Abstract

Industrial environments are rarely uniform. Many facilities operate a mix of legacy equipment, fixed infrastructure, and modern, dynamic processes. This creates a challenge for monitoring strategies that rely solely on either wired or wireless

systems.

This article explores how Eltek’s Wireless GENII platform and Squirrel DAQ, now part of the Grant Instruments group, combine to create a hybrid monitoring architecture ideally suited for complex industrial environments.

The Reality of Hybrid Industrial Environments

Industrial sites such as manufacturing plants, energy facilities, test labs, and pilot plants rarely start from a blank sheet. Instead, they evolve over decades, resulting in:

• Permanently installed assets (engines, ovens, presses, test rigs)
• Mobile or temporary equipment (skids, containers, prototypes)
• Harsh or restricted areas where cabling is impractical
• Compliance-driven requirements for high-resolution, high-integrity data

Attempting to solve all these challenges with a single monitoring technology

often leads to compromise.

Wired vs Wireless: Strengths, Not Rivals

Rather than viewing wired and wireless monitoring as competing approaches, Eltek treats them as complementary layers.

Wireless GENII - Strengths

Wireless GENII excels where flexibility, speed of deployment, and remote

access are critical:

• Rapid installation with no signal cabling
• Long-range, low-power wireless transmission
• Battery-powered sensors for temperature, humidity, pressure, and
• more
• Cellular connectivity (4G/LTE) for remote or unmanned sites
• Ideal for retrofit, temporary monitoring, and hard-to-reach locations

Squirrel DAQ – Strengths

Squirrel DAQ systems are designed for high-precision, high-density, wired

data acquisition:

• Multi-channel, high-accuracy measurement
• Support for complex sensor types (thermocouples, PT100, strain,
• voltage, current)
• Deterministic, high-speed logging
• Ideal for test cells, validation labs, and fixed plant equipment

The key insight: most industrial sites need both.

The Eltek Hybrid Monitoring Architecture

By combining Wireless GENII and Squirrel DAQ under a single Eltek-led monitoring strategy, organisations can design systems that are:

• Fit-for-purpose rather than one-size-fits-all
• Scalable as facilities expand or processes change
• Future-proofed against digitalisation and Industry 4.0 initiatives

Conceptual Architecture

• Squirrel DAQ monitors fixed, high-value assets and processes
• Wireless GENII covers mobile, distributed, or temporary monitoring
• points
• Data is aggregated via Eltek software platforms and integrated into
• customer systems

Key Use Cases for Hybrid Deployment

1. Engine & Mechanical Test Facilities

• Squirrel DAQ captures high-frequency data from engines, dynos, and load cells
• Wireless GENII monitor ambient temperature, humidity, and surrounding infrastructure
• Engineers gain full environmental context alongside test results

2. Industrial Ovens & Thermal Processing

• Wired sensors ensure precise product temperature control
• Wireless sensors monitor door seals, exhaust zones, and surrounding plant rooms
• Enables compliance, energy optimisation, and predictive maintenance

3. Manufacturing & Process Plants

• Legacy wired systems remain in place where already installed
• Wireless GENII extends coverage without downtime or civil works
• Ideal for phased digital upgrades

4. Temporary & Mobile Installations

• Squirrel DAQ used during commissioning or validation phases
• Wireless GENII deployed for ongoing operational monitoring post-handover

Data Integrity, Compliance, and Trust

Hybrid systems must maintain confidence in data quality regardless of

sensor type. Eltek addresses this through:

• Time-synchronised logging
• Secure data transmission and storage
• Full audit trails
• Compatibility with regulated environments and quality systems

This makes the hybrid approach suitable not only for industrial optimisation, but also for compliance-driven sectors.

Why Eltek + Squirrel DAQ Is Different

By bringing Squirrel DAQ into the Eltek portfolio, Eltek uniquely offers:

• One supplier for wired and wireless monitoring
• One engineering partner for system design and deployment
• One roadmap for future expansion and integration

Rather than forcing customers to choose between legacy reliability and

modern flexibility, Eltek delivers both

Conclusion

Industrial monitoring is no longer about choosing wired or wireless. It is about designing hybrid systems that reflect real-world environments. By combining Wireless GENII and Squirrel DAQ, Eltek enables organisations to monitor everything that matters - accurately, efficiently, and without compromise.