Wireless Technology in Industrial IoT

Anja Van Bocxlaer

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Wireless Technologies for the Industrial IoT

Wireless technologies for the industrial IoT do not only have to be suitable for demanding production environments, they also have to be specifically tuned to the processes of the particular industry.

An infrastructure of data carriers and readers is installed that is linked with the Internet of Things. In this case, readers receive information stored on the carriers (e. g. an ID) and pre-process it before pushing it onto another operating layer of the IoT where it can be processed further.

Another way to utilise wireless technology would be to allow M2M communication for a self-organised manufacture, a system of gateways and devices can be implemented.

All articles in this section have been selected with care to not only provide you with information about certain projects but also to give you the opportunity to find the exact fit of supplier, product, or solution for your own project.

Automation at the centre

The core of any modern production site is automation. Due to the mass variety and individual production options for the end-customer that are time-consuming and costly to manufacture and require absolute functionality in all operations, the production has resorted to wireless technologies.

Sensor networks provide the foundation for the flow and exchange of information: They save, receive, and transfer data that is relevant for production processes – such as information about location or the next production steps. This automated system is supposed to prevent errors and delays in an environment that is under a tight schedule. For just-in-time or even just-in-sequence processes, wireless technologies on site and during the supply chain monitor processes and locate objects.

Real-time information for a decentralised system

Whether for asset tracking (item tagging), quality control and documentation (test results), inventory monitoring (items in-and-out), predictive maintenance (status information), or machine control (production processes) – wireless technologies like RFID, barcode, WLAN, or BLE provide real-time information in a decentralised system that can be saved, accessed, transferred, updated, and documented.

Processes can be adjusted quickly and efficiently to reduce delays, depending on suddenly arising requirements. In the vision of the smart factory, wireless technologies provide the basis for all communication and production operations.