Despite the fact that the Olympics have simply wrapped up, I nonetheless discover myself serious about the grace and precision of ice dancing. That’s most likely why this video of German producer SEW’s new manufacturing unit jogs my memory a lot of the game. Like skaters, the autonomous guided autos (AGVs) gliding by way of SEW’s plant in Brumath, France must comply with exact choreography. And on the manufacturing unit ground as on the ice, a single misstep can have main penalties. Assume line stoppages, collisions, and different questions of safety.
SEW is a number one producer of drive programs and automation expertise. For its sensible manufacturing unit in Brumath, the corporate wanted ultra-reliable connectivity for the AGVs that transport supplies all through the manufacturing course of. Whereas Wi-Fi performs properly for manufacturing unit IT gadgets like tablets and programmable logic controllers, it isn’t designed to ship uninterrupted connectivity to cell robots roaming between protection zones. A short lapse whereas the connection is handed off to a special entry level may cause an AGV to cease in its tracks. That’s necessary for security, however it may carry manufacturing to a halt. One other limitation of Wi-Fi for cell robots is that RF interference from steel constructions, densely packed pallets, or equipment can block alerts.
SEW discovered its resolution for AGVs in Cisco Extremely-Dependable Wi-fi Backhaul (URWB), built-in into the identical Cisco entry factors that present Wi-Fi. SEW’s head of business IT, Michel de Hatten, says, “Cisco URWB manages roaming in a essentially totally different method than Wi-Fi, permitting our cell tools to remain linked with out interruption, even whereas shifting.” What are these variations? First, when a cell asset strikes to a brand new protection zone, URWB makes the brand new connection earlier than breaking the earlier connection.
Second, AGVs can talk round interference and obstacles due to URWB’s multi-path operations (MPO) expertise. Excessive-priority packets are duplicated as much as eight occasions and despatched over redundant paths, over uncorrelated frequencies, and at a number of occasions inside a number of milliseconds. With spatial, frequency, and time variety, messages to and from SEW’s AGVs arrive reliably—a technique or one other.
Bonus factors: Not solely does URWB join SEW’s AGVs extra reliably than Wi-Fi, nevertheless it supplies protection with about 50% fewer entry factors.
Any method you rating it, SEW is attaining gold-medal manufacturing unit efficiency with Cisco URWB.
To be taught extra, take a look at the case examine
