Reliable Wireless Data Transfer in a High EMI Environment

Abstract

Industrial wireless communication has had many recent developments in improving transmission to overcome Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) in the industrial environment. Many industrial monitoring systems available on the market work on real-time communication, with nodes and data logging, which has limitations as to number of nodes that can be supported depending on the system’s processor capabilities. This research focuses on a different approach to design and implements a wireless industrial monitoring system using LabVIEWTM, a system which is not limited by a certain number of nodes with real-time data logging at nodes and data transmission taking the EMI environment into consideration. In addition, the study looks at creating a wireless monitoring system where delays in system updates are acceptable until real-time log data can be received. Wireless monitoring devices have many advantages over cable or wired industrial monitoring; including fast deployment, intelligent processing capability and flexibility. In this dissertation, design principles are described in terms of hardware and software development. The aim is to use the existing wireless communication network “IEEE 802.11b/g/n 2.4 GHz” at an industrial plant for communication using techniques to avoid or lower the amount of data which is lost. Moreover, this research looks at processing and logging data at nodes to allow the receiver/server to communicate with unlimited nodes in a timely manner. The research was performed, developed and tested at Route Management-South African Truck Bodies manufacturing plant.