What Is a Wireless Sensor?
A Wireless Sensor refers to a sensor that monitors pressure, temperature, vibration, and other conditions in facilities such as factories, transmitting the results via wireless communication.
In factories, various conditions such as the pressure of compressed air flowing through pipes for stable operation, temperatures of various liquids and gases, and vibrations of machinery are monitored. Sensors for this purpose are installed throughout the facility, constantly checking the measured data.
Using Wireless Sensors eliminates the need for wiring throughout the factory, enabling the collection of data from a wide range into one location. This allows for the visualization of overall operational status, facilitating more efficient and accurate facility management.
Uses of Wireless Sensor
Wireless Sensors are used for inspection and monitoring of factory equipment, as well as in various other locations such as environmental monitoring, buildings, commercial facilities, and homes.
In factories, products integrating sensors and transmitters are used to measure the pressure of gases, including air in pipes, the temperature of gases, liquids, and machinery, and the vibration of machinery. Multi-type Wireless Sensors combining pressure and temperature sensors are also utilized.
Principles of Wireless Sensor
1. Signal Transmission
A Wireless Sensor typically equips a transmitter with various sensors, transmitting signals wirelessly. Communication for Wireless Sensors involves using communication standards such as LoRa, ZigBee, Bluetooth, or other weak radio waves, as well as infrared communication.
LoRa (Long Range) is an international standard for Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) wireless communication with characteristics of wide coverage, long-distance, low speed, and low power consumption. Wireless Sensors using LoRa can achieve communication of approximately 1km independently and about 2km with a relay.
ZigBee is a communication standard designed for building wireless sensor networks. While it has a short transmission distance and low speed, it is inexpensive, consumes little power, and is suitable for use in ultra-small devices powered by batteries.
Bluetooth also has limited communication distance. Most commercial smartphones and computers support Bluetooth. Therefore, using these devices as relay stations makes it easy to send data to a Wide Area Network (WAN).
2. Power Supply
Wireless Sensors require power to operate, and many products are battery-powered. Wireless Sensors using wireless power supplies send power wirelessly using methods such as microwaves, and the sensor converts it into electricity. This is suitable for sensors in locations where continuous data sampling is required. However, it requires a nearby power supply device, and there may be issues with radio wave interference with other factory equipment.
Other methods include those that convert light into electricity, receive power via USB or other wired methods, and transmit data wirelessly.
How to Choose Wireless Sensor
When installing Wireless Sensors in a factory, it is essential to confirm the usage environment and radio wave conditions. From a DX perspective, considerations about how to build a Wireless Sensor network are also necessary for productivity improvement.
1. Usage Environment
In a factory with various operating devices and many radio waves and vibrations, it is necessary to consider whether the radio waves emitted by the network, including sensors and relays, will affect surrounding devices, or if the radio wave signals from sensors will be influenced by radio waves emitted by surrounding devices. Additionally, attention should be paid to variations in the reach of radio waves based on facility layout.
2. Consideration for Network Construction
When building a Wireless Sensor network in a factory, expectations for improved productivity through DX can be achieved. To achieve sufficient effectiveness, careful consideration of the construction procedure of the system and the content of the application to be used is required.
Other Information on Wireless Sensor
Advantages of Wireless Sensor
Introducing wireless sensors instead of wired ones has several advantages.
Firstly, the need for cable routing is eliminated, making it easier to install sensors in multiple locations and providing flexibility for layout changes. This is useful in locations where inspection points are far away or difficult to access, such as at heights or in confined spaces.
Moreover, by using numerous Wireless Sensors to collect monitoring data from equipment throughout the factory into one location, the construction of a Wireless Sensor network enables the streamlining, rationalization, and visualization of facility management. This is known as Digital Transformation (DX) in factories, utilizing digital technology to improve business processes and increase productivity in the manufacturing industry.