high level alarms and an auto-shutoff can intervene.

During normal working hours, the role of the oil and gas telemetry system is simply to capture CCTV images to be reviewed later, with the tanker loading/unloading operation being entirely controlled by the local depot. It’s only when the time comes for the depot personnel to make their overnight exit that they might wish to give their 24 hour Control Centre control of the DCD system. From this point on, the oil and gas telemetry system is used for the remote recording of CCTV video alongside control, monitoring and the giving of loading permissions.

Previously, many sites may have felt burdened by the costs of having two operatives present during the night to oversee filling operations, as was necessary in accordance with health and safety legislation. But with the right oil and gas telemetry system in place, not only can supervision, monitoring and control during these times be the responsibility of one person from the Control Centre, but in the case of Oriel Systems’ solution, the last three days’ video feeds are also stored locally on site.

This latter functionality means that should an “event” occur, there is the option to properly review and analyse it so that efforts can be made to prevent a re-occurrence.

It’s said that much of today’s world is about choice, and the organisations that find themselves in need of telemetry solutions across the sectors of oil and gas, chemicals, water and printing certainly require choice, if the resultant system is to cater for their most specialised requirements. There are always certain constants in the right telemetry system, such as the right level of flexibility, scalability and reliability, but there are also instances in which a renowned telemetry provider like Oriel Systems will be forced to call upon the deepest expertise of its technical team.

Thankfully, Oriel Systems is one of those companies with a strong reputation for installing precisely the right telemetry system, in close collaboration with the client. Experienced service and installation engineers across two UK locations are able to travel to the given site, whether in the UK or overseas, to carry out the installation, calibration and servicing of equipment. With every customer situation being different, these engineers are able to suggest all manner of solutions for integrating modern equipment with older, out of date legacy systems, drawing on their considerable experience with both old and new equipment.

Although this process best helps to minimise the need for expensive replacements, it does mean that determining the most suitable telemetry system depends in large part on detailed discussion with each and every customer. However, even before every requirement is known, Oriel Systems can still provide vital guidance, including on the appropriate outstation and software. The customer may also wish to take advantage of the company’s hosting service for their AWAX or Vendor Managed Inventory system, and a comprehensive support service can also be provided after installation, with Oriel Systems’ remote diagnostic facilities helping to minimise costs.

There are various further options beyond those for a telemetry system, however. They include a wide range of means of communication for an outstation, from GSM/GPRS/3G to Radio or standard telephone provider landline and broadband. There are also various signal inputs – digital or analogue – that Oriel Systems’ modular Intelligent Telemetry Outstations can be connected to, including guided microwave sensing equipment, hydrostatic pressure transducers and ultrasonic level sensors. Also possible to bring into the system are Counter Frequency Inputs, for such functions as measuring the number of strokes the pump has cycled, enabling an accurate figure to be given on how much product has been pumped enabling detailed information on product consumption to be obtained.

The customer of a new telemetry system may also request Control Outputs for the performing of such control functions as the remote opening and closing of valves or penstocks or the remote starting and stopping of pumps. It’s even possible for the customer to work alongside Oriel Systems’ engineers in the development of a Control Algorithm, so that intelligent pumping solutions can be provided based on all of the inputs that the system incorporates.

With a telemetry system potentially needing to cater for any of a vast range of industry needs, Oriel Systems has become more than well-attuned to catering for those needs.

There are many urgent priorities that an organisation in such a field as oil and gas, chemicals, printing or the water industry is likely to have when the time comes to invest in a telemetry system. It will likely be important to them to choose a system that is flexible, reliable and scalable, with the ability to connect to all manner of remote plant and equipment while being effective and economical right now.

As well as hardware, software is a major factor for many of these firms, with SCADA systems often in particular demand. However, it is important to make a distinction between such systems and other telemetry. The letters SCADA stand for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition, and refer to a software package that is positioned on top of a real-time control system, so that a process external to the SCADA system can be controlled.

The average telemetry system’s strength is in enabling remote measurement and reporting information of interest. Strictly speaking, telemetry (or tele-metering) is the data collection and transmission of this data from remote sites, while SCADA systems are mostly hard-wired and therefore local. As a long-established and renowned high technology industrial services provider, Oriel Systems takes pride in its very own Awax SCADA software that combines the best functionalities of SCADA systems and wider telemetry.

This Awax SCADA software is as cost-effective and cutting-edge as the rest of Oriel Systems’ highly rated work in telemetry. Not only is it capable of connecting with all manner of remote units, but its connection to most PLC systems and various other types of hardware – including the remote units of other vendors – is also possible. This makes the upgrading of an existing system largely stress-free for customers that might have otherwise been forced to dispose of their legacy systems.

Oriel Systems is always exploring the full possibilities of SCADA systems from its south west England research, manufacturing and development facility. The most recent technological advances are continually incorporated into the Awax SCADA software, which also keeps adding to the list of devices to which it can be connected.

Internet integration has taken on a greater role in SCADA systems like those of Oriel Systems, as have web hosting and live video streaming from remote sites. But whatever the exact requirements of the customer, the company’s technical team remains happy to meet them, and capable of devising a wide range of intelligent telemetry hardware and software solutions.

When  an organisation in any of a wide range of sectors – from oil and gas and chemicals to printing and water – requires a telemetry system, it will judge any potential provider and its solutions on such parameters as reputation, reliability, scalability, ease and speed of installation and customer support. It will expect the providing company to have a longstanding record of offering telemetry in the UK, with a substantial installed user base, and the software that it provides for Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) systems will be expected to be industry-leading, if not truly groundbreaking.

Certainly, the products that the given provider offers should cater cost-effectively to every possible telemetry and remote monitoring requirement that an organisation in any of the above industries could have. A video telemetry unit may be available, for example, for the transmission of live video feeds of a customer’s remote sites, also affording control over digital and analogue signals. Alternatively, the customer may specifically request an intelligent telemetry unit that it is possible to program for the management and control of a site, without any input needing to be provided by the user. The customer is also likely to appreciate hardware and software that can be incorporated alongside existing telemetry equipment, which ensures no need to throw out an earlier investment.

As well as products, it’s likely that associated services will be provided to a high standard by any leading specialist in telemetry in the UK. The firm’s technical team should be comfortable with large as well as small projects, with any long-honed expertise in the development of Windows applications especially useful. A good telemetry provider should give access to experts on a consultancy basis, and may also offer a telemetry hosting service that can ensure the accuracy of the customer’s telemetry data.

Another distinguishing feature of a respected provider of telemetry in the UK will always be an extensive range of well-regarded past and present customers. The UK company Oriel Systems, for example, can count Virgin, BP, Unilever, Roche, Chick Master and Aviagen Group among its prestigious past customers. Indeed, the company has built a formidable reputation in high technology industrial services over a quarter of a century, and also has the considerable premises and connections that any premier telemetry provider should have.

The company has a manufacturing, research and development facility in the south west of England, there are two further sites – in Manchester and north of London – from which its installation engineers work, and it also has European and Far Eastern strategic alliances and agents. But above all, it has a track record for telemetry in the UK that has been affirmed time and time again, against the most stringent and demanding requirements from customers spanning the full breadth of the water, oil and gas, chemical and printing industries.