A wireless paradigm for industry and
Wireless technology is proven, and to get an
idea of potential savings, here are three real-world examples from
There’s been a shift in thought
processes centered on wireless networks in industry and
manufacturing settings. A few years ago, manufacturing designers,
builders, and engineers were questioning the ability, reliability
and security of wireless systems for industrial applications.
Today, with growing knowledge and comfort levels with wireless
technology, the questions have migrated to the return on investment
(ROI) achieved with wireless products. Specifically, how much can a
wireless system save a company in maintenance, downtime or
While cost-savings vary from application to
application, wireless adopters are increasing bottom line profits.
From reports of $4,000 per hour of saving factory downtime due to
compromised wired systems, to accounts of 25 ft of wiring equaling
the cost of a complete wireless system, the examples are
Since the development of the 802.15.4 Low-Rate
Wireless Personal Area Network (LR-WPAN), developers have specified
it for countless applications within various industries. It has
opened new doors within industrial sectors as little or no
underlying infrastructure is needed to adopt this wireless
technology. This translates to low installation costs as long cable
runs and hard wiring are eliminated. The lack of wiring and moving
parts increase system reliability, decrease downtime and reduce
maintenance; wear and tear isn’t an issue when wires are
not present to flex, bend, or abrade.
The introduction of 802.15.4 also provided
flexibility with data rates of 250, 40 and 20 kbps; addressing
modes of 16-bit short and 64-bit IEEE; CSMA-CA channel access;
automatic network establishment by the coordinator; fully
hand-shaked protocol for transfer reliability; multiple channel
configurations within the 2.4GHz ISM, 915HHz ISM and 868Mhz bands;
Wireless technology is proven. To get a real
idea of potential savings, real-world examples speak for
themselves. Here are three from various industries.
An industrial plant in Illinois depends on rail
track deliveries to keep production lines moving. For years, a
hard-wired limit switch on a rail gate sounded appropriate
indicators to notify employees of a train’s arrival. The
aged wired system failed because the underground conduit had
disintegrated, disabling the electrical connection to the switch. A
replacement switch was needed quickly to resume the
facility’s required procedures.
Initial research indicated that a hard-wired
solution would require extensive trenching to replace old wiring,
as well as contractor time and fees. The total cost could
potentially reach $10,000, with up to 6 weeks of installation time
and significant site disruption.
The company found an alternative with a
wireless-enabled limit switch and monitor that could be used for
position sensing and presence/absence detection. The switch is
mounted on the gate (see Fig. 1) and
an antenna cable is mounted on the plant’s railroad
crossing sign. As a train enters the gate, the switch communicates
with a monitor mounted inside the manufacturing facility, through
another antenna mounted outside the building. The monitor then
activates a computer control system which activates the
facility’s safety sound and light indicators, notifying
employees of a train’s presence.
Fig. 1: The ability to quickly and simply
mount a wireless outdoor limit switch on a rail gate as shown
resulted in significant cost savings.
The entire wireless system was up and running in
just over 6 hours, and cost less than $1,000. There was no wiring,
conduits, clips or connectors to purchase or install. There were no
wire routing problems to solve, virtually eliminating location and
placement restrictions of the limit switch.
Going wireless has reduced maintenance costs as
well. Troubleshooting is simplified and system reliability is
increased by eliminating issues that arise from switch wiring and
connectors. The switch is simpler to replace as there is no
disconnecting or re-attaching of wiring. In addition, battery costs
are minimal because batteries last up to three years due to low
A common fixture in medical settings,
educational and scientific labs, fume hoods are local ventilation
devices designed to limit exposure to hazardous or noxious fumes,
vapors and dusts. Typically a large piece of equipment enclosing
five sides of a work area, fume hoods are either designed to be
ducted or re-circulated (see Fig.
Fig. 2: Like the unit seen above, fume
hoods are typically a large piece of equipment with a work area
enclosed on five sides that is accessible through a front door.
With a ducted work area, leaving the hood door open can prove
costly, so wireless monitoring can pay for itself rapidly.
Ducted fume hoods expel compromised air through
an outside vent. In this configuration, fume hood doors left open
actually pull conditioned (interior) air into the fixture, creating
huge energy inefficiencies – and expensive heating or
cooling bills. Several universities have actually reported annual
energy losses of between $1,500 and $2,500 per hood per year. The
energy savings – and environmental benefits –
of eliminating open fume hood door situations can be
One major university decided to install a
wireless solution that would notify operators if a fume door was
left open. A wireless switch placed on fume hood doors communicates
with a receiver, which in turn, sends a wireless message to a
computer server. Flexibility in design allows the system to be
converted to an Ethernet connection if necessary and the message
can be set up to communicate via e-mail, text, or smart phone. The
wireless system was easy to install, and industry officials predict
an ROI of less than one year due to energy loss savings alone.
Automotive factory floors
The stakes are high and finances tight in the
automotive sector, which is why wireless solutions can provide big
dividends. Manufacturers are using wireless technology in engine
block transmission case machining centers, engine block boring
tables, assembly lines, operator line switches, and more (see Figure 3).
Fig. 3: Wireless systems are already at
use in automotive manufacturing faclities for engine block
transmission case machining (top) and in robotic assembly lines
Traditionally, hard-wired switches have had to
battle wear and tear due to heat, constant wire flexing, metal
shards and cutting fluids that degrade the wiring. This leads to
expensive product replacement and factory downtime, which some
factory managers calculate to be $100K per hour in lost revenue. In
just two minutes, a downed assembly line can put factory production
behind by an entire vehicle.
Cutting the cords
The advantages and flexibility of 802.15.4
LR-WPAN technology have enabled engineers to eliminate the wires in
a variety of manufacturing and industrial applications. From
remote, extreme or hazardous environments to
environmentally-controlled factory settings, today’s
wireless technology can handle the challenge.
The options and flexibility in component designs
are available and the reliability, security and robustness are
built in – and the transmission ranges can be selected to
meet the need.
So, in effect, the only question that remains to
be answered is, when are you going to cut the cords in your