A new measuring tool for meteorological services, airports, road maintenance depots, and ski resorts, as well as for the generation of renewable energy, is now available from Lufft: the SHM31 measures snow depths of up to 15 metres in mere seconds. It is the successor to the tried-and-trusted SHM30, which Jenoptik launched on the market in mid-2009. Since 2014, SHM30 has been a fixed part of Lufft’s range of optical sensors.
The snow-depth sensor is based on an opto-electronic laser distance-measuring tool, and works with a visible measuring beam that is easy to configure. It recognises layers of snow of up to 15 metres on natural, diffusely reflective surfaces. Measurements are accurate down to a few millimetres. Additionally, the integrated evaluation of signal intensity enables reflectivity to be assessed, and the base surface to be differentiated from the snow.
Some new features of the Lufft SHM31 snow depth sensor include, in particular, the different communication interfaces, which make the sensor fully compatible with Lufft’s UMB standards. In addition, the sensor has an integrated window heater for the entry and exit points of the laser beam, as well as an in-built protractor for simple assembly.
