There are various reasons for deploying wireless technology into a hazardous area. In almost all cases, the goal is to achieve connectivity and gain more visibility within the hazardous area in question. As businesses operating in these environments strive to achieve their digitalisation goals, more and more wireless radio devices have entered the market. Some common use cases for wireless connectivity in hazardous or industrial settings include: Personnel or asset tracking Automatic mustering in the event of an emergency Security/ access control Condition monitoring Remote maintenance using video collaboration Inspection and maintenance management VoiP or Push to Talk using mobile phones Job scheduling Incident reporting and management With the development of Industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) revolution, the list of use cases continues to grow as all businesses strive to gain […]

Many hazardous process industry environments suffer from data loss or data silos. Assets such as, traditional motors, pumps, and mounted bearings, are all important assets that need monitoring for their health and condition. Deploying condition monitoring sensors is one solution, but how do you ensure all your data is collected across multiple devices and sent via your wireless network to a central location? It is not uncommon for these such devices to be one-to-one connections with mobile devices that require a person to physically be standing next to the sensor to retrieve the data. This creates a scalability issue and therefore is not suitable for wider condition monitoring analysis. This is a challenge many process industry sites face and can result in slow response times or delays in critical maintenance. BLE Offers a Solution BLE […]

Wireless networks for hazardous areas are becoming increasingly commonplace as the digitalisation of process industries gains pace. There are many considerations to be made for hazardous area wireless devices, including the right way to calculate its maximum radio frequency (RF) power. Additionally, it is important to assess if this max RF power is below acceptable limits for specific hazardous areas. Your choice of wireless device must have suitable Ex approvals to prevent the risk of ignition from electrical faults, sparks, or hot surfaces. The device will either be Ex-approved or it will be installed in a wireless enclosure system that provides the Ex protection. Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) Levels in Hazardous Areas There are maximum EIRP (Effective Isotropic Radiated Power) levels allowed in hazardous areas. This affects the deployment of hazardous area wireless devices. […]