Turnkey Hazardous Area Wireless Enclosure/Access Point Solution: The Analynk AE902

A Class 1 Div 2, ATEX Zone 2 Wireless Access Point Enclosure with Aruba AP 318, Power Supply, Antennas and Optional ISA100A / WirelessHART

Enclosure | Explosion Proof Access Point | ATEX Wifi Access Point

The Analynk AE902 series includes the Aruba AP-318 dual band access point with an optional Honeywell FDAP2 for ISA100A / WirelessHART communication.  The Analynk AE902 is certified for use in Class I, Division 2 or ATEX Zone 2 hazardous areas. The unit's hazardous area enclosure protects an Aruba AP318 wireless access point, a dual band access point delivering gigabit Wi-Fi performance to 802.11ac mobile devices in harsh environments. The optional Honeywell FDAP2 is an industrial meshing access point for ISA100 Wireless and/or WirelessHART field instruments.

The Analynk AE902 also includes a PoE (Power over Ethernet) injector and universal input power supply. The enclosure is made of 316 stainless steel and has a NEMA 4X or IP66 rating for harsh conditions. Optional directional hazardous area antennas are available and can be mounted remotely from the enclosure.

For more information, contact Analynk Wireless. Call them at (614) 755-5091 or visit their website at https://analynk.com.

Product Update: The AE902 Hazardous Area Access Point Now Includes UL C1, D2, Groups A, B, C, & D and ATEX Zone 2

The Analynk AE902 Series Hazardous Area Class 1, Division 2 / ATEX Zone 2, Access Point with Optional ISA100/HART Router

The Analynk AE902 series includes the Aruba AP-318 dual band access point with an optional Honeywell FDAP2 for ISA100A/HART communication. The AE902 is certified for use in Class I, Division 2 or ATEX Zone 2 hazardous areas. A POE injector and universal input power supply are also included. The enclosure is made of 316 stainless steel and has a NEMA 4X or IP56 rating for harsh conditions. Optional directional antennas are available and antennas can be mounted remotely from the enclosure.

Applications:

• Pharmaceuticals
• Oil refineries
• Oil & Gas Platforms
• Chemical Plants

---

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THIS ANALYNK WEB PAGE

---

Model: AE902-1A

Description: AP-318 Access Point

Certification: Class I, Division 2, Groups A, B, C, D

Model: AE902-2A

Description: AP-318 Access Point & FDAP2 ISA100/HART Router

Certification: Class I, Division 2, Groups A, B, C, D

Model: AE902-1A-ATEX

Description: AP-318 Access Point

Certification: ATEX Zone 2

Model: AE902-2A-ATEX

Description: AP-318 Access Point & FDAP2 ISA100/HART Router

Certification: ATEX Zone 2

Analynk Wireless, LLC

790 Cross Pointe Road
Columbus, OH 43230
614-755-5091 phone
614 -755-5093 fax
www.analynk.com

Hazardous Area Enclosures Facilitate Plant Standards for Wireless Access Points

Hazardous area enclosures for wireless access point.
(Analynk)

There are often conflicts between what is needed and what is desired in many technical endeavors, and the field of industrial process control is no exception. Such a conflict between process engineers and IT managers was created by the incursion and popularity of wireless communication into the field of process measurement and control. It is, of course, a cooperative and friendly conflict, but a condition which may require some incompatible interests to be resolved.

For a number of reasons, compliance with certain norms set for the organization's wider scope and standards is advantageous for the wireless network equipment. Standardization on specific brands or hardware types can have true advantages. The tasks associated with network infrastructure back end management are less complicated when all equipment belongs to the same producer and family of products. Provisioning, which includes initial set-up, long-term management and management of unit losses, is simplified when all units are identical. The same objective is pursued by process technicians and operators in standardizing specific transmitters, valves or other parts that have various facilities throughout a plant.

The Analynk AE902-1 is designed to house the Aruba AP-318.

The problem occurs when the access point selected by the IT team, with all the latest standards, needs to be installed in a part of the plant categorized as hazardous (owing to the potential for flammable or explosive gases, vapors or dusts that can be ignited). There is a solution, actually a fairly simple one. Use a non-hazardous area access point (as specified or designated by the IT department) and installing it inside an access point enclosure designed for hazardous areas.

Analynk Wireless manufactures enclosures for industrial wireless access points installed in hazardous locations.  Each access point enclosure is provided with agency approved enclosures, antennas, mounting, penetrations, cabling, and power supplies. Their current product offering accommodates a wide range of wireless access point manufacturers including Symbol, Cisco, Meru, Aruba, HP, and Motorola.  Access point and Wi-Fi technology technologies change rapidly. Wireless component lifecycles are relatively short compared to other process equipment. The use of hazardous area access point enclosures provide flexibility and convenience in access point selection and upgrades.

For more information, contact Analynk Wireless by visiting https://analynk.com or by calling 614-755-5091.

The Argument for Hazardous Access Point Enclosures in the Rapidly Changing World of Wireless Technology

Many companies in the chemical, mining, petrochemical, pulp & paper, power generation, primary metals and pharmaceutical industries now require high-performance Wi-Fi access in potentially explosive environments. These critical applications, whether for device telemetry, network access, site-to-site connectivity, or unified communications, require the highest available Wi-Fi performance inside some of the harshest environments.

There are two ways to design Wi-Fi access points for application deployment inside explosive environments:

1. Design and build the access point itself to operate directly inside the hazardous environment, without an external enclosure rated for the area.
2. Use an access point designed for non-hazardous locations, and install it inside an access point enclosure specifically designed for that hazardous classification. 

The first approach is cost effective when underlying technology is slow-to-change, stable, and the pressure to change is years off.

The second approach, using an external access point enclosure, is the best path to take in situations where the underlying technology is changing rapidly.

It only took 10 years for Wi-Fi to move from 802.11n, to 802.11ac Wave 1, to 802.11ac Wave 2. No one wants to buy and install old technology. The thought of implementing a 2007 technology (802.11n for instance) for an application today is silly. Instead, today you would use 802.11ac Wave 1, especially in industrial environments, because of its outstanding multipath performance in the presence of metal. What will you use tomorrow? Who knows. But you should plan accordingly.

Based on typical amortization rates, a customer who wants to stay on top of the latest Wi-Fi technology would update their equipment roughly once every 4 years. If we assume that an access point designed for uncontrolled outdoor environments with wide temperature range operation has a List price of $1,500, and the associated Class 1 Division 2 enclosure Lists for $3,500, and the installation of just the enclosure (excluding access point set-up and commissioning) costs $2,500, then customers will save $4,500 with every turn of access point technology if the enclosure is retained.

If you are working with rapidly changing standards, and technologies such as Wi-Fi whose equipment is constantly upgraded, purchasing and installing a hazardous area enclosure, and swapping out access points as technology changes, is clearly the more economical solution in the long run.

Analynk Wireless, LLC
https://analynk.com
(614) 755-5091

Protecting Wireless Infrastructure in Potentially Explosive Environments

"Built to Blast: Industrial Internet of Things Infrastructure for Hazardous Environments" 

by Aruba Networks. Full text white paper can be downloaded here.

Many chemical, defense, flight line, food processing, fueling, mining, petrochemical, and pharmaceutical applications require high-performance Wi-Fi access in potentially explosive environments. Whether for device telemetry, network access, site-to-site connectivity, or unified communications, these applications require the highest available Wi-Fi performance in the harshest of environments.

Wi-Fi access points can be designed to operate directly in explosive environments without an additional protective enclosure, or they can be designed for use in non-explosive environments and operated inside of an enclosure rated for the application. The former approach is cost-effective when the underlying technology driving the equipment is established, stable, and unlikely to need an upgrade for years; IoT speed, position, pressure, and temperature sensors fall into that category.

The latter approach – using an external enclosure – is the most practical if the underlying wireless technology is changing rapidly. That’s because the cost of purchasing and installing an explosion-proof enclosure can represent from 4 to 20 times the cost of the access point the enclosure is designed to protect. It’s substantially less expensive to swap out the access point, leaving the protective enclosure untouched, than to install a completely new enclosure with every technology upgrade.

In less than ten years the Wi-Fi industry has moved from 802.11n to 802.11ac Wave 1 to 802.11ac Wave 2. Just as no customer would buy a new truck based on a 10 year old design, neither would they consider deploying 802.11n access points based on technology from 2007. At a minimum they would use 802.11ac Wave 1, especially in industrial environments, because of 802.11ac’s outstanding multipath performance in the presence of metal.

Using typical amortization rates a customer that wants to stay abreast of the latest Wi-Fi technology would update equipment roughly once every four years. If we assume that an access point designed for uncontrolled outdoor environments with wide temperature range operation has a List price of $1,500, the associated Class 1 Division 2 enclosure Lists for $3,500, and the installation of just the enclosure (excluding access point set-up and commissioning) costs $2,500, then customers will save $4,500 with every turn of access point technology if the enclosure is retained.

For more information about hazardous area wireless access point enclosures, contact Analynk by calling (614) 755-5091 or visit their website at https://analynk.com.

Regulations and Standards for Equipment Operating in Explosive Atmospheres

Reprinted from "Built to Blast: Industrial Internet of Things Infrastructure for Hazardous Environments" by Aruba Networks.  Full text white paper can be downloaded here.

A potentially explosive atmosphere exists when air gas, vapor, mist, or dust – alone or in combination – are present under circumstances in which it or they can ignite under specified operating conditions. Places with potentially explosive atmospheres are called “hazardous” or “classified” areas or locations.

Multiple local and international regulations are in place to mitigate the risk posted by operating networks and IoT devices in potentially explosive atmospheres. Increasingly these regulations are becoming harmonized under a framework developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and European and US standards.

ATEX Directives

ATEX, derived from the French phrase “Atmosphères Explosibles,” is a European regulatory framework for the manufacture, installation, and use of equipment in explosive atmospheres. It consists of two European Union (EU) directives:

• 1999/92/EC which defines the minimum safety requirements for workers in hazardous areas; and
• 2014/34/EU which covers equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres.

These two directives define the essential health and safety requirements, as well as the conformity assessment procedures, that need to be applied before products can be used in the EU market.

IEC Ex System (IECEx)

IECEx is a voluntary certification program that validates compliance with IEC standards related to safety in explosive atmospheres. Details about IECEx, its coverage areas, and conformity mark system can be found at www.iecex.com.

European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC)

CENELEC was formed to facilitate a consensus-building process between European and international electrical standards activities. In 1996 CENELEC and the IEC formalized a framework of cooperation through an agreement on common standards planning and parallel voting that is known as the Dresden Agreement. As a result of this initiative both CENELEC and IEC have similar standards for explosive environments.

National Electrical Code (NEC)

NEC defines the standards for the safe installation of electrical wiring and equipment in the United States, and its standards are coordinated with those of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). NFPA 70 Articles 500 thru 510 address safe practices for the location and operation of electrical equipment in hazardous locations installations.
Additional national standards relating to hazardous environments may be in effect in different countries, however, there has been a concerted effort in recent years to harmonize local standards with the standards referenced above.

About Analynk

Analynk, LLC manufacturers hazardous area wireless access points. More information on their products can be found here.
https://analynk.com
614-755-5091

IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) Wireless Networking Considerations in Hazardous Environments

BUILT TO BLAST
Industrial Internet of Things Infrastructure for
Hazardous Environments

Industry groups and standards bodies have collaborated to address these issues by classifying explosive materials and defining standards under which networking equipment and Internet of Things (IoT) devices can be safely operated in their presence. The work has been conducted by different organizations, in different regions, and it can be challenging to understand which standards are applicable under different scenarios.

This white paper examines the different categories of explosive risks, which standards to apply under different scenarios, how network infrastructure can be deployed in explosive environments, and how sensor systems can be integrated with this infrastructure. The goal is to enable end customers and resellers to select the network infrastructure, enclosures, and associated systems that are best suited to each scenario.

---

GET YOUR COPY OF THIS WHITE PAPER AT THE ANALYNK WEBSITE HERE

---

Come Visit Analynk, LLC at Aruba Networks Atmosphere '19 on April 1, 2 & 3

Imagine an opportunity to meet and rub shoulders with over 3000 of your peers to learn, collaborate and influence the direction of Aruba products. Only at Atmosphere can you directly interface with those that build the industry’s best enterprise-class technologies in wireless & wired infrastructure and software, security, location services, and analytics & assurance.

REGISTER HERE

The AE902-1 Hazardous Area Class I, Division 2, Access Point Enclosure for Aruba AP-318

The AE902-1 is designed to house the Aruba AP-318 dual band access point for use in the hazardous areas. The enclosure, all hardware and antennas are rated for Class I, Division 2, groups A, B, C, & D. A POE injector and AC to DC power supply, are also included. The enclosure is made of 316 stainless steel and has a NEMA 4X rating for harsh conditions. Optional directional antennas are available and antennas can be mounted up to 150’ away from the enclosure.

Analynk Wireless
https://analynk.com
(614) 755-5091

Analynk Exhibiting at Aruba Atmosphere '19

Atmosphere is the annual Aruba meeting and convention for innovators in the field of networking, security, IoT, mobility and the cloud. Atmosphere provides attendees an opportunity to meet and rub shoulders with over 3000 peers to learn, collaborate and influence the direction of Aruba products, all with the common goal to build the industry’s best enterprise-class technologies in wireless & wired infrastructure and software, security, location services, and analytics & assurance.

For more information visit this page on the Analynk web site.

Safely Locate Your Aruba AP 318 in Hazardous Areas with this New Enclosure

Analynk AE902 Hazardous Area Access Point Enclosure

Wi-Fi coverage is increasingly required in all areas of the modern industrial manufacturing plant. Adding wireless access points in non-hazardous areas, in an environmentally protected structure, is relatively simple. Many times the access point's own enclosure is all the protection required for that service.

On the other hand, creating a reliable wireless data transmission network in locations with dangerous concentrations of flammable gases or ignitable dust present unique network challenges. Industries such as off-shore drilling, petrochemical refining and mining require wireless networking components rated for use in hazardous areas.

Hardened access points, such as the Aruba Networks AP 318, are built for rugged environments. The AP 318 is capable of operating from -40 F. up to +140 F., and the unit's enclosure provides water and dust protection. However, if the access point is being located in a hazardous area (an area where flammable vapor, gas or dust exist) it will have to be mounted inside a hazardous area access point enclosure.

The Analynk AE902 Hazardous Area Access Point Enclosure provides the approvals and features required for hazardous area applications. Designed specifically to house the Aruba AP 318 access point, the AE902 enclosure allows facilitates the deployment of wireless networks in Class I, Division 2, groups A, B, C, & D areas, and combines protection for harsh, wet and corrosive environments. It includes a NEMA 4X rating to withstand driving rain, blowing sand, dust, splashing, and an occasional hose down. Finally, the AE902 comes complete with a PoE (Power over Ethernet) injector and AC to DC power supply for simplified wiring.

To learn more about the AE902 Hazardous Area Access Point Enclosure, visit this page on the Analynk website or call 614-755-5091.

New Product Alert: AE902-1 Hazardous Area Class I, Division 2, Access Point Enclosure for Aruba AP 318

The Analynk AE902-1

Analynk is proud to announce a new access point enclosure, the AE902-1, specifically for the Aruba AP-318 access point.

Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company, developed the Aruba 318 series access point as a hardened device for use in harsh, weather-protected environments. Aruba designs some of the most popular and highly rated access points in the industry.

Aruba AP-318

Analynk developed the AE902-1 to house the Aruba AP-318 for use in hazardous areas. The enclosure, all hardware and antennas are rated for Class I, Division 2, groups A, B, C, & D. 

A POE (Power over Ethernet) injector and AC to DC power supply, are included. The enclosure is made of 316 stainless steel and has a NEMA 4X rating for harsh conditions, such as offshore oil and gas platforms. Optional directional antennas are available, and antennas can be mounted up to 150’ away from the enclosure. The AE902-1 can be flat panel or pole mounted.

As mentioned above, the AE902-1 is currently rated Class I, Division 2 Groups, A, B, C, & D. ATEX Zone 2 approval is pending.

See the drawing below. For more detailed information, inquiries, or to download a Sales Specification Sheet, visit this page on the Analynk website.

Analynk, LLC
https://analynk.com
(614) 755-5091

Click for larger view.