Installed Wireless IoT Devices in Industrial Automation at More Than 21 Million

According to a new research report from the M2M/IoT analyst firm Berg Insight, annual shipments of wireless devices for industrial automation applications reached 4.6 million units worldwide in 2018, accounting for approximately 6 percent of all new connected nodes. Growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.3 percent, annual shipments are expected to reach 9.9 million in 2023. The installed base of wireless IoT devices in industrial automation reached at the same time 21.3 million in 2018. While wired networking solutions are still predominantly used for industrial communications between sensors, controllers and systems, wireless solutions have gained a strong foothold in a number of applications. Wireless solutions are used for wire replacement in parts of the plant that are hard to reach or uneconomical to connect through wired installations. In factory automation, wireless solutions are widely used to control cranes and automated guided vehicles (AGVs) in material handling applications. In process automation, wireless technologies are increasingly used to connect instruments, enabling plant operators to monitor and optimize processes in hazardous areas, while also ensuring worker safety.