Wireless Technologies
Industrial automation systems are notoriously complex. With an amalgam of sensors, actuators, control systems, enterprise resource planning, supply chain software, and more, industrial automation relies heavily on the cohesive operation of these otherwise disparate subsystems. As such, communication and networking are often the enablers for applications requiring large amounts of data.
Wired systems have long been the backbone of communication in industrial settings, as their reliability, determinism, and integration with legacy equipment made them the default choice across a variety of sectors. However, the increasing demands of industrial digitization—combined with new imperatives around mobility, flexibility, and cost—are pushing wireless technologies to the forefront of today’s automation strategy. Technologies like 5G, WirelessHART, LoRa, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Zigbee are unlocking new architectures, applications, and performance benchmarks in Industry 5.0, which emphasizes human-centricity, sustainability, and resilient manufacturing in industrial applications.
In this blog, we look at the ways emerging wireless technologies are reshaping industrial automation by removing many of the constraints that come with wired systems.
Shortcomings of a Wired Approach
In traditional industrial deployments, wiring frequently represents the largest share of total system cost. A single sensor may be priced in the hundreds or even thousands of US dollars, depending on its function and specifications. However, the cost to connect that sensor, including trenching, conduit installation, labor, and provisions for fault tolerance, may exceed the sensor’s price by an order of magnitude. These installation expenses quickly scale across large facilities, turning wiring into a major barrier to broader sensor deployment.
Beyond cost, wired systems are also susceptible to a range of physical and environmental hazards. In industrial settings, high temperatures and corrosive substances can degrade cables over time. Meanwhile, fires or equipment collisions can sever wired connections and lead to unplanned downtime and repairs. As a result, systems in these environments often require frequent maintenance and inspections to ensure that wiring remains intact and functional, further increasing the cost of wired systems.
Why Wireless Is the Answer
Wireless communications eliminate many of the physical and financial constraints associated with wired systems.
Without the need for trenching, conduit installation, or extensive labor, wireless sensors can be deployed rapidly across a facility, even in areas where wiring would be impractical or hazardous. This feature reduces capital expenditure and accelerates time-to-insight by allowing faster rollout of monitoring and sensing infrastructure. Eliminating physical wiring also minimizes maintenance overhead and reduces the risk of communication failure due to cable damage.
More importantly, the transition to wireless supports a level of mobility and flexibility that wired systems cannot match. Modern industrial environments increasingly rely on reconfigurable production lines, autonomous guided vehicles, collaborative robots, and mobile asset tracking—all of which require communication networks that support movement and dynamic layouts. Wireless technologies provide the necessary infrastructure for these applications by delivering reliable connectivity without being tethered to fixed points. As a result, wireless systems are more flexible and future-ready than their wired counterparts.
Matching Wireless Technologies and Protocols to Use Cases
Naturally, no single wireless protocol or technology can address all industrial use cases. Instead, engineers must select based on application requirements, such as latency, power consumption, reliability, data throughput, and certification needs.
5G
5G has emerged as the leading candidate for low-latency, high-bandwidth, and mission-critical applications in manufacturing. Its deterministic performance and capacity to support thousands of simultaneous connections make it uniquely well suited for applications like real-time robotic control, autonomous vehicles on factory floors, and latency-sensitive safety interlocks. Private 5G networks offer even further enhanced control by allowing manufacturers to optimize quality of service without depending on public carriers.
WirelessHART
WirelessHART remains the standard in refineries and chemical processing due to its intrinsic safety certifications and proven determinism. Built on the legacy of the (wired) Highway Addressable Remote Transducer (HART) protocol, which has more than forty million installed devices, WirelessHART offers reliable, secure, and deterministic communication. Its value lies not only in its performance but also in its compatibility with explosion-proof enclosures and adherence to industry-specific safety certifications. Its predictability makes it trusted for tasks that were historically wired, such as process variable measurement and supervisory control.
LoRa
Long rage (LoRa) communication and similar low-power wide area network (LPWAN) technologies support long-distance, low-data-rate applications where battery life and cost are paramount. Their ultra-low power draw allows sensors to operate for years without battery replacement. As such, LoRa is a great choice for remote or dispersed assets, such as environmental monitoring, remote utility management, and agriculture.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth, while traditionally consumer-focused, is making inroads into healthcare and personal monitoring applications due to its ubiquity in smartphones and wearables. Its short-range operation and limited throughput are well suited to body area networks and localized data collection. For this reason, lower power variants of Bluetooth, such as Bluetooth Low Energy, are commonly used for applications like asset tracking. Other industrial Bluetooth uses include handheld testing equipment—typically tablets—connected to vibration sensors that attach magnetically to machines for short-term measurements.
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi is widely used in industrial environments where high data throughput and broad device compatibility are required. It supports bandwidth-intensive applications such as video monitoring, diagnostic data transfer, and firmware updates. While not as deterministic as 5G or WirelessHART, Wi-Fi is suitable for non-critical tasks in controlled environments. Its vast presence and ease of integration make it ideal for brownfield retrofits and facility-wide networking.
Zigbee
Zigbee is a low-power, short-range mesh networking protocol designed for environments with dense sensor deployments. It is a good fit for lighting control, HVAC monitoring, and other low-bandwidth applications. Its mesh topology increases coverage and redundancy in indoor industrial settings.
Risks and Challenges in Wireless Deployment
Although wireless deployment brings numerous cost and efficiency advantages over wired infrastructure, the transition to wireless introduces its own set of risks.
Reliability remains a chief concern. Even the most robust wireless protocols fall short of the “six nines” (99.9999 percent) reliability offered by wired systems. While protocols like 5G and WirelessHART can approach four nines, the final decimals matter in critical applications. High-reliability systems must often include redundancy and fallback mechanisms to compensate for wireless variability.
Cybersecurity is another escalating issue. As devices become increasingly connected, attack surfaces expand. Wireless sensors and controllers must incorporate encryption, authentication, and update mechanisms without compromising uptime. Firmware updates and patch management are especially sensitive in production environments, as even minor interruptions can cause process deviations or safety risks.
Signal integrity adds further complexity. Physical barriers like metal enclosures, reinforced concrete, or equipment-generated electromagnetic interference (EMI) can disrupt wireless transmission. Pre-deployment surveys and radio frequency simulations are therefore necessary to determine optimal antenna placement, identify shadow zones, and plan for repeater usage.
Strategies for Deployment Without Disruption
Adopting wireless should not mean removing what already works. Most successful deployments begin with hybrid architectures that augment existing systems. For this reason, one should retain wired infrastructure for necessary controls and introduce wireless to enable flexibility, expand sensor coverage, or add mobility. This reduces risk while capturing early value.
Other considerations for successful wireless deployments include the following:
- Conduct a site survey before deployment to map signal coverage, identify physical obstructions, and evaluate sources of EMI.
- Use gateways that support multi-protocol translation to unify data pipelines across diverse devices and networks.
- Select vendors that follow mature industry standards and avoid solutions that create proprietary lock-in.
- Invest in training for installation, commissioning, and ongoing maintenance to equip internal teams with the skills needed to manage and troubleshoot the system effectively.
Conclusion
Industrial applications are changing, and communication infrastructure is evolving with them. While wired systems remain necessary for the highest levels of determinism and reliability, wireless technologies now offer a viable path to greater scalability and flexibility. With careful planning, integrating wireless technologies can unlock a new era of connectivity and monitoring for industrial automation.
Source: Mouser blog
