Endress+Hauser development team receives AMA Innovation Award

Brewing beer requires continuous monitoring of many parameters. Manual samples can now be eliminated thanks to a sensor for fermentation monitoring by Endress+Hauser called QWX43 that features highly accurate inline-measuring of relevant parameters like density, viscosity, fermentation grade, residual extract, original extract or alcohol content around the clock.

Brewers can retrieve measured values at any time using either mobile devices or a computer with internet access. Notifications can be configured in addition immediately notifying users in case of critical deviations during fermentation.

“When developing the sensor our first thought was to support our brewers in the best possible way,” says Julia Rosenheim, product manager at Endress+Hauser Level+Pressure. “And we are pleased that we found a convincing answer, which is this compact and easy to operate multisensor system.” From the first prototype to the finished instrument in its compact design, the development took two years. Currently, the QWX43 is in use at pilot customers. The serial product will be launched in fall 2021.

To independently and precisely measure several parameters, the QWX43 was designed as a multisensor system that simultaneously measures four physical values, including density, viscosity, acoustic velocity and temperature. It can easily be fit to different fermentation tank systems without adjustment or calibration. The hygienic sensor design allows for quite simple cleaning.

The Innovation Award presented by AMA Association for Sensors and Measurement has been bestowed on research and development teams both form Germany and abroad for more than 20 years. The association is looking for innovative projects and product ideas in the field of sensors and measurement technology with considerable market significance. The award is endowed with an amount of 10,000 euros.

In 2021, the jury comprising industry experts from universities and research institutes as well as companies selected the Endress+Hauser development team of six as one of two of this year’s winning teams. The team includes Julia Rosenheim (Product Manager), Dr Tobias Brengartner (Advanced Sensor Engineer), Jan Schleiferböck (Advanced Sensor Engineer), Dr Sergey Lopatin (Senior Expert), Andrey Dodonov (Software Engineer) and Pablo Ottersbach (Design Engineer).