Rotronic, part of Process Sensing Technology (PST) and the specialized manufacturer of humidity and temperature instrumentation, has launched a combined Bluetooth Water Activity meter with smartphone and tablet app. Called the AwEasy, the new stand-alone instrument is advanced, lightweight and compact, and is designed to produce extremely accurate readings simply and quickly – up to ten times faster than traditional devices. This makes it ideal for use by laboratory analysts, quality control teams and production staff who need to take spot-water activity measurements in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and chemical industries.
The new AwEasy is the most recent addition to Rotronic’s existing range of water activity analyzers, meters and probes. The company believes that it is the first of its type to offer both Bluetooth connectivity with the ability to use a smartphone or tablet app, to store and analyze data and then automatically output reports as pdf documents, for use in quality control and traceability regimes.
The AwEasy features a robust stainless steel and aluminum housing, measuring just 65mm tall and 68mm in diameter, with a top-mounted colour LCD display, indicator ring and single control touch button. The instrument also incorporates Rotronic’s latest humidity and temperature sensing technologies. The AwEasy is capable of providing levels of accuracy to within plus or minus 0.008aw, which is far better than competing devices in the same price range, while ensuring exceptional repeatability and stability.
Set-up and operation are carried out via the iOS or Android compatible app, with measurements simply requiring a test name and batch number. Analysis is automatic and can be displayed in detail, as raw data or on a choice of charts, with reports being exportable as pdf or csv files
The AwEasy has also been designed to minimize the time required for water activity measurements. These normally take up to 50 minutes, but with the AwEasy in Quick Function mode this time can be significantly reduced to around 5 minutes. Combined with the in-depth analysis reports, this enables the new AwEasy to offer considerable improvements in productivity, quality control and traceability.
In areas such as factory environments, where connectivity may be an issue, or where the use of Smartphones is prohibited, the new AwEasy can be used on its own. Control of each analysis can be carried out directly from the front panel, with data being displayed on the LCD control panel and then automatically uploaded once the smartphone is back within range.
Rotronic’s water activity specialist, Marko Stozinic, explains, “The new AwEasy is a revolutionary product for water activity measurement. Its aesthetic design, low weight and small size, plus the speed and accuracy with which analysis can be carried out, make it the ideal tool for quality control checks anywhere along a production line, while its detailed reporting and app-based operation eliminates the need the additional devices that are typically required for older meters. Additionally, the app makes it easy for software and firmware updates to be carried out quickly and simply, without the need for user intervention; for example, a soon to be released update will include the option for end users to carry out sensor calibration, to improve ease of use still further.”
The new meter is designed to be recharged via a magnetically attached wireless charger. A choice of sample holders and disposable sample containers are also available, including a holder with a water bath for even greater temperature stability.
The AwEasy is available at a highly competitive price and forms part of Rotronic’s range of water activity products. These include the HygroLab benchtop meter and AWTherm temperature-controlled meter, as well as a range of Aw measurement heads, probes, analysis software and calibration solutions.