Industrial wireless: Driving connectivity beyond the office

That wireless connectivity across the enterprise can deliver value is well recognized. However, establishing wireless connectivity in an industrial environment presents challenges not found in the typical office environment.

These challenges include a need for heightened reliability to protect against unplanned downtime in the production process. Mobility must be established at a reasonable cost despite the additional challenges and extensive physical area that must be covered.

Understanding these issues and how to address them will lead to successful deployment of an industrial wireless solution and connectivity within the enterprise.

Regardless of what is being produced—from power and petrochemicals to vehicles or electronics—the industrial coverage area is far more expansive than that of the typical enterprise. While many enterprises do have a sprawling campus-like environment, an industrial environment invariably includes large outdoor areas, plants down the road or many miles away, and workers at dispersed locations. Not only is the physical area vast, it may include varied physical environments—inside and outside the four walls—where reliable wireless connectivity must be established among factors that may include extreme temperatures, prevailing winds, or obstacles such as buildings or large equipment.

The presence of multiple fixtures and equipment can create RF “blind spots.” Very high ceilings may call for high-cost, specialized labor for wiring and installation of wireless infrastructure. Industry regulations also add to these costs since some wiring may need to be run through metal conduit. Hazardous or explosive materials found in many industrial environments add another level of complexity.

Costs are most impacted by the scope of the engagement. Many enterprises must wirelessly connect mobile computers on an ad hoc basis. In addition to enabling use of quality, asset management, and other applications on a mobile device, the industrial enterprise may need to track personnel. Other physical assets may be tracked to ensure the right equipment and materials are available when needed.

The extension of mobility to sensor networks can provide real-time plant or equipment information, which is crucial to the general health of the business, by revealing a pending machinery issue that can be resolved—before it impacts production levels, profitability, or employee safety. Success in the industrial environment is dependent upon understanding its unique requirements, and how those requirements translate into criteria for the selection of the most crucial aspect of any mobility solution—the wireless infrastructure.

The selection of the right infrastructure will ensure the following:

• The performance and functionality needed today;
• The system selected can grow as business needs change and grow;
• Reduced risk;
• Maximum success; and
• Clear return-on-investment.

The extension of mobility into the industrial space requires wireless connectivity inside the four walls, out in the plant, in warehouses or yards, between campuses and plants, and even in outlying areas. Achieving true inside/outside coverage calls for selection of a wireless infrastructure ecosystem capable of seamless interconnectivity—which might include wireless LANs, point-to-point, and point-to-multipoint networks and private wide area networks.

The RF switch is the key in this ecosystem, providing device connectivity and a platform for integrating the required wireless technologies. Regardless of whether workers remain inside the enterprise compound or are in the field, seamless voice and data connectivity are required to maintain peak workforce efficiency. It is important to understand the types of features and functions that extend mobility in an industrial enterprise.

In a production environment, maximum uptime is crucial: The wireless system must offer the same level of reliability as the wired network. For example, if wireless communications on the assembly line are unavailable, a call for material replenishment may not be received in time to prevent unplanned shutdown of the production line—a potentially costly situation.

The extension of mobility into the industrial space requires wireless connectivity inside the four walls, out in the plant, in warehouses or yards, between campuses and plants, and even in outlying areas.

Performance-enhancing features that contribute to reliability provide granular control over the availability and quality of the wireless connection. The wireless system must enable users to roam to the next access port or access point before connection erodes. Equipment that automatically changes to a different channel ensures that users maintain a robust connection despite challenging environmental conditions.

Traffic-control features provide granularity. For example, the ability to segment voice and data traffic ensures the quality of voice calls while wireless systems that reduce processing requirements on the mobile devices themselves ensure ample battery power during shifts, as well as improve the overall life cycle of the battery.

To achieve a level of security equal to that of the wired LAN, the wireless system should offer a comprehensive portfolio of security features that can be layered to achieve the right level of security for different applications. Data should be protected as it travels over the wireless infrastructure. The ability to monitor the wireless system in real time is critical to minimizing effects of any security breach.

Management of wireless solutions often ripple into ongoing operational costs that may be more costly than purchasing and deploying the system itself—and can actually erode the benefits of the mobility solution. To address this issue, solution providers should offer comprehensive management solutions that allow central and remote management of many possible aspects of the mobility solution, including:

• Wi-Fi infrastructure, including wireless switches, access port, and access points;
• Mobile devices, including bar-code scanners and handheld mobile computers;
• RFID readers;
• Sensor networks; and
• Locating networks for visibility into the location of an Wi-Fi mobile device or asset with an RFID-tag.

Deploying a wireless system in an industrial environment can be a costly endeavor. For example, regulations that may require conduit for wiring can drive wiring costs alone up to $100 per foot in a typical processing plant. As a result, installing a wireless system in an industrial environment can be 10 times more than the cost of the infrastructure itself.

The right wireless infrastructure features can dramatically reduce the cost of deployment in this environment.

For example:

• Backhaul capabilities: Mesh-enabled access points can wirelessly connect to other access points for data backhaul, eliminating the need—and associated cost—for Ethernet or fiber cabling.
• Point-to-point bridging: Mesh-enabled access points can create a point-to-point bridge to connect two wired networks—or a complex multi-node, multi-link network—providing a highly reliable and very cost-effective means to extend the network outdoors and to other remote areas.
• Cost-effective power solutions: Power-over-Ethernet can eliminate the need to run power to access ports and points, reducing the high cost of wiring.
• A full suite of antennas: A broad range of antennas enables the creation of flexible RF coverage patterns that reach into odd shaped areas and around fixtures—instead of requiring the purchase of additional access ports or access points.

When selecting an industrial wireless provider, technical expertise, deep vertical experience, a systems approach, and strong ecosystem of application are keys to ensuring a successful deployment.