Understanding LoRaWAN: extending industrial condition monitoring

The value of condition monitoring and data collection is well understood. The challenge is finding practical and cost-effective ways to gather data across large and complex industrial facilities.

Historically, this has meant focusing monitoring on the most critical assets. Extending wired monitoring infrastructure across older plants, remote equipment or secondary assets can be difficult to justify, with cabling, network upgrades and hardware integration adding cost and complexity. 

As a result, wireless technologies such as LoRaWAN are attracting increasing interest. They can help organisations extend predictive maintenance strategies to assets that may previously have had little or no continuous monitoring. 

LoRa is a wireless radio technology that enables relatively small amounts of data to be transmitted over long distances while using very little power. LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network) is the networking protocol built around LoRa technology to manage communication between battery-powered devices, gateways and network infrastructure. 

LoRaWAN is designed for low-power, wide-area networking and Internet of Things (IoT) applications. Its architecture supports long-range communication, low power consumption and secure, bi-directional communication. 

The LoRaWAN specification is developed and maintained by the LoRa Alliance, an open association of organisations involved in the technology ecosystem. 

A typical LoRaWAN network uses a star-of-stars architecture. End devices transmit data to one or more gateways, which relay the information to a central network server and, ultimately, the relevant application. 

LoRaWAN can be particularly useful where assets are distributed across large sites or located in areas that are difficult to access. 

Sensors monitoring parameters such as vibration, temperature or pressure can operate on battery power and transmit data over long distances. This creates opportunities to monitor equipment that may previously have been overlooked because installing conventional wired connectivity was not economically or practically viable. 

For industrial operators, the value is not simply having more connected assets. It has better information to support maintenance decisions. 

Pumps, valves, motors and other secondary assets can all contribute to plant performance. Greater visibility across a wider proportion of the facility can help maintenance teams: 

LoRaWAN is already being used across industrial applications, including oil and gas, manufacturing, chemical processing and power generation, where remote monitoring and low-power connectivity can provide practical benefits. 

Wireless monitoring can also support safety and operational efficiency. By enabling continuous remote monitoring, operators can reduce the need for routine manual inspections, particularly at large industrial sites or in difficult-to-access areas. Maintenance activities can then be planned more effectively, allowing engineers to intervene when data indicates that attention is required. LoRaWAN has applications in hazardous industrial environments, subject to the appropriate equipment and installation requirements. Its lo ng-range, low-power characteristics can also provide benefits in non-hazardous areas where organisations are looking to expand monitoring without extensive infrastructure investment.

LoRaWAN is not intended to replace existing industrial networks. High-speed control systems will continue to rely on wired communications where appropriate. Instead, LoRaWAN can complement existing automation architectures by providing connectivity for monitoring applications where conventional wired infrastructure may not be practical. This makes it particularly relevant when organisations want to extend monitoring to more assets without undertaking major infrastructure projects. IMI's approach to industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) monitoring combines LoRaWAN connectivity with sensors and digital platforms to provide greater visibility of asset condition. For example, IMI's SolidRed asset monitoring platform works with IMI TWTG NEON LoRaWAN sensors to provide monitoring, analytics and alerts across industrial facilities.

The objective should not be to collect more data simply for the sake of collecting it. Successful condition monitoring depends on identifying the assets where additional information can provide meaningful operational value, selecting the right parameters to monitor and using that information to support better maintenance decisions. For industrial organisations looking to expand predictive maintenance beyond their most critical equipment, LoRaWAN provides one potential way to connect distributed, battery-powered sensors while limiting the need for additional cabling and network infrastructure. 

IMI provides digital tools for asset monitoring and predictive maintenance, helping industrial teams turn sensor data into actionable information for maintenance and operational decision-making. 

The LoRa Alliance® is an open, nonprofit association that has become one of the largest and fastest-growing alliances in the technology sector since its inception in 2015.  Its members closely collaborate and share experiences to promote and drive the success of the LoRaWAN® standard as the leading open global standard for secure, carrier-grade IoT LPWAN connectivity. With the technical flexibility to address a broad range of IoT applications, both static and mobile, and a certification program to guarantee interoperability, LoRaWAN® has already been deployed by major mobile network operators globally, with continuing wide expansion into 2024 and beyond.

Stephen Howes is Product Manager, Connected Devices, at IMI