NIR (near infrared) is best suited for a great majority of all applications. These would include foods, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, paper and any other powder, granular, web, or coating application. This is primarily because of its ease of installation and the fact that it does not need to contact the product to assure accurate moisture measurements. A sensor about the size of a large flashlight is mounted over a conveyor (belt, screw, vibratory, etc.) and simply shines a light about 1 in. (3 cm) in diameter onto the surface of the product. An analog or digital output signal that’s proportional to the actual moisture content is then available to be used for closed loop moisture control if desired.