Monitoring Compressed Air with LoRaWAN Solution
12/11/2025
Introduction
This case study details the implementation of a wireless remote monitoring and analysis system for compressed air consumption in a steel factory. The system tracks crucial data from compressor, dryer, and filter units situated at three distinct locations within the facility. By utilizing LoRaWAN technology, the solution enables real-time, centralized monitoring, analysis, and early detection of maintenance needs, significantly improving overall system efficiency
Common Challenges in Factory Monitoring
- Geographical Dispersion and Distance: Components like pipelines and monitoring points (compressors, dryers, filters) are spread across different zones and are distant from each other, making wired solutions impractical.
- High Cabling Costs and Complexity: Establishing physical cable connections across vast distances for data transmission is expensive, complex, and time-consuming.
- Signal Obstruction: Difficult industrial settings, such as those that are enclosed or dense with metal, often disrupt traditional wireless communication signals.
- Need for Centralized Management: Monitoring systems spread across large areas often lack a unified, real-time platform for centralized data analysis and alarm management.
Application Concept
- Flow and Consumption Measurement: SUTO flow meters are installed to measure key consumption metrics including flow rate, temperature, pressure, velocity, dew point, and power consumption.
- Data Acquisition (WISE-2200): The Advantech WISE-2200 module is connected to the SUTO flow meters and collects data via Modbus/RTU.
- Centralized Gateway (WISE-6610 V2): The gateway receives the wireless LoRaWAN data , aggregates it centrally, and can handle data from up to 500 different points.
- Edge Processing and Protocols: The gateway features a built-in Node-RED environment for executing logic and algorithms at the edge. It also supports data transmission to software platforms using protocols like WebService, MQTT, and ModbusTCP.
- Monitoring and Analysis (S4M Software): All measurements are monitored in real time using analysis features like graphs, trends, and alarm management
System Architecture Overview
System Diagram
Key Benefits
- Significant Cost Savings: Wireless LoRaWAN communication eliminates expensive cabling, resulting in substantial cost reductions.
- Enhanced Coverage and Reliability: LoRaWAN offers high coverage with low interference. The system maintains a stable connection, communicating wirelessly over 300–400 meters even in metal-dense environments.
- Centralized Real-Time Management: Data from large, spread-out areas is monitored in real time from a single platform, allowing for advanced detection of maintenance needs.
- Scalability and Flexibility: The flexible, distributed architecture supports multi-sensor systems and is scalable, with the WISE-6610 supporting data from up to 500 different points.
- Easy Deployment: Components feature a compact, industrial-grade design for easy, plug-and-play installation suitable for diverse environments
Conclusion
The successful implementation of this Advantech and SUTO system leveraging LoRaWAN demonstrates a highly effective model for Industrial IoT applications. By overcoming the challenges of distance and cabling in large-scale industrial settings, the system provides essential real-time data for optimizing compressed air efficiency and streamlining maintenance operations. This approach validates LoRaWAN as a strategic, cost-effective, and robust communication technology for comprehensive industrial monitoring.