5 ways to wireless success: Apprion says learn from others, understand options

Look at your plant's wireless characteristics, see past the first application, and look at budgeting: These are among 5 wireless tips from Apprion, which recently integrated 2 separate standards, ISA100 and WirelessHART, into its system.

February 4, 2010
Wireless system integrates ISA100 and WirelessHART wireless industrial networks

Apprion says it had delivered on its promise to seamlesslyintegrates ISA100 and WirelessHART, after announcing its intent to offer both inNovember 2009. (See Apprion IONosphere concept below.) The new version of Apprion IONizer industrial wireless networking appliance seamlessly integrates wireless sensor networkgateways based on ISA100.11a or WirelessHART standards with802.11 (WiFi) radios to support other industrial wireless applicationssuch as mobility, location, video, and communications and to enableefficient backhaul of sensor data wirelessly, the company said.

"Many process manufacturers haveexpressed concerns to ARC about the emergence of two distinct wirelesssensing standards," according to

Harry Forbes, ARC Advisory Group. "Apprion is wisely incorporating both into itsIONizer offering," Forbes said.

Five simple steps to wireless success, as explained by Apprion, include the following.

1. Learn from wireless experiences of others , looking at many well-established best practices that others have established;

2. Understand wireless options , appropriate to current and future infrastructure needs.

3. Gauge the wireless performance characteristics of the plant, looking at radio frequency (RF) assessments and wired communication needs, as well;

4. Strategize a wireless plan beyond the first wireless project by looking at the bigger picture, gathering information from other departments, and prioritizing current and future projects to create a roadmap;

5. Figure out how to pay for a wireless investment by projecting cost savings, efficiency improvements, and return on investement (ROI).

Not surprising, Apprion offers more information on each of these points, including a "Wireless Planning and Budgeting Checklist" and "Wireless Application ROI Calculator." Apprion also mentions the Wireless Industrial Networking Alliance (WINA) as a source for case studies and other information.

Apprion says its "IONosphere" can integrate wireless condition monitoring, asset tracking, plant safety, energy efficiency, mobile operators, physical security, and voice communications.

Apprion

www.apprion.com/newsletter/ApprionNewsletter.1002a.html

 

www.apprion.com/Products.asp

See also the Control Engineering Industrial Network Product channel .

– Mark T. Hoske, editor in chief, Control Engineering , www.controleng.com