Monitoring wireless networks in the Factory of the Future

Martin Hodgson at Paessler AG explains the importance of monitoring industrial wireless LANs in a factory setting

Wireless networking is a linchpin of the smart factory because it is designed to collect and track the movement of data regarding the manufacturing process.

Wireless technology like Bluetooth or 5G  has existed for some time, but to ensure maximum efficiency of the factory floor, industrial wireless LAN is the best option for manufacturers.

But what is industrial wireless LAN? And how can it assist in monitoring a factory? 

Industrial wireless LAN 101

An industrial wireless LAN is similar to the WLANs found in corporate and private domains: it is based on one of the IEEE 802.11 standards (but most probably on IEEE 802.11n, ac or ax) and is compatible with wired Ethernet.

However, perhaps the biggest difference in industrial environments is that networking equipment has to be rugged and more robust to handle the extreme conditions of a typical factory floor. For example, devices may need to withstand very high or low temperatures, high humidity levels, constant dust, or excessive vibrations.

Another challenge is that the nature of factory floors often require specialised Wi-Fi approaches. For example: radio frequency interference and lots of large metallic surfaces mean that better radio frequency management and stronger wireless signals are required.

Incorporating wireless connectivity in a factory brings about many opportunities, but one of the biggest is the ability to connect mobile endpoints. This covers a range of applications, from giving technicians the possibility to access production data on their mobile phones or tablets, through to enabling communication with moving machine parts.

Another benefit is the ability to provide more communication possibilities for common industrial protocols like PROFINET, SafetyBridge, MODBUS TCP/IP, and others.

Wireless network reliability is far more critical in industrial settings than in corporate environments, especially if process and safety controls are executed using the wireless network. In this case, even a short downtime can result in a halt in production, poor quality output, or other negative outcomes.

The latest wireless LAN standards offer features that improve efficiency and reliability of wireless signals (such as MIMO in 802.11n or OFDMA and MU-MIMO in 802.11ax); but despite this, monitoring the status of wireless connections and the supporting infrastructure is crucial.

Here are three tips for getting started with monitoring your industrial wireless LAN.

1. Monitoring wireless networking devices

This includes the routers, access points, switches, and other network equipment. Many network devices offer SNMP functionality or a REST API (or both) where status information can be obtained, and this information can be used to get alerted when the hardware has failed.

Another option is to utilise the tools provided by the networking devices themselves. Many manufacturers include built-in tools that can keep you updated as to the status of the equipment.

For example: Moxa, a provider of industrial wireless routers and other devices, also offers a tool that lets you monitor the wireless connections of their devices as well as changes in those connections that might be of interest.

2. Monitoring connected devices

Another good strategy to monitor the health of a wireless network is to check if the connected devices are reachable. A simple ping here can suffice: a device that does not respond to a ping might have malfunctioned, but it could also be that the wireless network has gone down. 

STIEBEL ELTRON, for example, uses automated guided vehicles (AGVs) at their production site. These AGVs are autonomous in that they receive their orders over Wi-Fi at various checkpoints. If the wireless network is down, the AGVs do not get orders and they stop – resulting in downtime and a delay in certain processes.

STIEBEL ELTRON’s IT service provider Bechtle indirectly monitors the wireless network by monitoring the AGVs with PRTG. PRTG regularly pings each AGV, and if an AGV is not reachable, an alert is generated. This way, admins and technicians can immediately check if the network is functioning.

A nice by-product of this process: Bechtle not only knows the status of the wireless network, but also the state of each AGV at any given time.

3. Gathering data in one place

This is more of a general monitoring best practice tip than it is specifically about wireless networks: consolidating all of your monitoring data in one tool is the best way to give you centralised dashboards and alerting. This includes having data from all your locations, from your OT environment, from your IIoT sensors, from your wired and wireless networks, and from your traditional IT devices and systems in one place.

Investing in smarter innovation within the manufacturing industry is the next step towards a more efficient economy. And with consumer habits, wants and needs now evolving with the times, it is important that the industry remains agile in this transformative era of mass production. We must remain a step ahead.

Martin Hodgson is Regional Sales Manager Northern Europe at Paessler AG

Main image courtesy of iStockPhoto.com