在汽车制造中建立可靠的AGV无线网络的6个技巧
From material delivery to vehicle assembly, the automotive manufacturing industry is finding ways to use automated guided vehicles (AGVs) throughout production to improve efficiency, safety and quality.
These machines require a stable AGV wireless network. Strong connections empower them to do everything from navigate a workspace to communicate with control systems and equipment to coordinate movement. Their disruption can halt production, which leads to costly downtime. In fact, among all industrial facilities, downtime costs the most for automotive manufacturers. According to one Siemens report, downtime today costs twice what it did in 2019, with the cost of downtime at $2.3 million per hour.
But automotive manufacturing environments don’t make it easy to maintain reliable wireless communication. Steel structures and concrete walls reduce coverage and create dead zones. Vast square footage makes it difficult to maintain consistent signal strength. And manufacturing equipment can disrupt wireless signals and create delays.
When planning your AGV wireless network, consider these common obstacles—and learn how to overcome them.
1. Cross-floor and cross-generation wireless roaming must be supported
Seamless real-time handoffs between wireless access points, called roaming, are critical to enable AGVs to move across floors or zones—and across different generations of wireless network technologies—without hesitation. But roaming can be disrupted by dead zones, latency issues or mismatched network configurations.
Proper access point placement, channel planning and implementation of advanced roaming protocols, such as 802.11r, are critical to support cross-floor and cross-generation roaming.
2. Electromagnetic interference from other devices can interrupt performance
Automotive manufacturing plants are filled with equipment that generates interference: motors and drives, robotic arms, conveyor systems, power tools, welders, other wireless access points, etc. The electromagnetic waves emitted from these devices can interfere with AGV wireless signals, causing performance disruption.
Strategic placement of access points, optimizing channel management and implementing advanced wireless protocols can keep these issues under control.
3. Steel infrastructure obstructs wireless signals
Steel structures, which are common in manufacturing facilities, obstruct wireless signals. Instead of allowing signals to pass through, like other materials do, they block signals by reflecting, absorbing or diffracting them.
This can result in wireless dead zones, signal distortion and multipath interference (where signals take multiple paths to reach the receiver) that cause delays.
By deploying advanced roaming protocols, designing AGV wireless networks to optimize signal strength and placing access points to reduce dead zones, this challenge can be overcome.
4. Expansive spaces complicate network design
The sheer size of an automotive manufacturing plant can make it tough to ensure consistent coverage. Signal strength diminishes across long distances.
A well-planned AGV wireless network with proper access point placement, as well as making the right decision when it comes to cellular vs. Wi-Fi, is essential to maintain connectivity across large facilities. As Wi-Fi networks demonstrate their ability to provide ultra-reliable, low-latency connectivity, they’re becoming a viable option for these environments.
5. Different AGVs have different connectivity needs
There are different types of AGVs deployed throughout automotive manufacturing plants: forklifts, load carriers, tuggers, pallet movers, etc. Each one has varying operational requirements and communication needs.
For instance, forklift AGVs may need to prioritize precise navigation in tight spaces, while load-carrier AGVs may need more speed vs. precision. The wireless network must be able to accommodate all these demands to support all AGV types.
An AGV wireless network that supports seamless roaming, low latency, scalability and remote monitoring is critical to make sure it can meet the demands of a diverse AGV fleet.
6. AGVs don’t offer much space for wireless clients
AGV design typically doesn’t leave lots of room for wireless components. The space for wireless clients is often confined and located close to antennas and other electronic or metallic components inside the AGV. Limited airflow and the presence of heat sources can amplify heat gain, which can impact performance.
When deploying wireless clients in small spaces, factors like size, shared communication protocols and heat dissipation should be considered to ensure reliable, long-term operation. The goal is to find wireless devices that are easy to deploy and maintain. This often means choosing one with a unified debugging platform to identify and resolve issues quickly.
The right connections optimize your production
To connect to what’s possible, AGV wireless networks must offer ultra-reliable, low-latency communication to meet stringent requirements for real-time data exchange and task coordination.
Belden’s vast experience in automotive manufacturing and wireless lets you fulfill demand at a reasonable cost, while maximizing operational efficiency and reducing network congestion.
Our complete connection solutions help you recover lost productivity and eliminate data silos.
Learn about our automotive manufacturing expertise.
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关于作者
Alex Liu是一位经验丰富的无线工程师，专门从事无线通信技术应用，擅长无线网络规划、优化和故障排除，拥有八年以上的无线应用经验。