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On May 28, 1996, Fritz Motzko realized a long-cherished wish and founded his own company in Schrobenhausen, Sensor Line GmbH. The brilliant idea of developing sensors for road and rail traffic from optical fibers was the igniting spark.

At that time, the company started with a small number of employees, customers and a single type of sensor that was sold. Over the years, the company grew steadily and our technology spread worldwide. Not only did the number of employees, customers and different types of sensors grow, but also the experience in the field and the worldwide recognition of our unique quality sensors. Meanwhile, about 70,000 sensors have been produced and installed in 50 countries worldwide.

Where do we go from here? Hopefully another successful 25 years, and even longer. Maintaining our high standard in production and the high quality of our products and even expanding them further are our goals.

After the acquisition by the Canadian company IRD this year, we feel that we are in a position to achieve this and further expand our market share in this area.

We want to deliver future-oriented applications for road and rail transport and contribute to safe roads / railroads and smart cities worldwide!

We are excited to announce that Sensor Line has been acquired by International Road Dynamics Inc. (IRD) www.irdinc.com, as a wholly owned subsidiaryl. We are joining the IRD portfolio of products and solutions for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) globally. This acquisition supports IRD’s continued growth in the ITS industry and supports the goal of being a leading supplier to the worldwide toll market. Sensor Line is thrilled to join the IRD family, to innovate together and continue to deliver exceptional experiences for customers, partners, and distributors globally.

Sensor Line honors its long-term commitment to ELISA Family Aftercare by again donating 8.000,00 € in 2020.
ELISA supports ill children and their families after they have left hospital. The children are chronically or terminally ill, are prematurely born, have had an accident or developed cancer. Some of them are ill since birth, so ELISA accompanies them for many years. Their team consists of professional nurses and therapists with much empathy and experience.
With this year’s donation, Sensor Line contributes to the foundation of a mobile palliative care team.
If you would like to help as well, please go to elisa-familiennachsorge.de

With its synchronized time stamp, a high resolution of 10 kHz, and a dynamic range of 33dB, it is state of the art engineering.

The XD-1100 has a high amplification and a high resolution, thus delivering crystal clear signals for a multitude of applications such as flat wheel detection, vibration or track bed analysis.

And unlike its analog predecessor, it is digital with a USB and RS-485 serial output and a lot of freely selectable settings for analog voltage output, amplification and so on. Additionally, it always adjusts the quiescent signal so that the system is insensitive to outer changes.

All of our FORPS sensors (FORPS UIC 60/HS, FORPS UIC 54, FORPS S 49) can be directly connected to it.

Sensor Line is a pioneer in the field of fiber optic technology. We have been developing fiber optic sensors for road and rail traffic for more than 20 years now.

The most crucial point of our fiber optic sensors in rail is that they are immune against electromagnetic interference in contrast to conventional systems (it eliminates the negative effects of classic electro-magnetic systems, such as electromagnetic interference).

And not only is our FORPS a fiber optic sensor, but we also have fiber optic cables with low attenuation losses leading all the way to the roadside cabinet. So there is no need for any shielding and electronics in the track area or along the track.

Using our fiber optic technology, you do not only have the advantage of lower costs (versus copper), but you also get to eliminate lightning damage and electromagnetic interference.

You just lift the rail, put the sensor pad on the sleeper and put the rail down again, without even stopping the running train traffic. No mechanical machining is needed.

Then you connect the cables to a road side cabinet where our electronical interface is. The digital signals are being collected with a computer and sent to your server via LTE.

When you want to cover a full rail wheel, for example for flat wheel detection, usually 16 sensors are being installed, 14 normal ones and 2 with a temperature sensor. Then you might want to consider closing the track for a few hours! 😊

We have got all different sensor types available for the different rail dimensions, for example UIC 54, UIC 60, UIC 60 High Speed for TGV, S 49…

So we are in our second winter at a test site from a big German railway operator, and so far it is looking good!
The test site (steel and wooden sleepers) is very busy and has freight traffic, too. There is hardly any wear or ageing effect noticeable, and the signals are as clear as they were in the beginning – as it should be.
Also, our new electronic that comes with the rail pad sensor, the one-channel XD-1100 turns out to be a fine piece of thoughtful engineering.
It has a synchronized time stamp and a high resolution with 10 kHz, with a dynamic range of 33dB.

Our FORPS rail sensor is able to measure the vertical impact of a train onto the rail. It picks up vibrations and shocks in a wide frequency range and is therefore well suited for train and track maintenance diagnostics.
Because of our revolutionary fiber-optic technology, it is immune to electromagnetic interference. FORPS has a very easy handling and non-invasive installation, as again shown at the test site: you could just lift the rail, put the sensor pad on the sleeper and put the rail down again, without even stopping the running train traffic.

A ready to install SL FORPS comprises the sensor pad, a fiberoptic feeder cable in a metal housing terminated with fiber optic connectors. To operate the sensor it is connected to a Sensor Line opto-electronic interface, the XD-1100.
Typical applications by our solution partners are vibration analysis, flat wheel detection, track bed analysis and axle & wagon counting, to name just a few.

After having successfully participated in last year’s Intertraffic Mexico, Sensor Line went to Mexico again this year to take part in the biggest traffic and mobility trade event there.
Together with our regional manager for Latin America, Mr. Daniel DeVia, Sensor Line presented our family of fiber optic sensors together with the fitting electronics at our stand.

Special interest raised our new addition to our product range, especially designed frames for the Latin American market which fit into most of the existing frames.
Therefore, almost any type of sensor product can be replaced with our state-of-the-art fiber optic sensors, which have a 24 months warranty, 5 years MTBF and a vehicle detection rate of 100%.
Trade visitors were especially pleased to find out that our sensors last longer than most of the existing frame solutions, therefore need fewer replacements, a lower stock and less down time of the lanes.

Mexico has been lovely as ever, hasta la próxima vez! (Until next time!)

Sensor Line will next exhibit at Intertraffic Amsterdam in April 2020. Be sure to visit us there!

After Sensor Line’s donation of 10.000 Euros from last year, the team of Elisa Family Aftercare could finally realise their long planned holiday weekend to Irmengardhof at Lake Chiemsee with all their little patients and families. Thanks to Sensor Line, all families were taken good care of by an accompanying doctor and children's nurses. Parents, siblings and the seriously ill children enjoyed the break from their everyday routine and had an exciting time at Lokschuppen Rosenheim, in the big LEGO room or with the horses and donkeys around the farm.
Thanks to Sensor Line’s recent donation of 8.000,00 Euro in 2019, Elisa Family Aftercare is able to offer another family weekend for their little patients at Pentecost next year.

After successfully participating at Intertraffic Mexico 2018 for the first time we are proud to announce Sensor Line has become a strong partner for Latin America.
Intertraffic is the world's leading trade event for the traffic and mobility industry. Since its launch in 1972, Intertraffic has become the platform of choice for professionals from around the world to meet. It is a biennial must attend event to stay up to speed on the developments in the fields of infrastructure, traffic management, safety, parking and smart mobility.
The main goal is to present state-of-the-art Fiber Optic Road Sensor, our SL Road System and our brand new Peana replacements.

Come visit us at Intertraffic Mexico 2019, 12. – 14. November, Hall C, Stand Number 800.