Latency Evaluation of Industrial Wi-Fi for Real-Time Connectivity in Factory Setup

The increasing demand for wireless communication in industrial environments calls for technologies that can deliver real-time, highly reliable connectivity. This paper presents an in-depth latency analysis of a deterministic industrial Wi-Fi system in a 15-acre live production facility, where heavy-load cranes are operated wirelessly. The system under investigation utilizes the Industrial Point Coordination Function with Multi-Controller (IPCF-MC), designed to provide scheduled, low-latency communication for time-sensitive industrial applications. Latency was measured using Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) traffic under realistic operational conditions, including roaming between access points. Unlike prior studies, this approach enables a direct comparison to other wireless technologies, including 5G Non-Public Networks (NPN) and commercial Wi-Fi, using a common testing method. The analysis reveals the importance of proper network configuration in achieving consistent real-time performance—an aspect rarely addressed in the literature. To the best of our knowledge, this study provides the first real-world ICMP-based latency evaluation of IPCF-MC in a large-scale, operational industrial setting, offering practical insights into the viability of industrial Wi-Fi as a competitive solution for time-critical wireless applications.