Level-to-point wi-fi I/O applied sciences present a useful resolution for environment friendly low-I/O-count distant connectivity.
Whereas some industrial monitoring and management programs are simply linked to their related area units, the cruel actuality is that many installations are rather more sophisticated. Enter/output (I/O) signaling over lengthy distances, particularly the place there’s not a handy wiring path, is a expensive proposition. An Industrial Tools Information November/December 2025 article by AutomationDirect’s Rin Irvin, titled Wi-fi I/O Will get to the Level, describes a point-to-point wi-fi I/O resolution, offering an actual drawback solver for a lot of purposes.
Making the connection
For monitoring and management programs, I/O indicators are the “nervous system” which connects the digital controller “mind” with the field-located instrument “senses” and actuator gadget “muscle groups.” Conventional hardwired strategies, and now digital communication protocols over media like Ethernet and different fieldbuses, have lengthy served the connectivity function.
Nonetheless, after I/O factors are distributed over lengthy distances—particularly the place there actually is just not a sensible conduit path— conventional wiring is impractical at greatest, and it may be downright cost-prohibitive as a everlasting resolution. And for non permanent options, similar to including a clamp on flowmeter or electrical present monitoring throughout commissioning, it simply doesn’t make sense to put in expensive area wiring.
Benefits of point-to-point wi-fi
There are some large-scale wi-fi know-how platforms able to offering wide-range connectivity all through a complete web site. However for a lot of customers, and higher resolution is the usage of devoted point-to-point wi-fi I/O units as a fit-for-purpose method to set up handy connectivity over helpful distances for a handful of important I/O factors.
To fulfill this want, AutomationDirect provides the Outline Devices Twin Hyperlink wi-fi point-to-point system, which offers exceptionally versatile sign dealing with and easy configuration to fulfill the wants of even the smallest I/O installations. These purposes generally want only one or two analog indicators, together with just a few discrete on/off factors. Key traits of this product line embrace:
- Compact type components designed to resist harsh situations.
- Enter nodes accepting two common remoted inputs (milliamp, voltage, thermocouple, RTD, potentiometer, and digital pulse).
- Output nodes delivering two 4-20mA analog outputs.
- Each enter and output nodes function discrete I/O within the type of 4 digital inputs, two digital outputs, and two relay outputs.
- Transmission vary as much as 0.9 miles line-of-sight between enter and output nodes, with the power so as to add as much as 15 repeaters in between for even larger vary, all working at 2.4Ghz.
- Easy software program configuration, with practically plug-and-play simplicity utilizing drop-down menus and sidebar assist.
- The flexibility to scale indicators, transparently pass-through indicators, deal with pulse trains, generate alarms, and supply fundamental management methods similar to pump management.
Trendy digital controls and networking are enabling many types of superior industrial automation. Nonetheless, there stay loads of conditions the place focused problem-solving options, similar to wi-fi point-to-point units, are one of the simplest ways to create subtle options, whereas avoiding problematic installations.
Concerning the Creator
Rin Irvin is a Product Engineer at AutomationDirect. His profession contains intensive expertise within the water/wastewater business, specializing in instrumentation and course of controls as each a programs integrator and an finish consumer. Rin has labored at AutomationDirect since 2022. He holds a bachelor’s diploma in Felony Justice, and is an ISA Licensed Controls System Technician Stage 3.
