ASPION L-Track – FAQ & Support

In the FAQs you will find answers to your questions about the ASPION L-Track multisensor data logger and the ASPION Cloud as well as topics relating to installation and transportation. More detailed instructions can be found in the user manual or summarized in the quick guide. The country list contains a list of regions in which the L-Track has network coverage. Our support team will be happy to help you with any problems. For orders or term extensions, please contact our sales team.

Transport & certifications

Alarms & notifications

ASPION L-Track data logger

Network coverage (country list)

Battery change

Mounting

Quick start and preliminary considerations when using the L-Track

How can I activate and set up the ASPION L-Track?

To set up the ASPION L-Track, first set up the ASPION Cloud after receiving the order. In a second step, activate the device.

Step 1: Set up in the ASPION Cloud

Log in to the ASPION Cloud with your login details. You will receive these by email when you place your first order.
Start the initial setup of the cloud at any time by
- Creating groups and assigning devices
- Activating and configuring shock settings
- Setting alarms and notifications
When setting up shock settings, alarms and notifications, bear in mind how sensitive your transported goods are.

When setting up shock settings, alarms and notifications, bear in mind how sensitive your transported goods are.

Step 2: Device activation

Pull off the red "Remove" label to reveal the light sensor.
Note: Make sure that sufficient light falls on the sensor to activate the device. Shine a flashlight on the light sensor in poor lighting conditions.
The initial synchronization of the device with the ASPION Cloud takes a few minutes. A measurement is then taken every hour on the hour and after 8 hours the first data transfer to the ASPION Cloud takes place (even without setup).
After the first transfer, you can view and analyze the measurement data.

You can find further support for setting up in the quick guide.

How do I find the right shock setting for my transported goods?

Since the goods to be transported are as different as their manufacturers, there is no general formula for determining threshold values and shock duration. For example, a sensitive measuring instrument should be monitored with different thresholds than a pump weighing several tons. It is therefore best to work together with your technical experts to consider the following:

- Which means of transport are used? Overland by truck in Eastern Europe or by ship to overseas with subsequent truck transport of several hundred kilometres over land with unfavourable road conditions?

- Choose a threshold value suitable for the means of transport, e.g. acceleration values of up to 4 g innately occur during manoeuvring when transported by rail.

- Where is my cargo particularly sensitive? This is a good indication of the best place to attach the shock sensor. In any case, you should attach the data logger directly to the object and not to the transport packaging...

Attach the data logger rather in the upper third, because when falling over or falling sideways, the leverage - and thus the acceleration effect - is higher there than, for example, on the pallet at the base of the object. If possible, use screws for fastening, alternatively you can use industrial adhesive tape (e.g. 3M VHB 5952F double-sided high-performance adhesive tape with 19 mm width, own tests with it have shown no damping of the shock values): While short pulses of a few milliseconds have less effect at high acceleration values, longer shocks (e.g. with a duration of more than 50 milliseconds) have a greater effect on the goods to be transported.

- If necessary, ask business partners, e.g. suppliers of components, about possible loads the component is suitable for.

Further general information can be found in our whitepapers: "The Effect of Accelerations" and "Loads during Transport" in the Worth Knowing section.

How do I find the right shock setting? Guideline ShockWatch 2

Manual shock indicators like ShockWatch 2 are widespread and simple to use. Just as simple is the informative value, because the indicator turns red as soon as it has been triggered. No further statements can be made about this. Choosing the right indicator depends on the right version. A simple table shows which indicator can be used.

If you have already gained experience with such indicators, we would like to give you a little help here on how to find the right shock detection setting for your ASPION data loggers. This only serves as a guideline. Of course, we will be happy to advise you in detail on the use of ASPION data loggers at any time.

What kind of stress are transported goods exposed to?

The stress that export goods are exposed to per se when transported by truck, ship or air freight, the acceleration that occurs, for example, when handling containers and how to find the right settings for the use of digital data loggers can be found in the whitepaper "Loads during transport" (Download PDF). This chart gives you an initial overview of accelerations as they occur per se:

Which acceleration has an effect on the transported goods?

Transportation and certifications

What regulations must be taken into account during transportation?

What certifications and approvals does the ASPION L-Track have?

Can I transport the ASPION L-Track by air freight?

ASPION Cloud

How do I set alarms and how am I notified by email?

Use the smart rule "On measurement explicit threshold create alarm" to create rules for individual devices according to which alarms are triggered. To do this, select the sensor type and define the threshold values for which an alarm should be generated.

You can set up notifications individually using the smart rules. You choose for which sensor types alarms are triggered from which threshold value. With additional Smart Rules, you can create email notifications for triggered alarms.

You will find step-by-step instructions in the Smart rules and alarms section of the user manual.

How often do I receive new data in the cloud?

The data in the ASPION Cloud is updated every 8 hours. During the update, all sensor data is processed and new data is constantly added automatically.

The values for temperature, humidity, light, barometric pressure and battery capacity and voltage are measured hourly. In addition to the hourly measured values, shock data is recorded on an event basis if shock detection has been activated.

How do I read out the data from the ASPION L-Track?

Why do I not receive any data in the ASPION Cloud?

Pay attention to the following sources of error to ensure that data is transferred from the ASPION L-Track to the ASPION Cloud:

Activation procedure: When removing the "Remove" label, make sure that there is enough light on the light sensor to activate the device. In poor lighting conditions, shine a flashlight on the light sensor for a few seconds.
Packaging: If you use anti-corrosion packaging made of shielding material (e.g. aluminum foil), this creates a Faraday cage, which prevents mobile phone transmission. You can prevent this by excluding a small area, ideally close to the device, from the shielding, for example by installing a viewing/inspection window (e.g. Hermann window). This is the only way to ensure mobile radio transmission when using corrosion protection packaging.
Mobile phone signal: Please note that no data can be transmitted to the ASPION Cloud without a mobile phone signal. For example, on the high seas or in undeveloped areas, this leads to a delay in data transmission. All measured values are stored on the device until the next possible transmission, so no data is lost.

Where is the data being hosted?

What happens after the term expires?

Unless otherwise agreed, you have access to the ASPION L-Track data via the ASPION Cloud for a period of 12 months from device activation. You can activate the device within 3 months of delivery. If you do not activate an ASPION L-Track within this period by removing the "Remove" label, the term will start automatically after the 3 months have expired.

You have the option of extending the term of your devices at any time. To do so, please contact the source from which you purchased the devices (manufacturer or certified ASPION partner). Even after the end of the term, you will see the data transferred up to the end of the term in the ASPION Cloud for a further 3 months.

What is the purpose of the shock details?

With the shock details you can trace the exact course of a shock in all 3 axes on the millisecond level. The shock details contain 19 consecutive values per axis for a shock event. You can use this data to trace on which axes the event has affected and for how long. More detailed information can be found on the Data Logger Analysis webpage.

It is helpful to document the position of the sensor on the transported goods by means of a photo in order to derive meaningful analyses. If you have any questions regarding the interpretation of the data, please contact our support team by e-mail at support@aspion.de.

How do I interpret the shock details?

The extent to which a shock event with the recorded details was detrimental to your goods depends essentially on the duration of the acceleration. Vibrations can also be seen in the details. In the case of very strong events, several events can occur within a few seconds or minutes. The interpretation of the data is very individual and depends on the goods being transported. Here are a few examples:

More detailed information can be found on the Data Logger Analysis webpage.

We are happy to help with the interpretation of the data. Please contact our support at support@aspion.de.

ASPION L-Track multisensor data logger

In which countries does data transmission work?

Which measurements can the ASPION L-Track record?

The ASPION L-Track logs the following sensor values and sends them to the ASPION Cloud in real time via mobile radio:

Vibrations/shocks
Location information via mobile radio and optionally with GPS
Climate data
- Temperature
- Relative humidity
- Barometric pressure
- Light (opening detection)
Tilt
Simple orientation

Measured values are logged interval- and/or event-based with a time stamp and temporarily stored in a buffer memory on the battery-operated device until transmission.

Is the battery replaceable?

The ASPION L-Track uses four alkaline AA 1.5V batteries, which can be changed by the user. Lithium AA 1.5V batteries can also be used for longer operating times. In this case, the applicable regulations in accordance with the dangerous goods directives must be observed.

Proceed as follows to change the batteries:

Open the housing by unscrewing the screws on the top of the housing with a Torx T10 screwdriver.
Remove the batteries with a blunt non-metallic object (e.g. plastic ball
(e.g. plastic ballpoint pen) from the holder. Avoid contact with the electronics.
Wait at least two minutes and insert four new AA 1.5V batteries (alkaline or lithium) into the holders. Observe the correct polarity.
Tighten the housing with a maximum tightening torque of 0.5 Nm. Improper handling will invalidate the warranty; the housing may also leak and water ingress may destroy the device.

Note: When changing the battery, please note that the device requires up to one hour before measured values are saved again. Historical measured values are transmitted with the next data transfer and are retained in any case.

Is the data retained when the battery is empty?

How long is the battery runtime?

Depending on the configuration, the ASPION L-Track can be used autonomously for several years with one set of batteries.

When delivered, the ASPION L-Track is in energy-saving mode and consumes little power. When using alkaline batteries, the ASPION L-Track requires around a third of the battery capacity per year with standard settings. Frequent data transmission, GPS and shock detection reduce the battery life. The runtime can be approximately doubled by using lithium batteries (hazardous goods guidelines must be observed). The data may vary depending on the climatic conditions.

Where and how do I best attach the data logger?

As a general rule, attach the data logger directly to the transported goods. It is best to select a location where your transported goods are most sensitive to impacts.

Recommended mounting

on steel: M4 ISO 7380 FL
on wood / sheet metal: flat-head screws max. 3.9 mm thread diameter (e.g. DIN 7981)
Tightening torque 0.4 - 0.5 Nm

If screw fastening is not possible or desired, the following alternatives are available:

Industrial adhesive tape, e.g. from 3M (recommended: 3M 5925F)
Cable ties
Magnets (optionally available with mounted magnets)

Please note the suitability for a firm connection of the data logger to your transported goods.

Packaging and possible restrictions on mobile radio transmission

To record temperature and humidity, make sure that the white membrane on the top of the device is not covered when packing the device. If lux values are to be recorded via the light sensor, keep the adjacent light sensor uncovered.
If you use anti-corrosion packaging made of shielding material (e.g. aluminum foil), this creates a Faraday cage, which prevents mobile phone transmission. You can prevent this by excluding a small area, ideally close to the device, from the shielding, for example by installing a viewing/inspection window (e.g. Hermann window). This is the only way to ensure mobile radio transmission when using corrosion protection packaging.

What needs to be considered when recording relative humidity for corrosion-sensitive goods?

As the relative humidity is subject to very large deviations due to temperature fluctuations (e.g. day temperature 20° C, night temperature 8° C), the threshold values for alarms and notifications must be selected accordingly using the Smart Rules for relative humidity. Our recommendations:

If the goods are packed in corrosion-proof packaging with appropriate film and desiccant, set the threshold value for relative humidity to 40 %. Corrosion can already occur at a relative humidity of > 40 %.
If the goods are not susceptible to corrosion, you do not need Smart Rules for humidity. An hourly interval recording of the relative humidity continues to take place regardless of this.