Torque-based Edge Insights: ITM iTestSystem Automated Analytics + Binsfeld TT50

In industrial and marine environments, the drivetrain is often the most critical — and least monitored — part of the system. Rotating shafts transferring torque through gearboxes, couplings, and propellers generate enormous forces that, left unmeasured, become the root cause of unexpected failures, unplanned downtime, and costly maintenance cycles.

Traditional torque measurement solutions require shaft disassembly, custom machining, or elaborate base-mount hardware. For live production machinery, that’s simply not an option. What engineers and plant managers need is a way to instrument a shaft in place, collect high-fidelity data, and get that data into the hands of decision-makers — without a team of specialists on-site and without shutting down production.

Edge Solutions by ITM delivers exactly this: a complete edge-to-cloud workflow that acquires, analyzes, and reports on industrial measurement data automatically and continuously — no engineers on-site required. To bring that capability to rotating shafts, ITM integrates the Binsfeld TorqueTrak 50 SPM (TT50) wireless torque transducer — a sensor purpose-built for live shafts that delivers torque, RPM, and power data over Modbus RTU with zero shaft modification.

From Shaft to Cloud: ITM’s iTestSystem Automated Analytics Enables Torque-based Edge Insights

The software: iTestSystem

ITM’s iTestSystem platform is purpose-built for industrial test and measurement, combining real-time data acquisition, automated edge analytics, and cloud connectivity in a unified software stack. The platform runs on standard hardware — from ruggedized single-board PCs to laptop-class machines — and is designed to operate unattended in the field, continuously collecting, analyzing, and reporting data without requiring an engineer on-site.

iTestSystem integrates directly with NI CompactDAQ hardware for high-channel-count mixed-signal acquisition, and its Modbus RTU support extends that reach to industrial sensors and wireless transmitters like the Binsfeld TT50 — all managed from a single software environment. The result is a platform that turns raw sensor signals into decision-ready insights at the edge, then ships those insights to the cloud automatically.

The three key components in this integration are:

• iTestSystem MultiDAQ — Handles real-time signal acquisition from the TT50’s RX50 receiver over Modbus RTU, polling at up to 2,400 samples/sec. Trigger-based TDMS (Technical Data Management Streaming) logging initiates file capture automatically — when torque exceeds a threshold, on a time-based schedule, or on any configurable condition — with no manual intervention required. TDMS is the industry-standard test data format, natively compatible with NI LabVIEW, DIAdem, and the broader NI ecosystem.
• TestView+ — A project-based data visualization and analysis environment that works directly on TDMS files. Engineers use TestView+ to review torque trends, apply FFT and filter analysis, identify anomalies, and generate test reports — all without exporting data to a separate tool. Python scripting support enables custom analysis plugins within the same environment.
• Edge Analytics (A2) Pipeline — The automation engine at the heart of ITM’s edge-to-cloud workflow. A background process monitors the TDMS output directory and wakes automatically when a new file is detected. It runs configurable statistical analysis — mean, min, max, standard deviation, RMS, trend detection — extracts KPIs, and writes results to a local summary file. A Python-driven MQTT client then packages those KPIs as JSON payloads and publishes them to AWS IoT Core for cloud visualization and alerting. The entire pipeline runs unattended, with no human in the loop.

The hardware: Binsfeld TorqueTrak 50 SPM Shaft Power Meter

The TT50 is a strain gage-based shaft torque and power monitoring system with one specific goal: accurate torque, RPM, and power measurements on rotating shafts with zero disassembly and zero shaft modification. The system’s two primary components work together out of the box:

• TX50 Strain Transmitter — A clamp-on collar that mounts directly to the shaft using a modular chain link design. No base mount, no welding, no machined adapters. Chain links are added or removed with standard hardware to accommodate different shaft diameters. On-shaft electronics are encased in potting and sealed in a corrosion-proof IP66 housing rated for –40°C to 70°C — built for abusive industrial environments.
• RX50 Receiver — A compact IP68 receiver that communicates with the TX50 via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and outputs data over Modbus RTU — immediately compatible with PLCs, edge computers, and data acquisition platforms. The receiver accepts 9–36 VDC and requires only 2 W typical.

The built-in gyro measures shaft RPM onboard, so power is calculated automatically from torque and speed — no additional sensors or cable runs required. The 24-bit ADC ensures the measurement accuracy that matters when you’re monitoring critical machinery health. And because the RX50 outputs standard Modbus RTU, iTestSystem MultiDAQ connects directly with no custom drivers or middleware.

Parameter	Value
Strain channels	2 (one transmitter)
ADC resolution	24-bit
Sample rate	Up to 2,400 samples/sec aggregate
Shaft speed sensor	Integrated gyro (no external sensor needed)
Max speed measurement	666 RPM
RF transmission	Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
Output protocol	Modbus RTU
Battery life	1 year (Li-SoCl₂)
On-shaft ingress protection	IP66
Receiver ingress protection	IP68

Edge to cloud in four steps

Putting it all together, the iTestSystem + TT50 workflow looks like this:

1. Measurement at the shaft — The TX50 collar clamps onto the rotating shaft. Two strain gage channels capture torque; the integrated gyro captures shaft speed. Data transmits over BLE to the RX50, which presents it as Modbus RTU registers.
2. Acquisition at the edge — iTestSystem MultiDAQ, running on a single-board PC near the machinery, polls the RX50 at up to 2,400 samples/sec. Trigger logic initiates TDMS file logging automatically — no dedicated test engineer required on-site.
3. Analytics at the edge — The A2 pipeline wakes when a new TDMS file is detected, runs statistical analysis, extracts KPIs, and publishes them as JSON payloads to an AWS IoT MQTT broker.
4. Visualization in the cloud — AWS routes MQTT messages to a Grafana dashboard. Operations teams see live torque trends, historical KPI plots, and automated alerts from any browser, anywhere.

The entire pipeline runs unattended. Once commissioned, the system monitors continuously and reports automatically.

Why this combination works

This is not a custom integration requiring months of development — it is an off-the-shelf solution assembled from proven components:

The TT50’s Modbus RTU output drops directly into iTestSystem MultiDAQ with no custom drivers or middleware. TDMS is the industry-standard test data format — compatible with NI LabVIEW, DIAdem, and a broad ecosystem of analysis tools. The 24-bit ADC and auto-balance strain bridge mean measurement quality is not a compromise.

Dashboards update in near-real-time. KPI reports generate automatically. No manual data export, no spreadsheet to update, no engineer required on-site. When drivetrain behavior changes, the team knows before it becomes a failure.

Commissioning a complete edge-to-cloud torque monitoring system is a matter of days, not months. The same TT50 collar can move to a different shaft diameter as needs change, and the iTestSystem platform scales to add temperature, vibration, and pressure channels alongside torque.

Solution configurations

ITM offers this capability in three configurations:

• Full Edge-to-Cloud System — TT50 hardware + iTestSystem MultiDAQ + A2 edge analytics + AWS MQTT + Grafana dashboards. Turnkey deployment, minimal development effort.
• Cloud Connect — For organizations with existing data infrastructure, ITM develops custom integrations connecting the TT50 data stream to your preferred cloud platform.
• Expanded Mixed-Signal System — Add vibration, temperature, pressure, and speed channels alongside torque in a unified iTestSystem acquisition environment.

Conclusion

Automate your torque measurement workflow with ITM’s iTestSystem and the Binsfeld TT50. Whether you are managing a ship propulsion shaft, an industrial drivetrain, or a network of rotating assets, iTestSystem’s Automated Analytics transforms raw torque data into real-time edge insights — no custom software development, no manual reporting, no dedicated engineer on-site required.

Because of the TT50’s chain link collar design, no shaft machining or disassembly is required — installation is measured in hours, not days. Contact ITM to discuss lead times and deployment options for your application.

Learn how to automate your next torque measurement by contacting ITM today: 1-844-837-8797. Learn more about the Binsfeld TT50 at binsfeld.com.

Related solutions

Recent insights