Joseph Citrano of Honeywell Sensing and Control (S&C) is my guest for this edition of Tinker’s Toolbox. As wireless technology gains widespread adoption on the factory floor, concerns about “how” and “if” wireless technology works have given way to specifics about ROI and implementation into facilities. Joseph and I discuss some of the issues involved with implementing wireless networks in an industrial setting, such as installation, maintenance, cost savings and the support vendors can offer. Joseph will also describe Honeywell S&C’s Limitless Wireless Switch product line which is especially appropriate for remote monitoring applications where wiring or wire maintenance is not possible or economically feasible.
Here’s a link to Honeywell’s micro site with more information on their wireless switch products:
http://sensing.honeywell.com/index.php/ci_id/56634/la_id/1.htm
Here’s a product description from Honeywell about their Limitless wireless solutions:
The Limitless Series of switches is based on 802.15.4 point-to-point communications and can be configured to allow potentially up to sixteen devices to communicate with one receiver module. The products are based on Honeywell’s proven harsh-duty and medium-duty limit switches. They have the same mechanical life, temperature ratings, and sealing as standard switches, but they’re wireless. Wireless functionality is implemented through an 802.15.4 open protocol RF board operating in the 2.4 GHz globally license-free frequency band. The wireless signal is received by either a panel-mount receiver, or an industrial DIN-rail module, that converts it to an output. Outputs can be LEDs, buzzers, or electrical signals. The capability also exists to provide CAN, ProfiBus, and standard Ethernet communications.
Filed Under: Industrial automation
