Gas AMR Module
A retrofit automated meter reading module for standard diaphragm gas meters — no meter replacement required.
Read the StoryProblem Statement
City gas distribution operators are mandated to move to automated meter reading, but the installed base is millions of mechanical diaphragm meters. Replacing every meter is capital-prohibitive, and Indian regulations require the meter itself to remain a sealed, calibrated unit.
The challenge: digitize the existing meter, without breaking its seal, and get the reading reliably to a billing system.
Planning
We built a non-intrusive sensor that clips onto the standard index drum of common Indian diaphragm meters. Magnetic and inductive sensing detect the rotation of the dial without touching it, and an embedded MCU debounces and accumulates reads.
Connectivity is dual-mode: NB-IoT on managed cellular networks, LoRa on city-grid networks where the operator runs their own gateways. A 10-year primary cell powers the module, scoped against meter read intervals of 6 to 24 hours.
Testing
The sensor was characterised against a calibrated gas-flow rig at a NABL-accredited lab, with reference gas being injected at controlled rates while the AMR module ran in parallel with a wired pulse output from the meter. Long-term drift was tracked over 10,000 hours of accelerated cycling.
Tamper detection was deliberately stress-tested — magnets, vibration, and casing removal all emit a distinct signature on the uplink so the operator can flag suspect installations.
Production
The module is supplied to two Indian city gas distributors at scale, retrofitted by their meter-reading staff during routine visits — no meter replacement, no civil work, no service interruption. End-of-line tests verify the magnetic pickup, the radio uplink, and the tamper switches before the unit is sealed.
Operators receive readings on a managed dashboard and an API that drops directly into their existing billing system.
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