Conventional automation projects rely on highly engineered, design-intensive, wired infrastructures for field instrumentation. Strategic adoption of wireless in a project eliminates many of the conventional design, test, and implementation activities associated with wired loops.
Selective use of wireless instrumentation on a project supports design rationalization and simplification with the opportunity to reduce complexity and decouple engineering discipline interdependencies.
Wireless field instrumentation helps you realize installed cost savings over wired technologies in cable, conduit, multiplexing hardware to run from device to DCS, and labor. The flexibility of the solution reduces costs as the project continues.
Eliminate Constraints and Enable Innovation
Successful automation projects streamline work processes by integrating wireless into the design, which completely eliminates some design tasks and creates opportunities for rationalizing automation hardware and field infrastructure. Wireless technology eliminates the constraints associated with conventional wired architectures. Introducing a pervasive wireless infrastructure enables strategies for conserving space, weight, and power.
Bring Late Changes within Budget
Changes requested during the last phase of a project traditionally require additional I/O or cabinet space — resulting in additional costs, change orders, and schedule delays. Using WirelessHART communications, additional I/O can be integrated easily, thus eliminating schedule risk and cost escalation.
Add Measurements in Remote Locations
Adding I/O in remote locations or for non-process control situations (such as HS&E and energy) positively affects operations and safety, but can be cost prohibitive in automation projects. Not the case with wireless solutions. Relatively inexpensive WirelessHART mesh networks integrate I/O in remote locations and for other inputs such as vibration and steam traps.
Adapt Easily to Temporary Measurement Requirements
Measurements for temporary or in-movement equipment are important to fine-tuning project progress, but without wireless devices the costs can be too high. Often the project team must choose between short- and long-range costs. WirelessHART devices can be moved from one place to another without additional costs.
