Z-wave multi-antenna setup? 770,000 sq ft area

[u/ethanbrecke]

Hello all, im unsure if this is the right place to ask this, or not. I work in an auto plant and we're looking to do some open source automation for fans initially, and potentially expanding. The auto plant is approx 770,000 square feet, and we're looking at Z-wave plugs that we can plug into the wall and hook the shop fans up to.

The issue im running into, design wise, is that it seems that Z-wave devices can only transmit up to 4 hops across devices, and that doesnt seem like it'll work in 770,000 sq feet. We have the plant divided into 4 major sections. My thought process was to put the raspberry pi controller towards the center of the plant, and run powered USB extenders to have multiple antenna's in different zones.

Is something like that possible? I know theres USB over IP and USB over Ethernet. There's powered USB hubs, but USB hubs like that seem kinda limited?

[u/suckmyENTIREdick]

A manufacturing facility that covers over 17 acres.

Does this manufacturing facility not have PLC and networking boffins?

[u/IAmDotorg]

Is there a reason you're not using a normal industrial automation system?

Your problem is one that has been solved for decades.

[u/Greedy_Reflection_75]

At that scale maybe consider Lora too. Yolink has that but I haven't used them.