2008-05-12 - An industrial application can easily require many thousands of cables to connect sensors and actuators to the control system. These connections are fixed multicore cables, terminated with either a connection plug or terminals. Besides the cost of initial installation and troubleshooting wiring errors, future wiring upgrades may require large parts of the factory floor to be rewired. Where sensors and actuators are mounted on moving parts (on a conveyor belt, on a moving or rotating axis or on a robot) the cables and connectors are subject to wear and failure due to constant movement or reconnection (tool changing). The ABB innovative solution . . . Read more
The Solution: WISA - Completely Wireless Sensor Interface
1= Wireless proximity switch (communication module & sensor head)
2 = Wireless sensor pad
3 = Wireless I/O pad
4 = Antennas
5 = Input/output module
6 = Power supply
7 = Primary loop conductor
Completely Wireless? How does it work?
WISA is divided into two parts:
WISA-com: Wireless communication system operating in the unlicensed ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) 2.4-GHz radio band. With its unique robustness it provides a reliable, real-time connection in the 10 ms range between a large number of sensors/actuators and a central base station connected to the network.
WISA-power: Wireless power supply system based on the principle of electromagnetic coupling. Sensors can operate without batteries or cables. A low power magnetic field is generated throughout the automation cell. Small receiver coils inside the wireless sensor/actuator pick up this field and convert it to usable energy to drive the sensor electronics as well as the radio circuit.
Benefits of using ABB Wireless Interface
WISA – the Wireless Interface to Sensors and Actuators provides a fully wireless communication and power solution targeted specifically at the device level of the manufacturing control hierarchy. It is at this level that a focus on the cabling problems yields the greatest reduction in material cost, engineering and installation complexity, and makes the greatest contribution to plant reliability.
Wireless Power – Absolutely Innovative
Industrial Wireless Communications – Immune to Interference
Commissioning Time/Effort/Cost - Reduced
Maintenance Time/Effort/Cost - Reduced
Tremendously Improved System Flexibility
WISA: Pinnacle of Lean Controls
High reliability
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