Rather than recording traffic, the MC5740 stores a histogram of the piezoelectric output, at pre-established intervals, for up to 30 days. This validation process assures that the monitoring is conducted accordingly and will result in the highest-quality data.
Usage extends beyond traffic data monitoring systems to include other tools that use piezoelectric sensors, such as piezo WIM configurations or speed enforcement installations.
The MC5740 characterises the piezo sensors’ behaviour over time with a range of diagnostic tools, including instantaneous measurements of temperature, leakage, capacitance, and noise, and an oscilloscope mode to display piezo output waveforms.
The alongside example shows a definite relationship between temperature and sensitivity. However, the continuous clear delineation between real sensor hits and base-level noise is indicating a reliable installation. The report also displays the dynamic range of a piezo sensor. The predominant vehicles (cars) are causing sensor peaks below one volt while heavy vehicles regularly result in peaks over the 2.5V full-scale reading.
