Thyracont Smartline Vacuum Transducers

A vacuum gauge that reads high does not raise an alarm. It quietly lets a chamber sit above its target pressure while a coating run, a leak test, or a freeze drying cycle drifts out of specification, and the cost shows up later as a scrapped batch or a failed qualification. In vacuum work, the gauge you trust is the difference between catching that drift and paying for it.

Thyracont Smartline vacuum transducers are digital combination gauges built to hold that measurement steady from rough to high vacuum, and to signal when a sensor is wearing before it fails. AV-TEK Consulting supports Smartline selection, configuration, and integration for industrial and laboratory vacuum systems across North America.

What Smartline transducers are

Smartline is a family of digital vacuum transducers that combine more than one sensor technology in a single gauge, so one device can cover a wide pressure span instead of forcing separate gauges for rough, fine, and high vacuum. Depending on the model, sensor combinations use Piezo, Pirani, cold cathode, and hot cathode elements. Per Thyracont documentation, the family covers a measuring range from 1200 down to 5e-10 mbar (900 to 5e-10 Torr). Confirm the exact range for the model you select against the current datasheet.

Every transducer carries an RS485 digital interface, with model options for an analog 0 to 10 V output, EtherCAT, or PROFINET. A Bluetooth adapter (SLKBT) and an RS485 to USB converter allow wireless or PC connection for configuration.

Where they fit in your process

Smartline transducers suit vacuum process and equipment engineers, maintenance and reliability teams, and laboratory and OEM builders who need pressure feedback they can integrate directly into a control system. Because the digital interfaces speak RS485, EtherCAT, and PROFINET and support OPC UA, a transducer can report straight into a PLC or a plant network instead of sitting as an isolated readout. Typical environments include coating and thin film deposition, analytical and R&D vacuum systems, freeze drying and vacuum drying, and semiconductor and electronics process equipment.

Why it matters

Predictive maintenance is built into the data, not bolted on. Smartline transducers report sensor wear and corrosion, the time of the last adjustment, and operating hours over RS485 and, more recently, over PROFINET. A maintenance team can plan service around real sensor condition, order replacement heads before a failure, and avoid the unplanned stop that a dead gauge forces on a running process.

When a sensor reaches end of life, calibrated plug and play exchange heads let a technician swap it on site, without returning the whole transducer, which shortens the time a gauge is off the line.

For retrofits, the analog output can be matched to the characteristic of the gauge being replaced, and mating plugs handle the physical connection, so a Smartline unit can take the place of another manufacturer's transducer without reworking the wiring.

For harsher lines, Pirani and cold cathode versions are available with overpressure stability up to 16 bar, with a 3.1 inspection certificate and test report on request. Confirm the overpressure rating and certificate options for your model.

Software

VacuGraph software for Windows records, displays, and saves measurement data, and a free lite version handles gauge configuration. With the Bluetooth adapter, VacuGraph also runs on Android. The free VacuSniff app monitors up to 16 Smartline transducers at once and includes an alarm function.

Models

Smartline covers several sensor combinations: VSR (Piezo/Pirani), VCR (Piezo/Pirani, PtRh), VSL (Piezo/Piezo rel./Pirani), VCL (Piezo/Piezo rel./Pirani, PtRh), VSP (Pirani), VCP (Pirani, PtRh), VSI (cold cathode), VSM (Pirani/cold cathode), and VSH (Pirani/hot cathode), along with suitable vacuum controllers. AV-TEK can help match the model to your pressure range and interface.

Available Through AV-TEK Consulting

Choosing a vacuum transducer is a selection problem before it is a purchase: the right sensor combination, pressure range, interface, and process fitting depend on where in the vacuum range you work and how the gauge has to talk to your control system. AV-TEK Consulting supports that decision, matches the Smartline model and interface to your application, and handles configuration and quoting.

Contact AV-TEK to specify the right Smartline transducer for your vacuum process, or to plan a like for like replacement of an existing gauge.

Reach our team at sales@avtekconsulting.com.

FAQ

How do I choose the right Smartline sensor combination for my vacuum range?

The sensor technology follows the pressure range. Pirani and Piezo elements cover rough to fine vacuum, while cold cathode and hot cathode elements reach high vacuum. Combination gauges span more than one range in a single device. AV-TEK can match the sensor combination to your working pressure and process.

Can Smartline transducers connect to my existing PLC or PROFINET network?

Yes. Models are available with RS485, analog 0 to 10 V, EtherCAT, or PROFINET, and support OPC UA, so the transducer can integrate directly into a control system or plant network.

Can a Smartline gauge replace a transducer from another manufacturer?

In many cases yes. The analog output can be adapted to the characteristic of the existing gauge, and mating plugs provide the physical connection. Share the model you are replacing and AV-TEK will confirm compatibility.

How do the predictive maintenance parameters help?

Each transducer reports sensor wear and corrosion, the last adjustment, and operating hours, so service can be scheduled on condition and spare sensor heads ordered before a failure.

When should I contact AV-TEK before ordering?

Contact AV-TEK to match sensor type, pressure range, interface, or process fitting to your application, to plan a replacement of an existing gauge, or for a configuration and quote.