Industrial Communication Guide

Differences between cable-based and wireless-based communication Wireless-based communication offers benefits where flexibility and mobility are important, for instance in mobile applications (Figure: “Monitoring by Smartphone” or “FTS”) or when sensors are used in large-area installations as is common in the chemical industry (Fig- ure: “Smart Metering”). Even in the future, however, wireless data transmission will not en- tirely replace cables. Whenever long distances, reliable data trans- mission, energy efficiency and real-time capability are required, wireless technologies cannot compare with cable-based technolo- gies (Figure: “Control unit in machine or module” or “M2M communi- cation”). Cables are also generally less prone to deliberate interfer- ence – and this won’t be any different with new wireless standards such as 5G. In short: wireless data transmission does not pose a threat to ca- ble-based systems but complements the latter where special re- quirements apply.

Suitable for wireless transmission Smart Metering

Distancia

Communication of transport units (FTS)

1 km

Control unit in system (M2M communication)

50 m

Monitoring by smartphone

5 m

Control unit in machine or module

1 m

cm

Real time

Not real time

Latency

56