Wireless technologies are increasingly being used in process manufacturing. While no single wireless solution meets all application needs, technologies are improving to find the right balance between radio technology, power supply, and industrial requirements. Recent trends focus on extending battery life through lower power operation and energy harvesting. Wireless field sensing has been commercialized since 2003 and provides benefits like longer device life, more reliable communication, and better security. Standards like IEEE 802.15.4 and WirelessHART are helping wireless adoption by addressing interoperability. Going forward, wireless solutions could fully automate data capture and analysis to remotely monitor more plant assets with lower installation costs.

1. Wireless in Process Manufacturing:
Wi l i P M f t i
Making Progress,
with More on the Way
Harry Forbes
Senior Analyst
ARC Advisory Group
y p
HForbes@ARCweb.com

2. Agenda
2007 ARC Best Practices Research
Why Multiple Technologies?
Current trends, leading applications
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3. Industrial Wireless Products
Must Find a “Sweet Spot”
Radio
Technology
and
End User
interference Requirements
rejection
ISM RF Application
Band vs. Requirements
licensed
li d (data
(d t rate, latency,
t l t
range, etc.)
Device Power
Supply
Network
N t k Long U f l
L Useful
Protocols Life
Network Industrial
Topology Environment
No single wireless technology solution
meets all requirements of all applications!
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4. Industrial Wireless Solutions
Require Many Design Decisions
Radio
Variables
Signaling Range PAN LAN MAN WAN
(meters) 1-30m 10-100m 100-5,000m 5,000-20,000m
Data Rate
(kbps) 102 103 104 105 106
Power Supply Self-contained or Rechargeable Mains power
replaceable battery (high power)
battery (low power)
(low power)
Radio Spectrum Unlicensed Unlicensed Licensed
Sub-1GHz 2.4Ghz
Modulation Analog Digital Spread Spread
Spectrum Spectrum
FHSS DSSS
Application
Variables
Industrial Protected Higher IP ratings Hazardous
locations (moisture, dust) location
certification
Data Sampling 1 Hz 10 Hz 100 Hz 1000 Hz
Rates
(Hz)
Synchronization 1 sec 1 mSec 1 µSec
Required
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5. Industrial Wireless Solutions
Design Decisions -- Field Transmitters
Radio
Variables
Signaling Range PAN LAN MAN WAN
(meters) 1-30m 10-100m 100-5,000m 5,000-20,000m
Data Rate
(kbps) 102 103 104 105 106
Power Supply Self-contained or Rechargeable Mains power
replaceable battery (high power)
battery (low power)
(low power)
Radio Spectrum Unlicensed Unlicensed Licensed
Sub-1GHz 2.4Ghz
Modulation Analog Digital Spread Spread
Spectrum Spectrum
FHSS DSSS
Application
Variables
Industrial Protected Higher IP ratings Hazardous
locations (moisture, dust) location
certification
Data Sampling 1 Hz 10 Hz 100 Hz 1000 Hz
Rates
(Hz)
Synchronization 1 sec 1 mSec 1 µSec
Required
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6. Trend:
Focus on extreme low-power operation
New wireless sensor semiconductor ventures
focused on low power operation
p p
• 2007 GreenPeak Technologies
• IEEE 802.15.4 (ZigBee) chips, modules
• Optimized for low power
• 2006 Gainspan Corporation
• IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi) chips
• Optimized for low power
• Existing SoC products reduce power
• Dust Networks
• Ember
• TI 19
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7. Less Power Needed by New Radio Modules
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8. Trend:
Self-Powered Wireless Sensor Nodes
Super-capacitor Radio
Power Micro-
Conditioning controller
PMG
Vibration Energy Sensors
Micro-generator
g
Commercialized 10/2007
(Bently Nevada wSIM)
Power supplies are ATEX certified
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9. Wireless Field Sensing
Commercial products
since 2003
Longer life
More reliable
communication
Better security
Soon standards-based
• IEEE 802.15.4
• HART V.7 (WirelessHART)
• ISA SP100
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10. Wireless Condition Monitoring - Future
Sensors include energy harvesting
Low i t ll ti
L installation cost
t
Data capture can be fully automated
Data analysis can be fully automated
Will extend monitoring to
important p
p plant assets
Can be installed on existing
plant assets
Requires network
infrastructure
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11. Summary: Things To Remember
Wireless can yield huge value,
but not without effort
Process plants will always use
many different forms of wireless
Wireless product introductions
will continue to accelerate
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12. Thank You.
For more information, contact the author at
HForbes@ARCweb.com or visit
www.arcweb.com
www arcweb com
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