Industrial Wireless Systems

Summary

The NIST Industrial Wireless Systems project, led by Rick Candell, is driving innovation in wireless technologies to meet the critical demands of industrial applications. Our mission is to enhance the reliability, latency, and resilience of wireless systems, paving the way for their widespread adoption in modern industrial automation and control.  

Description

The Industrial Wireless Systems project addresses the unique challenges of deploying wireless technologies in industrial environments, where performance is non-negotiable. From factories to power plants, our research ensures wireless solutions deliver the precision and robustness required for real-time operations. 

 

Our Focus

Industrial wireless communication refers to the use of wireless technologies to transmit data and control signals within industrial environments, enabling remote monitoring, automation, and data exchange between devices, sensors, and machines without physical cables. This technology is important for enhancing operational efficiency, reducing costs, and improving flexibility in industries like manufacturing, oil and gas, and logistics.   

 

Our research

• Wireless Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN):  We optimize TSN for low-latency, reliable communication in real-time industrial control systems, ensuring critical data flows seamlessly.
• Industrial 5G Stand-Alone Private Networks:  Leveraging 5G technology, we develop private networks measurement insights, guidance, and solutions for industrial automation, meeting high reliability and low-latency needs.
• Wi-Fi for Industrial IoT and Real-Time Control:  We enhance Wi-Fi performance for Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and real-time control, making it a viable option for industrial applications.
• Propagation and Interference Measurements and Modeling: Through measurements and modeling, we replicate industrial wireless channel conditions in the lab in order to test the operational performance and to help stakeholders understand what to expect and how to improve their systems under the influence of interference and propagation challenges unique to industrial environments.

Standards

• Standardization via IEEE 3388:  As Chair and Secretary of IEEE P3388 working group, we standardize performance testing for industrial wireless systems, ensuring consistent and reliable benchmarks.  Industry and academia requested that NIST take a leadership role in standardized performance evaluation of industrial wireless systems.
• Influencing Global Standards:  We shape wireless standards through active roles in 3GPP, IEEE 802, and the Avnu Alliance, driving global adoption of industrial solutions.

 

Collaboration fuels our success

Our partnerships and collaborations bridge industry, academia, and government to tackle real-world challenges in industrial wireless communications.

 

Companies	Universities and Research Institutes	Standards Organizations	Government
Boeing Intel Emerson Google ABB Phoenix Contact Yokogawa Firecell	University of Maryland University of the Basque Country Italy, National Research Council (CNR) Silicon Austria Labs	IEEE Industrial Electronics Society Instrumentation and Measurement Society ASTM Committee F45 on Robotics, Automation, and Autonomous Systems Avnu Alliance	Nuclear Regulatory Commission Department of Transportation Food and Drug Administration

Our Outputs

Peer-reviewed Papers

The IWS project team has produced over 30 peer-reviewed publications at various conferences and within journals.  These papers provide rigorous scientific insights into wireless performance, offering stakeholders data to inform policies, standards, and technology adoption in industrial settings.  All publications can be found here or by searching for publications by the project leader, Rick Candell.

NIST Reports

• Guide to Industrial Wireless Systems Deployments (NIST AMS 300-4, May 2018)
• Wireless User Requirements for the Factory Workcell (NIST AMS 300-8, 2019)
• Industrial Wireless Deployments in the Navy Shipyard (NIST AMS 300-9, 2020)
• Industrial Wireless Systems: Radio Propagation Measurements (NIST TN 1951, 2017)

Measurement Datasets (data.nist.gov)

• Radio Frequency Measurements for Selected Manufacturing and Industrial Environments (link)
• Technical contributions to the IEEE 802 and Avnu Alliance wireless working groups
• Several datasets of interference measurements and scenario-specific RF propagation
• Datasets of results from experiments conducted using the IWS testbeds

Standards

Leadership of the IEEE P3388 (Wireless Performance Assessment and Measurement Working Group)

Testbeds and Laboratory Capabilities

• NIST Industrial Wireless LAN Testbed:  A “factory in a box” that replicates industrial environments to test wireless systems.
• 5G Testbed for IoT and teleoperation in manufacturing, construction, and other mission-critical scenarios
• In-lab industrial wireless channel replication
  • Multi-path propagation, mobility, and blockages
  • Radio Frequency Interference from communications and non-communications sources

Downloadable Datasets

• Propagation
  • Radio Frequency Measurements for Selected Manufacturing and Industrial Environments (link)
  • Aerospace autoclave (Pending)
• Radio Interference
  • Radio Frequency Interference Measurements of Industrial Machinery (link)
  • Electromagnetic Interference Measurements from Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) Arc Welding (link)
  • Microwave Oven interference Measurements at 2.4 GHz (link)
• Other Data (Software and Tools)
  • Search here for all datasets related to this project.

Why this matters?

The NIST Industrial Wireless Systems project delivers critical value to industrial, academic, and government stakeholders by advancing wireless technologies for mission-critical industrial applications. For industrial stakeholders like Boeing, ABB, and Keysight, the project’s peer-reviewed papers, technical reports, and testbed results provide actionable insights to deploy reliable, low-latency wireless systems, reducing costs and enhancing automation in manufacturing and IoT. 

Academic stakeholders, such as the University of Maryland, benefit from comprehensive datasets and collaborative research opportunities, enabling cutting-edge studies in propagation modeling, interference measurements and modeling, and wireless performance studies in Wi-Fi, 5G/6G, and others. 

Government stakeholders, including the Department of Transportation and Nuclear Regulatory Commission, gain evidence-based data to inform spectrum policies, regulatory frameworks, and infrastructure deployments, with standardization efforts (e.g., IEEE P3388) ensuring reliable and resilient wireless solutions for critical infrastructure, aligning with national goals for economic competitiveness and safety.

Get Involved

Interested in advancing industrial wireless systems? Contact our project leader Rick Candell or join to our Technical Interest Group by iwstig+subscribe [at] list.nist.gov (subscribing).