Showing posts with label Hazard Area Access Point Enclosures. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hazard Area Access Point Enclosures. Show all posts

Hazardous Area Access Point Enclosures for Safety, Reliability, Convenience and Cost Savings

Hazardous Area Access Point Enclosures


Industrial wireless networks are a much-needed solution for hazardous areas where wired connections are impossible. Wireless networks are also an ideal choice for temporary or mobile applications.


Industrial Wireless Networking is a newer technology quickly becoming the standard for companies that need to transmit data wirelessly in hazardous areas. Industrial wireless networks are gaining traction in hazardous areas with distinct advantages over hard wiring. However, some disadvantages make it less desirable than hard wiring.


Industrial wireless networks are a cost-effective solution to provide reliable, secure, and fast internet access in hazardous areas. In recent years, the demand for industrial networks increased with the increasing popularity of IoT (Internet of Things). This industrial network segment is seeing a surge in demand as more instruments and supervisory control systems connect their devices to the Internet.


Wireless has been a solution to many challenges faced in industrial networking, from remote locations to temporary installations, with the convenience of mobility and reduced installation costs.  


An access point is a device that establishes a wireless local area network, often known as a WLAN. An access point uses Ethernet to connect to a wired router, switch, or hub and broadcasts a WiFi signal to a specific region of a building or plant. However, a significant challenge remains: how to prevent access points from causing ignition and protect the access point against harsh environmental conditions? 


Hazardous Access Point Enclosures
 are enclosures used to protect wireless access points in hazardous areas. They provide safety to the wireless network equipment and the people who work in the area.

Some of the hazards that might be present in a hazardous area include combustible gases, oxygen-rich atmospheres, and flammable dusts. These hazards can cause a fire or explosion if they come into contact with an open flame, spark, or heat source.


To ensure that access point devices can operate reliably in hazardous environments such as oil rigs or chemical plants, they need protection from combustible gases, dust particles, and corrosive chemicals.


The need for Hazardous Access Point Enclosures is increasing daily due to new wireless network technology and are a requirement for all access points operating in hazardous industrial areas. These enclosures protect the access points from dangerous areas and environments. They have various features to ensure the environment is protected and secure for the personnel working in the area.


Some of these features include:


  • Compliance with international standards
  • Resistance to extreme temperatures
  • Permits installation in any location within a hazardous area
  • Protection against dust and water ingress


Industrial wireless networks have a lot of benefits over hard wiring. The lack of wires makes installing and moving around in hazardous areas easy. In addition, you can eliminate the cost and hassle of having to replace or repair wires if they break or get cut. Access points are critical components of industrial networks, and Hazardous Area Enclosures are an essential safety measure for access point manufacturers when applying their products in these settings.

Analynk AP628 Dual-Band Hazardous Area Access Point Enclosure for Aruba AP-574

Analynk AP628 Dual-Band Hazardous Area Access Point Enclosure for Aruba AP-574

The AP628 is designed to house the Aruba AP-574 dual band access point for use in hazardous areas. The enclosure, all hardware, and antennas are rated for  Class I, Division 1, groups C & D Hazardous Locations. All hardware, mounting plate, antennas and RF cables are provided to make installation of the access point quick and easy. The enclosure utilizes our proprietary ex-plosion proof CTX series of antennas, six dual band 2.4GHz/5GHz are included.  

Ratings: 
  • Class I, Division 1, Groups, C & D 
Applications:
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Oil refineries
  • Oil & Gas Platforms
  • Chemical Plants
Ordering information:
AP628-N4 (NEMA 4 option)
AP628-ATEX (ATEX Zone 1 option)

For more information call Analynk at 614-755-5091 or visit this web page.

Analynk AP434-U6 Dual-Band Hazardous Area Access Point Enclosure for Fortinet FortiAP-432F or FortiAP-U432F (6 Antennas)

AP434-U6 for Fortinet FortiAP-432F or FortiAP-U432F

The AP434-U6 is designed to house the Fortinet FortiAP-432F or FortiAP-U432F (when six an-tennas are used) dual band access points for use in the hazardous areas. The enclosure, all hardware, and antennas are rated for Class I, Div 1, groups C & D Hazardous Locations. All hardware, mounting plate, and RF cables are provided to make installation of the access point quick and easy. Also included are six of our pro-prietary explosion proof CTX series dual band (2.4GHz/5GHz) antennas. The access point is not included.

Applications:

  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Oil refineries
  • Oil & Gas Platforms
  • Chemical Plants
Ordering information:
  • AP434 –U6
  • AP434-U6-N4 (NEMA 4X)
  • AP434-U6-ATEX (ATEX Zone 1)
For more information call Analynk at 614-755-5091 or visit this web page.

The Analynk AP627 Explosion Proof Access Point Enclosure For Aruba AP-534

The Analynk AP627 Explosion Proof Access Point Enclosure For Aruba AP-534

The Analynk AP627 is designed to house the Aruba AP-534 dual band access point for use in hazardous areas. The enclosure, all hardware, and antennas are rated for Class I, Div 1, groups C & D Hazardous Locations. All hardware, mounting plate, antennas and RF cables are provided to make installation of the access point quick and easy. The enclosure utilizes our proprietary explosion proof CTX series of antennas, four dual band 2.4GHz/5GHz are included.

Applications:

  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Oil refineries
  • Oil & Gas Platforms
  • Chemical Plants
Ordering information: 
  • AP627 
  • AP627-N4 (NEMA 4 option) 
  • AP627-ATEX (ATEX Zone 1 option)
For more information call Analynk at 614-755-5091.

The Analynk AP433 Dual-Band Hazardous Area Access Point Enclosure for Cisco C9130AXE

Analynk AP433

The AP433 is designed to house the Cisco C9130AXE dual band access point for use in the hazardous areas. The enclosure, all hardware, and antennas are rated for Class I, Div 1, groups C & D Hazardous Locations. All hard-ware, DART cable, and mounting plate are in-cluded to make installation of the access point quick and easy. Also included are eight of our proprietary explosion proof CTX series dual band (2.4GHz/5GHz) antennas. The access point is not included.

Applications:

  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Oil refineries
  • Oil & Gas Platforms
  • Chemical Plants
Ordering information: 
  • AP433  
  • AP433-N4 (NEMA 4X)
  • AP433-ATEX (ATEX Zone 1)
For more information call Analynk at 614-755-5091 or visit this web page.

Hardened Wireless Access Point Enclosures for Application in Explosive Atmospheres

Wireless Access Point Enclosures for Application in Explosive Atmospheres

When air, vapor, mist, or dust – alone or in combination – are present in settings where it or they can ignite under specified operating parameters, a potentially explosive environment occurs. "Hazardous" or "classified" areas or sites have a potentially explosive atmosphere. 

In potentially explosive situations, high-quality Wi-Fi access installations for chemical, defense, flight line, food processing, fueling, mining, petrochemical, and pharmaceutical applications are typical. These applications require the best available Wi-Fi performance in the roughest settings, whether for device telemetry, network access, site-to-site connectivity, or unified communications. Local and international laws have been put in place to reduce the risk of running networks and IIoT devices in potentially explosive environments. 

Chemical plants, refineries, oil and gas platforms, mining operations, grain processing, and plastics manufacturing all require hazardous area wireless access point enclosures designed and certified for usage in these environments. By preventing tampering, vandalism, and theft, these enclosures also give your wireless access point an extra layer of security. Because the expense of purchasing and installing an explosion-proof enclosure can be anywhere between 4 and 20 times the cost of the access point it is supposed to protect, using an external enclosure is the most realistic solution for quickly evolving wireless technology. It's much less expensive to replace the access point while keeping the protective enclosure intact than replacing the enclosure entirely with each technology upgrade.

Industrial wireless access point enclosures designed for Class 1, Division 1, Hazardous Locations, Groups C & D, ATEX Zone 1, and are available for an ever-increasing range of standard access points.


Analynk access point enclosures house specific wireless access points from various manufacturers, making installation simple. Every model comes with UL-listed explosion-proof antennas, mounting brackets custom-tailored for the access point equipment, and RF cables for connecting the antennas. Penetrations in enclosures correspond with the specified access point. Designs accommodate a variety of access points from Symbol, Cisco, Meru, Aruba, HP, and Motorola, with more models added regularly to accommodate additional wireless access points. 

The Analynk website contains a list of all wireless access point devices and their companion enclosures. If an access point you want to use isn't on the list, contact Analynk. They may accommodate your requirement with a minor modification to an existing product. 

Analynk Wireless is a company that specializes in industrial wireless communications. Analynk welcomes your wireless communication challenges, so get in touch and share your specifications.

The Analynk AP432 Dual-Band Hazardous Area Enclosure for the Cisco C9120AXE Access Point

Analynk AP432

The AP432 is designed to house the Cisco 9120AXE dual band access point for use in hazardous areas. The enclosure, all hardware, and antennas are rated for Class I, Div 1, groups C & D Hazardous Locations. All hardware, mounting plate, antennas and RF cables are provided to make installation of the access point quick and easy. The enclosure includes four of our proprietary explosion proof 2.4GHz/5Gz CTX series antennas.

Applications:

  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Oil refineries
  • Oil & Gas Platforms
  • Chemical Plants
Ordering information: 
  • AP432 Class I, Div 1 Groups, C & D
  • AP432-N4 (NEMA 4 option)
  • AP432-ATEX (ATEX Zone 1 option)
For more information call Analynk at 614-755-5091 or visit this web page.

Comprehensive Listing of Hazardous Area Enclosures for Commercially Available Wireless Access Points

Listing of Hazardous Area Enclosures

Markets such as pharmaceutical, chemical, petrochemical, water treatment, refinery, oil platform, storage depot, and mining applications benefit from wireless network implementation. The robust feature set of commercial access points provides significant benefits but typically lacks the construction and approvals for hazardous environments. Specially designed instrument enclosures accommodate these access points and allow these feature-rich, widely available products in hazardous industrial areas. 

Analynk manufactures hazardous area access point enclosures designed for these access points. The enclosures are rated Class I, Division 1, and 2 locations, Groups A, B, C, & D and ATEX Zone 1 and 2 areas. 

The following is a listing of commonly used wireless access points and matching access point enclosures, with links to the specification sheets.


Analynk Wireless
(614) 755-5091

Analynk AP420 Explosion Proof Access Point Enclosure For Meraki/Cisco MR42E

AP420 Explosion Proof Access Point Enclosure For Meraki/Cisco MR42E

The AP420 is a hazardous area enclosure designed to house the Meraki/Cisco MR42E dual band access point.The enclosure and antennas are rated for Class I, Div 1, groups C & D Hazardous Locations. All hardware, mounting plate, and RF cables are provided to make installation of the access point quick and easy. The enclosure includes five hazardous area 2.4GHz/5GHz antennas, the MR42E is not included.

Ratings: Class I, Div 1 Groups, C & D, ATEX Zone 1 optional

Applications:

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

Ordering information:

  • AP420
  • AP420-N4 (NEMA 4 rating)
  • AP420-ATEX

For more information call Analynk at 614-755-5091 or visit this web page.

Analynk AP626 Explosion Proof Access Point Enclosure For Aruba AP-514

Analynk AP626

The Analynk AP626 is a hazardous area enclosure designed to house the Aruba AP-514 dual band access point. The enclosure and antennas are rated for Class 1, Div 1, groups C & D Hazardous Locations. All hardware, mounting plate, and RF cables are provided to make installation of the access point quick and easy. The enclosure includes four of our patented hazardous area 2.4GHz/5GHz antennas, the AP-514 is not included.

Ratings: Class I, Div 1 Groups, C & D
ATEX Zone 1 optional

Applications:

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

Ordering information:

  • AP626
  • AP626-N4 (NEMA 4 rating)
  • AP626-ATEX
For more information call Analynk at 614-755-5091 or visit this web page.

An Excellent White Paper for Understanding Wireless Networking in Hazardous Areas

Wireless in Hazardous Areas

A potentially explosive atmosphere exists when a gas, vapor, mist, or dust, alone or in combination, occurs in situations where it may ignite under specific conditions. A "hazardous" or "classified" area are places with highly combustible atmospheres that are potentially explosive.

Local and international regulations exist to minimize the risk posed in explosive atmospheres by the energy contained in and required by operating networks and IoT products. A gradual harmonization of these regulations continues to be structured and defined by the IEC and European and US standards.

Industry associations and standards bodies continue to work together to resolve classifying explosive materials and establish standards for the safe operation of networking equipment and IIoT (Industrial Things Internet) products in hazardous areas. Because different organizations perform the work in other areas, understanding which criteria are applicable under different conditions can be difficult.

Aruba Networks has been at the forefront of wireless networking in industrial environments. Their white paper entitled "BUILT TO BLAST: Industrial Internet of Things Hazardous Environment Infrastructure" discusses the various types of dangers, criteria, and conditions that need to be considered before deploying wireless network infrastructure in explosive environments. You can download the white paper here.

The growth of connected industrial IoT devices moves in unison with initiatives to improve operations, maximize efficiency, allow better inventory management, and enhance plant safety. Understanding the unique requirements of wireless networking and communications in hazardous areas is critical. If you have questions about applying wireless networking and instrumentation in hazardous areas, feel free to contact Analynk Wireless. Check out their website at https://analynk.com for contact information.

The Economic Argument of Using Hazardous Area Access Point Enclosures

 

Cost-effective argument for hazardous area enclosures

Many chemical, food processing, refining, mining, petrochemical, and pharmaceutical applications need high-performance Wi-Fi access in potentially explosive environments. Whether it's device telemetry, network access, site-to-site networking, or unified communications, these applications demand the highest Wi-Fi performance possible in the harshest environments. 

Some Wi-Fi access points are designed for direct use in explosive conditions without an external protective enclosure. Others are intended for use in non-explosive environments and controlled within a specialized housing specified for that use. The former approach is cost-effective when the underlying technology that drives the equipment is developed, reliable, and unlikely to need an upgrade for years; IoT velocity, positioning, pressure, and temperature sensors fall into that class. 

The latter solution – using an outer enclosure – is the most realistic as the underlying wireless technology is rapidly evolving. That's because an explosion-proof enclosure's purchase and installation costs can reflect 4 to 20 times the access point's price. Swapping the access point out, leaving the protective enclosure intact, is significantly less costly than installing a brand new enclosure for some technology upgrades. 

The Wi-Fi industry has changed from 802.11n to 802.11ac Wave 1 to 802.11ac Wave 2 in under ten years. Just as no consumer will purchase a new truck based on a 10-year-old design, nor will they consider installing technology-based 802.11n access points from 2007. They will at least use 802.11ac Wave 1, particularly in industrial environments, due to the outstanding multipath performance of 802.11ac in metal presence. 

Using standard amortization rates, a consumer wanting to keep up-to-date with the new Wi-Fi technology will upgrade equipment approximately once every four years. If we believe that an access point designed for harsh environments has a list price of $1,500, and with the related Class 1 Division 2 enclosure may list for $3,500. The installation alone (excluding the set-up and commissioning of access points) costs $2,500. In this scenario, buyers can save $4,500 for each access point technology switch when mounting in a hazardous area access point enclosure.

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.

The Analynk AP427 Dual-Band Hazardous Area Access Point Enclosure for Ubiquiti UAP-AC-M

AP427 Ubiquiti UAP-AC-M

THE AP427 HAZARDOUS AREA ENCLOSURE HOUSES THE UBIQUITI UAP-AC-M DUAL BAND ACCESS POINT FOR USE IN THE HAZARDOUS AREAS. 

The AP427 is designed to house the Ubiquiti UAP-AC-M dual band access point for use in hazardous areas. The enclosure, all hardware, and antennas are rated for Class I, Div 1, groups C & D Hazardous Locations. All hardware, mounting plate, antennas and RF cables are provided to make installation of the access point quick and easy. The enclosure utilizes our proprietary explosion proof CTX series of antennas, two dual band 2.4GHz/5GHz are included.

For more information, contact Analynk Wireless.
(614) 755-5091

The Analynk AP419 Dual-Band Hazardous Area Access Point Enclosure for Cisco Meraki MR84 Access Point


The AP419 hazardous area enclosure houses the Cisco Meraki MR84 dual band access point for use in the hazardous areas. 


The AP419 hazardous area enclosure houses the Cisco MR84 dual band access point for use in the hazardous areas. The enclosure and antennas are designed for use in Class I, Division 1 group C & D areas. All hardware, mounting plate, antennas and RF cables are provided to make installation quick and easy. The enclosure utilizes our proprietary explosion proof CTX series of antennas and includes four 2.4GHz/5GHz dual band antennas. The access point is not included with the enclosure.

For more information, contact Analynk Wireless.
(614) 755-5091

The Analynk AP417 Dual-Band Hazardous Area Access Point Enclosure for Cisco Aironet 1562E Outdoor Access Point


The AP417 hazardous area enclosure houses the Cisco AIR-AP1562E dual band access point for use in the hazardous areas. 


The enclosure and antennas are designed for use in Class I, Division 1 group C & D areas. All hardware, mounting plate, antennas and RF cables are provided to make installation quick and easy. The enclosure utilizes our proprietary explosion proof CTX series of antennas and includes four 2.4GHz/5GHz dual band antennas. The access point is not included with the enclosure.

For more information, contact Analynk Wireless.
(614) 755-5091

NEW! The AP422 Dual-Band Hazardous Area Access Point Enclosure for Cisco 1852E

Cisco 1852E Hazardous Enclosure

Analynk Wireless is pleased to introduce the AP422 Dual-Band Hazardous Area Access Point Enclosure for the Cisco 1852E.

The AP422 is designed to house the Cisco 1852E dual band access point for use in hazardous areas. The enclosure, all hardware, and antennas are rated for Class I, Div 1, groups C & D Hazardous Locations. All hardware, mounting plate, antennas and RF cables are provided to make installation of the access point quick and easy. The enclosure utilizes our proprietary explosion proof CTX series of antennas, three dual band 2.4GHz/5GHz are included.

For more information, contact Analynk Wireless.
(614) 755-5091

Analynk to Exhibit and Sponsor Aruba Atmosphere'20

Atmosphere'20

Aruba access points (APs) are well known for their excellent coverage in central and remote sites, locations with high concentrations of Wi-Fi clients, indoors and outdoors, and harsh industrial environments. They are deployed in a wide range of wireless LAN (WLAN) environments world-wide. In the industrial space, many flight line, refinery, oil platform, storage depot, and mining applications require placing access points in an environment that is exposed to gasoline, natural gas, or other explosive gases or vapors.

Analynk manufactures hazardous area access point enclosures designed for Class 1, Division 1 and 2 locations, Groups A, B, C, & D and ATEX Zone 2 areas. Providing Wi-Fi or mesh in these hazardous locations is now accomplished by mounting the AP or MSR inside a compatible Analynk enclosure and connecting approved conduit and cabling.

Atmosphere is the annual Aruba meeting and convention for innovators in the field of wireless networking, wireless security, IoT, mobility and the cloud. Attendees of Atmosphere'20 have an opportunity to meet and rub shoulders with over 3000 peers. The goal of the meeting is to discuss, learn, collaborate and influence the direction of Aruba products with the mission to support Aruba in continuing to build and supply the industry’s best enterprise-class technologies in wireless & wired infrastructure.

Analynk is very proud to be a Silver Sponsor for Atmosphere'20.

Meeting Details:
When: March 22-27, 2020
Where: Caesars Forum Conference Center, Las Vegas, NV
Registration: Click this link.





NEW! The AP414 Explosion Proof Access Point Enclosure for Cisco IW3702-2E

AP414 Explosion Proof Access Point Enclosure
Analynk AP414 Explosion Proof Access Point Enclosure

The Analynk AP414 is a hazardous area enclosure designed to house the Cisco IW3702-2E access point. The enclosure and antennas are rated for Class 1, Div 1, groups C & D Hazardous Locations. All hardware, mounting plate, and RF cables are provided to make installation of the access point quick and easy. The enclosure includes four patented hazardous area CTX series 2.4GHz/5GHz dual band antennas, the IW3702-2E is not included.

Ratings:
Cisco IW3702-2E
Cisco IW3702-2E

  • Class 1, Div 1 Groups, C & D
  • ATEX Zone 1 and NEMA 4 rating optional

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

Ordering information:
  • AP414
  • AP414-ATEX AP414-NEMA4 
  • AP414-ATEX-NEMA4
Contact: Analynk Wireless
Phone: 614-755-5091

NEW! The AP415 Dual-Band Hazardous Area Access Point Enclosure for Cisco MR53

AP415
Analynk AP415 Dual-Band Hazardous
Area Access Point Enclosure
Analynk Wireless is pleased to introduce the AP415 Dual-Band Hazardous Area Access Point Enclosure for the Cisco MR53.

The AP415 hazardous area enclosure houses the Cisco MR53 dual band access point for use in the hazardous areas. The enclosure and antennas are designed for use in Class I, Division 1 group C & D areas. All hardware, mounting plate, antennas and RF cables are provided to make installation quick and easy. The enclosure utilizes our proprietary explosion proof CTX series of antennas and includes six 2.4GHz/5GHz dual band antennas. The access point is not included with the enclosure.
Cisco MR53
Cisco MR53 Access Point
(Not included with enclosure)




Ratings:

Class I, Div 1 Groups, C & D Optional: ATEX Zone 1

Applications:
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Oil refineries
  • Oil & Gas Platforms
  • Chemical Plants
Ordering information:
  • AP415
  • AP415-N4 (NEMA 4X rating) 
  • AP-415-ATEX

Learn More About the AP415 Here

To contact Analynk Wireless, call (614) 755-5091 or visit their web site at https://analynk.com.

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