Fori Automation, a well-known manufacturer of AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles), has added wireless operation to its industrial transportation vehicles through Profinet, improving plant safety and providing operational flexibility for its consumers. Grant Garke has a fascinating assimilation of the best of the best in this area, and we'll discuss them here.
A survey conducted in March noted that 46% of plant operations managers are investing heavily in resources to support top priorities such as achieving higher productivity. Automation technology innovation may be a factor in improving productivity.
Forri Automation recognizes in this regard that its customers are gradually becoming more open to the possibilities of wireless control. With this automation technology, it is now possible to fully utilize the total available area.
In some locations, AGVs have increased the speed of delivery of 30-ton, 60-foot wings at Lockheed Martin Aircraft Plant facilities, and therefore inevitably contribute to increased production speeds.
However, better return on time-limited production is not the only priority for AGV users. Operational flexibility and the ability to place more vehicles on the factory floor are also advantages of AGVs. Reaching higher production goals is the goal and the result of this arrangement.
The AGVs use "four Hall effect sensors" to ensure accurate positioning in any direction and clear magnetic (6mm wide magnetic strips cut into the floor) track guidance, which facilitates the maintenance of their performance.
Another thing worth mentioning is that these AGVs work wirelessly in real time in an environment where safety is paramount and accidents can happen at any time. These AGvs can navigate not only on the floor, but also on drawbridges, bugging cranes and other equipment to lift what the plant may have. In addition, these Agvs are constantly communicating with other plant systems that need to operate without any interference.
Profinet has always been the most favored choice for industrial networks in AGV setups, and Siemens remains the choice for all automation, control and networking hardware, so data transmission errors are controlled. The spectrum used is an industrial Ethernet network on the 5Ghz spectrum because of its security and lack of interference with the 2.4Ghz normally used for mobile devices. AGVs have three layers in their architecture: a control layer with on-board controls and a separate human-machine interface (HMI), a coordinator for the factory that acts as a "traffic cop" and a manufacturing and execution system (MES). Manufacturing and Execution System (MES).
The safety and control devices now communicate via Profinet with a Scalance X switch connected to a wireless client. This specific on-board client then communicates via the 5 Ghz spectrum with fixed access points set up at intervals throughout the plant setup. These points are purposely located in the rafters or ceilings of the plant to gain maximum range.
What happens next is a series of technical processes that are beyond the scope of this paper. Some popular applications are discussed below:
- Material is moved continuously over a distance.
- Continuous delivery of stable loads
- Used when on-time delivery is critical and the system must be efficient to achieve it
- Operational flexibility: two shifts
- Automation settings where tracking is important