Cellular may be the solution to common Industrial IoT networking woes

 Industrial IoT (IIoT) has the potential to revolutionize the way companies operate, but implementing it comes with its own set of challenges. A recent survey by Molex, a leading connectivity solutions provider, found that 99% of engineers designing OEM solutions identified networking challenges as the primary roadblock to IIoT implementation. But there may be a solution to these challenges, and it comes in the form of cellular connections.

One of the biggest challenges with IIoT is network security. Every device added to a network represents a potential vulnerability, and IoT devices, in particular, are a concern because they run embedded firmware and are not typically compatible with the security protocols used on company computers. With the machinery on a factory floor connected to the internet, a bad actor with access could shut down operations, damage equipment, or even injure personnel. Securing IoT devices adds a lot to network engineers’ workloads.

The second major challenge is making IoT data accessible and usable. Even if a device processes raw sensor data at the edge, it still needs to transmit information to other devices or a monitoring interface. The relevant data must be sent to some sort of central server for storage and then a frontend interface needs to make the data available to the proper people. Remote control adds to this complexity.

These two broad challenges are enough to cause most companies hesitation. IIoT promises to improve efficiency and productivity, but the networking infrastructure is a major cost, both for the physical equipment and the network engineering labor cost.

TZERO, a company specializing in IIoT devices for the food and beverage industry, found that cellular is the ideal solution to networking challenges. The company created a sensor system that measures the specific gravity of beer in tanks during the brewing process. The specific gravity is an important data point that tells brewers if a batch’s alcohol by volume (ABV) is at the desired level.

Instead of using a barometer-like device to measure specific gravity, TZERO developed an ultrasonic sensor that, along with temperature readings, provides the data necessary to calculate a batch’s specific gravity. The sensor pops right into a tank and takes constant readings. But TZERO needed to address the networking challenges of its potential customers. Microbreweries do not often have the budget or networking expertise to install and secure complex networks for IIoT systems.

The solution was cellular networking. Each sensor connects to an IoT device that handles some data processing on the edge and contains a cellular modem. Data travels over the secure cellular connection to a cloud server. That data is then presented through an intuitive interface that brewers access through a smartphone.

Cellular provides tangible advantages here. It isolates the TZERO IoT systems from the rest of the network, eliminating security and infrastructure challenges. There is no need to run Ethernet cables or distribute WiFi access points. Security is already addressed by the cellular provider, and there is no intermixing between the IoT networks and the rest of the brewery’s network.

Because data goes to the cloud via the cellular network, TZERO is able to handle all the data storage and processing needs behind the scenes. From the perspective of the brewery, the relevant data simply appear in the frontend interface. Because the system is plug-and-play, they don’t need any expertise in networking, backend programming, or front-end programming.

While cellular networking does come with some limitations and costs, such as the cost of the cellular modems and the fact that cellular service may not be available in remote locations, it is still a strong candidate for many IIoT scenarios.