Retrofit of machines by wireless data transmission

HOW TO MODERNIZE YOUR AUTOMATION – QUICKLY AND EASILY VIA PLUG & PLAY

In the past, the use of cables for data transmission was the standard in industry. Today, as an alternative to cables, there are numerous options for wireless communication that are characterized by greater flexibility, a long service life, and maintenance-free operation – especially intelligent radio data transmission. But how can existing solutions in machinery and equipment be replaced with radio solutions? In this article, we show you how you can replace cables, slip rings, light barriers, and the like with radio data transmission by means of a retrofit. Quite simply, independently, and without any changes to your system.

Modernization of Data Transmission: Challenge as an Opportunity

Automation solutions and equipment in industry and machine construction are designed for longevity and often for decades of operation. They prove their worth every day and a complete exchange is always associated with considerable effort and costs. At the same time, unplanned downtime increases due to brittle, heavily stressed cables and drag chains, worn sliding contacts, and often maintenance-intensive inductive data transmissions. These components need to be replaced over time. What sounds like a lot of effort is actually a great opportunity for maintenance staff and plant operators: Because thanks to the rapid pace of technical progress, there are now solutions for creating reliable and stable automation solutions with intelligent radio data transmission. If you take a few basic principles into account when switching to radio data transmission, you will keep the effort within limits and benefit from a comprehensive modernization of your equipment, make it fit for the next few years, and increase productivity and cost-effectiveness.

Replacing Cables with Radio Data Transmission – without Changes to the Machine

Important for easy replacement of the solution for data transmission: If possible, nothing should have to be changed in the general setup of the machine or plant. Often the timing settings of PROFIBUS or PROFINET have proven their worth, and meet important safety requirements or require new inspections and approvals by the TÜV and the like in case of an adaptation. That is what needs to be avoided. Wireless solutions often work with update times in the range of 16–32 milliseconds, while an update time of 1–2 milliseconds is common for PROFINET. Replacement with such a solution would require intervention in the machine controller and thus extensive testing and approval in some cases.