Wireless Network Design for Emerging IIoT Applications: Reference Framework and Use Cases

Area of Science:

• Engineering
• Computer Science
• Telecommunications

Background:

• Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) applications increasingly rely on wireless links for data services, robot communication, and asset tracking.
• Designing wireless systems for IIoT requires collaboration between operational technology (OT), information technology (IT), and wireless network planning professionals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a new reference framework for wireless system design in Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) use cases.
• To assist OT engineers in understanding wireless communication demands and challenges.
• To guide industrial IT specialists in developing efficient wireless solutions for factory environments.

Main Methods:

• Developed a generic design process framework for wireless systems in IIoT.
• Extracted impact factors from industrial operations, data services, and IT infrastructure.
• Mapped factors to function clusters and analyzed their impact on performance and resource utilization.

Main Results:

• The framework identifies key questions and tools for each design procedure.
• Impact factors are analyzed concerning performance metrics and resource strategies.
• Four exemplary IIoT applications (process monitoring, discrete control, mobile, spectrum harmonization) are discussed using the framework.

Conclusions:

• The proposed framework aids in recognizing wireless communication demands and challenges in industrial settings.
• It facilitates the creation of operative and efficient end-to-end wireless solutions for demanding factory environments.
• This work bridges the gap between OT and IT expertise in IIoT wireless system design.