Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI/AMR)
- If we cannot monitor and manage consumption, we cannot move our cities towards a smarter, greener future.
Amplex MeterMind™ is an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) solution that enables measurement, collection and analysis of consumption data from electricity, gas and water meters. The solution suits all network configurations regardless of meter type, deployment size and topography.Adding intelligence to household and industrial meters is a cornerstone of our vision for bridging the LV gap. MeterMind™ increases visibility and improves insight at the user level. This adds significant value to our StartGrid™ solution that covers substations and lower nodes in the low-voltage network.
- MeterMind™ comes with a workflow driven app (iPhone and Android) that speeds up meter installation and replacements documenting the process at the same time. It’s fast to document the entire process using pictures and the installation of new meters are fast and safe.
In combination, MeterMind™ and StartGrid™ power a new era for your entire LV grid and speed your city towards smarter, more intelligent electricity and water consumption.
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The benefits
Amplex MeterMind™ delivers a wide range of benefits including:
- Automatic data collection – without truck rolls or home visits
- Accurate billing – based on real-time information
- Better demand management – with the visibility to make choices
- Improved forecasting – and resource optimization
- Remote connection and disconnection – quickly and at no cost
- Field App saving maintenance and installation costs
Get control of your energy consumption. MeterMind™ adds intelligence where it matters.
- Do you still have a fleet of meter men collecting data from consumption meters?
Or are you relying on your end users to manually read their meters and send the data to you – with the possibility of errors and oversights? With an Advanced Metering Infrastructure, you can automate the data collection process and get a myriad of control and analysis features.
Your current scenario:
- You still collect meter data manually
- You cannot remotely connect or disconnect end users
- Your billing information is often incorrect
- You cannot detect fraud or technical losses
- Making forecasts is difficult and time consuming
- You cannot perform demand management
- You are not ready to embrace the future smart homes
- You cannot move forward with Smart Grid until your consumption meters are made smart
We get your problem:
- You want automated data collection and accurate billing
- You need demand management and improved forecasting
- Our recommendations:
Update your existing meters to smart, intelligent meters and connect them to your control central with our reliable two-way communications infrastructure. To add intelligence and control features to your consumption meters, we recommend the following components:
- Smart meters
- Amplex meter interface modules
- Wireless communication modules
- CPU or Squid gateway
- Field deployment App
- Server – local or hosted
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Communications
MeterMind™ uses typically wireless bi-directional communications in order to reliably and inexpensively send meter readings and other information to the data center and send system upgrades to the remote units.
A solid and dependable communications infrastructure is a key component of an AMI solution. Amplex wireless technologies delivers very high reliability of data transmission, both inbound and outbound. When new meters are added, they are automatically discovered and instantly updated with the most recent software, minimizing the time spent on site visits.
A Smart Grid component
Adding intelligence to household and industrial meters are part of Amplex’ vision of bridging the LV gap. With increased visibility not just at the user level, but in substations, service turrets and feeder pillars, the Smart Grid vision becomes reality for the LV network, providing valuable insight through real-time monitoring, analysis and control. With its smart meters and communications infrastructure, MeterMind™ is an integral part of this project.
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Automatic discovery.
New modules are instantly and automatically discovered when they are installed. Upon installation, the new equipment is tested on-site for full functionality and communications performance, confirmable by GridTool™ – a field tool for easy deployment. The modules interface with a wide range of meter manufacturers. Configuring a MeterMind™ solution, the installation topography is surveyed and taken into consideration, ensuring that the optimal communications media is used for each installation. To ensure reliability, MeterMind™ employs a system of carrier switching where essential data is sent to the central system via alternative methods when the preferred carrier is unavailable. Less important data are either sent later or cancelled if they are no longer pertinent.
Read more about the modules and communications technology behind the MeterMind™ solution.
Server architecture
Amplex solutions are controlled and configured through an enterprise application server dedicated for intelligent utility solutions. The application server supports a variety of languages and has a customized presentation layer in the language and design required.
Get control of utility consumption. MeterMind™ adds intelligence where it matters.
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With accurate, automated data collection, MeterMind™ improves the efficiency of meter readings to the benefit of both utility and end user.
- Get accurate billing based on real-time information
- Reduce errors in the reading process
- Cut down on labor costs and mileage on service trucks
- Improve utility cash flow
- Detect fraud and expensive leakages
- Improve asset planning
- Reduce peak consumption
- Enable pre-paid metering
- Improve demand management – with the visibility to make informed choices
- Make better forecasting and resource optimization
- Remotely connect and disconnect the end user – quickly and at no cost
The components: Reliable data transmission
With MeterMind™, you get extremely high reliability of data transmission. Our solution consists of components tied together by the proven Amplex communications platform.
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Deployment
Installing a metering solution can be a challenging task. Many thousands of individual site visits are needed, stressing the need for a solid deployment methodology. We have already deployed our solution in several hundred thousand metering points, and we know what’s important:
- Installation made easy
- No new wiring
- Quick commissioning
- Many meters to one concentrator
- Self-monitoring modules
- Advanced device management
- Multiple communication methods and advanced carrier switching
- Remote updates and control