1. Product Overview
The Induskey INK426 is a precision in-pavement monitoring device designed for highway and major roadway applications. It integrates four specialized measuring elements: a surface temperature sensor, a multi-frequency dielectric sensor, a salinity and freeze-point sensor, and a surface water-film height sensor. Together, these elements detect a comprehensive range of road surface conditions including icing, standing water, snow accumulation, dampness, and dryness, as well as measuring surface temperature, freeze-point temperature, and salinity levels. The compact flush-mount design (Ø120 mm × 50 mm) allows direct embedding into the road surface for accurate, real-time measurements under actual traffic conditions. With IP68 highest ingress protection and salt-fog resistant construction, the INK426 withstands chemical corrosion, physical traffic impact, and high-pressure washing for reliable long-term operation in the most demanding environments.
2. System Architecture
The INK426 operates as a fully integrated multi-element in-pavement sensing unit with the following core components:
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Surface Temperature Element: Precision thermistor for direct road-surface temperature measurement.
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Multi-Frequency Dielectric Sensor: Detects water film, ice layers, and snow by analyzing dielectric property changes across multiple frequencies.
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Salinity & Freeze-Point Element: Measures salt concentration to determine the exact freezing temperature of surface moisture.
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Surface Water-Film Height Sensor: Quantifies standing water depth on the road surface.
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Signal Processing Unit: Integrates all four sensor outputs for comprehensive real-time road condition assessment.
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RS485 Communication Module: Reliable digital communication with configurable baud rate up to 38,400 bit/s.
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IP68 Sealed Enclosure: Fully submersible housing withstands high-pressure wash and continuous immersion.
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Pre-Terminated Cable: Standard 5m cable with CAGE CLAMP WAGO connector for plug-and-play installation.
3. Key Features & Competitive Advantages
A. Compact & Easy Installation
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Flush-mount Ø120 mm × 50 mm design embeds directly into road surface.
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Minimal road surface disruption during installation.
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~800 g lightweight construction.
B. Multi-Parameter Detection
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Measures temperature, water, ice, snow, dampness, dryness, freeze-point, and salinity simultaneously.
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Comprehensive real-time assessment from a single embedded point.
C. IP68 Protection
D. Chemical & Physical Resistance
E. Wide Temperature Range
F. Low Power Design
G. Flexible Baud Rate
H. RS485 Digital Output
I. Standard 5m Cable
J. Real-Time Monitoring
K. Coastal Environment Rated
4. Technical Specifications
| System Parameter |
Specification |
| Physical |
|
| Sensor Dimensions |
Ø120 mm × 50 mm (Φ 120 × H 50 mm) |
| Weight |
Approx. 800 g |
| Measurement Performance |
|
| Detectable States |
Ice, standing water, snow, dampness, dryness, surface temperature, freeze-point, salinity |
| System Configuration |
|
| Power Supply |
9 ~ 14 VDC |
| Power Consumption |
<200 mA |
| Communication Interface |
RS485 |
| Baud Rate |
2,400 ~ 38,400 bit/s |
| Cable Length |
5 m (standard) |
| Connector Type |
CAGE CLAMP WAGO (<0.5 mm) |
| Environmental |
|
| Operating Temperature |
-30 °C ~ +70 °C |
| Operating Humidity |
0 ~ 100 %RH |
| Atmospheric Pressure |
≥650 hPa |
| Storage Temperature |
-30 °C ~ +70 °C |
| Protection Class |
IP68 (highest ingress protection) |
| Salt-Fog Resistance |
Suitable for coastal areas |
5. Applications
The Induskey INK426 is engineered for versatile deployment across road infrastructure and winter maintenance operations:
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Highway Automatic Weather Stations: Core in-pavement road condition sensor for highway meteorological station networks.
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Expressway Winter Maintenance: Real-time freeze-point and salinity data for optimized de-icing agent dosage and plowing dispatch.
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Bridge and Tunnel Surface Monitoring: Critical embedded monitoring at structures prone to rapid ice formation and thermal gradients.
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Coastal Road Condition Assessment: Salt-fog resistant design ideal for marine and coastal highway environments.
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Airport Runway Safety Systems: Precision surface condition detection for aviation safety and landing operations.
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Urban Road Ice Warning Networks: City road network embedded monitoring for traffic advisory and public safety systems.
6. Optional Cloud Platform
To maximize operational oversight, the INK426 seamlessly integrates with the optional Induskey industrial IoT Cloud Platform via host system data forwarding.
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Real-Time Remote Dashboard: Operators can access in-pavement road condition data to directly read surface temperature, freeze-point, salinity, water-film height, and ice/snow/dampness/dryness states remotely.
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Multi-Site Centralized Management: Enables GPS positioning of multiple embedded sensors across highway networks, bridge portfolios, or airport runway systems, facilitating data-driven intelligent winter maintenance management.
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Alarm Notification: Supports programmable threshold alarms for hazardous road conditions (icing detected, freeze-point approaching, high water-film height) configured to automatically dispatch notifications to maintenance dispatch centers and traffic control via SMS and email.
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Data Export & Reporting: Generates continuous historical road condition curves and operational logs for winter maintenance efficiency analysis, de-icing cost optimization, traffic safety reporting, and regulatory compliance.
