The data logger is not there to store more: it is there so as not to lose the link between the reading and the point where it was taken. It is that link, not the number, that makes the inspection useful.
- ✓ Reading stored at the moment it is taken
- ✓ Batches organised according to the inspection plan
- ✓ No manual transcription, hence no transcription errors
- ✓ Dakota NDT models with the -DL suffix
On a campaign of a few readings a notebook is enough. When the points run into the hundreds, manual transcription stops being practicable: it slows the operator down, forces them to take their hands off the instrument and introduces errors that, once the report is closed, no one will be able to spot. The most serious risk is not getting a digit wrong, but associating the right value with the wrong point.
The built-in data logger tackles the problem at its root. The reading is stored on the instrument the instant it is acquired, already placed in the position set out by the data structure defined before going into the field. The operator moves along the sequence and confirms; they write nothing down, so they cannot break the correspondence between measurement and position.
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The container for this organisation is the batch: a set of readings belonging to a campaign, a component or a line, identified by a name and ordered according to a known sequence. A well-built batch makes comparison with the previous campaign immediate, because the points correspond one to one; a badly built batch forces realignment work afterwards that cancels out much of the advantage of automatic storage.
How to set up a measurement batch
| Aspect | Operating criterion |
|---|---|
| Identification | A name that remains valid in subsequent campaigns too |
| Structure | Linear sequence or grid of rows and columns, according to the plan |
| Order of travel | The same in every campaign, to make the series comparable |
| Calibration | One- or two-point, carried out before opening the batch |
| Measurement modes | Consistent with the wall: P-E, E-E, PECT, PETP or CT |
What the instrument records
A data logger does not store only the thickness value. Along with the reading, the position in the batch is stored, and on instruments with A-Scan display the waveform that produced that value is also kept. It is a detail that counts at the verification stage: an anomalous reading can be re-examined without returning to the plant, because the signal that generated it is still available.
The speed at which readings are produced also counts. The CMX series acquires up to 250 readings per second, the MX1-DL and MX2-DL models work at 200 Hz, the ZX6-DL at 100 Hz and the CX8-DL at 16 Hz: on extensive surfaces the scan rate determines how dense the coverage can be without lengthening inspection times.
Recommended instruments
| Model | Use |
|---|---|
| Dakota CMX1-DL | Corrosion measurement with A-Scan and on-board data logger |
| Dakota CX6-DL | Thickness gauge with data logger for structured campaigns |
| Dakota ZX6-DL | Multi-echo with data logger, 100 Hz scanning |
| DakMaster | Transfer of batches to computer and reporting |
Frequently asked questions
It indicates the presence of the built-in data logger: the instrument stores readings on board, organised in batches, instead of merely displaying them. Models without this suffix show the value but do not keep it in a structured way.
It is the most effective choice. Defining name, structure and order of travel before the inspection allows the operator simply to confirm the readings, and makes the batch immediately comparable with that of the previous campaign.
On instruments with A-Scan display the waveform associated with the reading is kept together with the value, and remains available for verification without having to repeat the measurement at the plant.
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Further information and contacts
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