Control Engineering

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Wireless, part 5: Potential
May 11, 2007

To finish up this week, here are four levels of wireless operability. I am tempted to suggest which suppliers look like they are moving into each camp, but I will leave that for another time. As you consider how you can use wireless in your process operation, think about these.

Wireless where wires aren't possible--This is the lowest level approach where wireless communicates in situations where wires can't be installed. E.g., a temperature sensor on the side of a rotary kiln.

Wireless where wires aren't economical--In these situations, wireless is simply cheaper than the cost of wiring. E.g., level or temperature monitoring on a tank farm. This is certainly a compelling reason but not the most creative use.

Wireless to extend wired applications--Suppliers say that wireless will allow you to put instrumentation and sensors in places you hadn't considered before. With lower installation costs and less aggravation, you can do the things you might have wished for, but couldn't justify. You can be more creative, but the basic instrumentation functions are still the same. It is effectively more wired applications without the wires.

Freedom from wires--The ultimate uses of wireless are yet to be found. They will be thought up by creative and clever engineers who start with a clean sheet of paper and say, "Now that we are free from the constraints of wires, here are some truly new and exciting things we can do." So far, very few companies are thinking this way, but hopefully more will emerge. This is where you should be aiming if you can. Listen to new ideas and think big.

Our larger process industry is a conservative lot. To many, the thought of using wireless communication is years off. Given the number of companies that still consider fieldbus a radical technology, we have a long way to go.

Posted by Peter Welander on May 11, 2007 | Comments (0)