Proposal and Implementation of a Power Visualization System for Manufacturing Lines Using CT Sensors and Low-power Wide-area

Abstract

This paper proposes and implements a non-invasive power visualization system designed to analyze electricity consumption at the production line-level in manufacturing facilities. In Japan, commercial electricity costs are significantly affected by the maximum demand value—defined as the highest 30-minute average power usage recorded within a month. Therefore, reducing sudden power peaks is critical for minimizing operational expenses. The proposed system employs clamp-type current transformers (CT sensors), which can be attached to existing electrical lines without modifying facility infrastructure. Sensor data is wirelessly transmitted using Long Range (LoRa), a low-power, long-range communication technology, enabling centralized management and visualization of multi-line electricity data without additional wiring. This study presents the design and implementation of a complete monitoring solution composed of microcontroller-based sensor nodes, LoRa-compatible gateways, and a server-driven visualization dashboard. Evaluation in a simulated environment demonstrated adequate measurement accuracy, facilitating the identification of peak demand and enhancing intuitive understanding of consumption trends.