Recently the requirement for wireless technologies has been growing exponentially, including in the automation industry. There are so many potential applications in manufacturing that the sheer options can become overwhelming. The key is having a sound strategy for wireless applications, realising that some systems benefit from hard-wiring, and that hard-wiring also makes a good 'back up ' plan for when a wireless system goes down.
There are several common applications for wireless technology in the automation industry. One is easy monitoring. This frequently gets shot of the need for a human eye. Over time that may save a company money. Think of inventory control as a good example, including remote inventories. Especially in substantial companies this becomes an arduous task for workers doing it by hand. Having a wireless, automated application simplifies everything and also provides greater accuracy.
Another excellent application for wireless monitoring is for identifying issues with energy consumption and management. By pin-pointing variables in say gas usage a company can then find ways to reduce consumption (again saving money). The same type of monitoring is applicable to pipeline instrumentation. The wireless automatic system can track remote info consistently.
Having said all that, there are limits. Some control processes simply aren't suited to underlying wireless net requirements. The secret is how quickly the wireless system provides response, and what response time is necessary. In these time delicate circumstances, hard-wiring remains the most obvious way to go.
The simplest way to know definitely if your automation systems suit the wireless world is by checking your present infrastructure. What should be added to that infrastructure to deal with the wireless service insuring correct performance? Those elements have to be part of your financial position and your planning process. Think about this like laying a foundation to a building. Every proverbial stone should be solid and placed in the specified order, particularly if you chose mesh networking. The great part of this design is that each device communicates with each other device in the network, and can also become a router if need be. As you expand the number of sensors in this system, the daddy your wifi network stretches.
What about overall tenets for wireless technology in automation? There have been strides made here too. The industry standards is named WirelessHART. These standards provide customs for a wide-range of wireless communications. While this is no means a unified standard, it's a good start.
There are several common applications for wireless technology in the automation industry. One is easy monitoring. This frequently gets shot of the need for a human eye. Over time that may save a company money. Think of inventory control as a good example, including remote inventories. Especially in substantial companies this becomes an arduous task for workers doing it by hand. Having a wireless, automated application simplifies everything and also provides greater accuracy.
Another excellent application for wireless monitoring is for identifying issues with energy consumption and management. By pin-pointing variables in say gas usage a company can then find ways to reduce consumption (again saving money). The same type of monitoring is applicable to pipeline instrumentation. The wireless automatic system can track remote info consistently.
Having said all that, there are limits. Some control processes simply aren't suited to underlying wireless net requirements. The secret is how quickly the wireless system provides response, and what response time is necessary. In these time delicate circumstances, hard-wiring remains the most obvious way to go.
The simplest way to know definitely if your automation systems suit the wireless world is by checking your present infrastructure. What should be added to that infrastructure to deal with the wireless service insuring correct performance? Those elements have to be part of your financial position and your planning process. Think about this like laying a foundation to a building. Every proverbial stone should be solid and placed in the specified order, particularly if you chose mesh networking. The great part of this design is that each device communicates with each other device in the network, and can also become a router if need be. As you expand the number of sensors in this system, the daddy your wifi network stretches.
What about overall tenets for wireless technology in automation? There have been strides made here too. The industry standards is named WirelessHART. These standards provide customs for a wide-range of wireless communications. While this is no means a unified standard, it's a good start.
About the Author:
Todd Smith owns of psifla.com, a website that offers info about automation goods and services.
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