Designing a wireless temperature measurement sensor for meat processing

It took over 3 years to design an accurate and reliable temperature measurement sensor for the meat processing industry.  Frequency of operation, product enclosure and data collection methods were carefully designed to accommodate the harsh conditions these wireless temperature measurement sensors operate in.

The frequency of operation needed to be chosen carefully.   The meat processing oven is basically a giant metal box.  The higher frequencies have a hard time going through metals and liquids at low power or have problems with longer distance of travel.  433 MHz was chosen for the frequency of operation to allow for the clearest signals in the environment it operates in.

The locations that the antennas and temperature probes are placed are wet and hot.  This makes designing the probe a particular challenge.  Each probe contains a circuit board and battery pack.  These components need to be protected as best as they can to ensure life of the circuitry and life of the battery.  The wireless temperature measurement sensor engineers designed a case to hold these parts and components that can withstand the harsh treatment these probes can go through.  The antennas need to sit in the meat processing ovens to receive the signals.  They are also designed to withstand heat and chemicals.

Processing the data received from these probes was the most important design issue.  Without accurate data collection, the wireless temperature sensor is useless.  Making sure that the correct probe was being read at the right time, and that the correct base was picking up the correct signal was a challenge overcome by testing products in the field.  Our large meat processing customer worked with the engineers to help minimize data errors.  By staggering the time when a signal is read, it can be guaranteed that the correct probe is being read.

Engineers at Matrix Product Development have a breadth of knowledge that makes this product effective and versatile.  After years of testing in a real meat processing plant, Wyze Temp is the perfect way to ensure that the temperature of a given meat product is accurate.