Demand for remote dust monitoring is so strong we decided to make our cloud based software available on the Dust Sentry and Dust Profiler products – absolutely free.

The new product versions, released to the public today, are compatible with the same Aeroqual Connect and Cloud software system as our market-leading AQM 65 compact air monitoring station. The amazing thing is that Cloud, our cloud based data and diagnostics platform, is being given away 100% free with every instrument purchased.

Most manufacturers charge thousands of dollars per year for a software package that gives you remote access to your data. In our opinion the ability to access data easily and remotely is the whole reason customers purchase the equipment in the first place – so why make them pay extra for the software?

The best way to access data remotely is by backing it up to ‘the cloud’ then accessing the data via a web application on your computer, laptop or smartphone. This way there is no software to install, no updates to perform, and the data is always accessible even when the instrument is offline. It also makes it easy to send alerts via SMS or email or to FTP the data to another server.

We believe (like many others do) that cloud based computing is a powerful technological change that can bring huge benefit to our industry. Although there is some resistance to cloud computing in some markets and applications, in a few years time it will have become mainstream and everyone will wonder what the fuss was about. The technological and economical benefits are too overwhelming to ignore.

Aeroqual wants to be a leader not a follower, so we’ve set about making all our key products available on the cloud. First the AQM 65, now the Dust Sentry and Dust Profiler.

We developed our own remote monitoring software so it would be 100% compatible and complimentary to our products. Whereas most manufacturers rely on 3rd party providers to provide this service (at a significant cost to the customer) we chose to do it ourselves.

The main reason (aside from providing free remote data access) is so we can use the cloud to give us remote access to the instrument for diagnostic purposes. Remote diagnostics allow us and our service providers to maximize the performance of the instrument without visiting site. The benefits to the customer are decreased servicing costs and increased confidence in the data.

Aeroqual Cloud gives remote access to a huge amount of diagnostic data like laser current, optical bench temperature, H0 value and much more. We use this data to determine how well the monitor is operating and to identify issues during troubleshooting. It also gives access to a range of settings that can be adjusted to correct for faults once identified. It also allows us to optimize performance according to local conditions.

Some other improvements in v1.3 of the Dust Sentry and Dust Profiler include:

We’ve been able to keep dust monitor prices competitive through value engineering and driving volumes. With free remote data access this makes the total cost of owning an Aeroqual dust monitoring system very compelling.

MCERTS certification for the Dust Sentry remains in force. The Dust Sentry was the world’s first nephelometer to pass MCERTS, the pioneering indicative particle monitoring standard of the UK’s Environment Agency. To do so required a 40-day head to head comparison between two Dust Sentries, two beta attenuation monitors (BAMs), and a FRM partisol. Our quality management systems were also audited to ensure the products are manufactured and supported to the same high quality demonstrated during the trial.

The Dust Sentry and Dust Profiler can be ordered with a range of plug in environmental sensors – for wind, weather, noise, and solar. We have done the testing and integrating of these sensors for you, so by purchasing the sensors from us you can have absolute confidence the hardware and software will be compatible. The environmental data is logged, transmitted, and reported together with dust and particulate measurements in Aeroqual Connect and Cloud software systems.

Robust purpose built monitors for long term continuous use in the toughest of climates. Both models retain the rugged IP65 lockable enclosure and the solar shielding. Solar shielding is beneficial in very hot and sunny climates where solar load frequently pushes internal temperature above the manufacturer’s stated operating range. We powder coat the enclosure in a solar reflective white paint which further improves durability in the hottest conditions.

The Dust Sentry and Dust Profiler are now sold and supported by our service agents in over 40 countries worldwide. Since their release in 2010 into the UK construction market, the monitors have been installed at over 200 different customer sites and counting – in Europe, Middle East, North America, Brazil and China.