Reliable industrial WiFi communication

Industry 4.0, but also other developments in areas such as vision and robotics require reliable data communication. B.E.S.D. Benelux has an extensive package of products in its program for this purpose, which without exception have been developed by renowned partners and, for example, can be seamlessly integrated into WiFi-Ethernet and WiFi-Profinet solutions. Through the exclusive representation of brands such as Acksys and Etic Telecom in the Benelux, a multitude of variations is possible, in order to accurately tune the final communication needs to the specific application.

Especially for local wireless networks, B.E.S.D. Benelux has the WiFi-Ethernet and WiFi-Profinet product groups in its program. Both contain versatile solutions that allow users to seamlessly integrate WiFi into their IoT projects. Kristof Stas, owner of B.E.S.D. knows, "We have been dealing with this form of communication for thirty years, so we know better than anyone else the challenges machine and equipment builders face every day in establishing a reliable and secure wireless connection." B.E.S.D. has therefore tailored its program precisely to this diversity of issues, working exclusively with stable, reputable companies. Partners who deliver quality products and who are also able to act as back-up in case of exceptionally complex questions.

Acksys

One of the WiFi partners is Acksys of France. This company offers industrial WiFi routers, access points and bridges. These components are optimized for reliable and secure wireless communications in a variety of industrial and business environments. For example, factories, warehouses, offices and public spaces. A great example of a project can be found in the cooperation with Van Rennes Industrial Automation (VRIA), which designs and builds machines for greenhouse horticulture. The specific order involved a machine that can place or remove floating receptacles containing water plants when the plants are at the beginning or just the end of their growing cycle. The water containers in which the plants grow extend the full length of the greenhouse which means that the machines must be able to move over long distances. The desire was to automate the handling of the floating holders in such a way that the operator did not have to constantly walk along the entire water tank. Challenges included the distance between the machines and main controls (30-260 meters) and the fact that the plant greenhouse is full of metal structural parts. 

The solution was found in running each machine with a WiFi client from Acksys equipped with dual radios. The "fixed world" is equipped with a trio of access points (AirLink) that connect to the machine network. In this solution, the client switches between one antenna and the other based on the connection quality. Thus, the system already builds a connection to the secondary radio before the connection to the primary radio is broken. The so-called 'Connect before break' principle with which minute switching times can be realized. Stas: "A typical solution that can also be used seamlessly for communication between an autonomous robot and the company network and - not unimportantly - is based on proven techniques."

Etic Telecom

A second router specialist in the portfolio is Etic-Telecom. From this, B.E.S.D. exclusively supplies, among other things, the industrial 4G/5G routers. These enable the user to create a machine network within the existing company network. The WAN connection can be made via the company network or via a 4G/5G connection. 

One of Etic Telecom's core products involves M2Me routers (RAS), which use both 4G and 5G connectivity. These routers act as the link between the physical machines and the cloud platform, giving users remote access to their devices for monitoring and maintenance. This enables real-time data collection, performance monitoring and even remote intervention to fix problems.

One of Etic Telecom's core products involves M2Me routers (RAS), which use both 4G and 5G connectivity.