Ensuring the Uptime of Your Wireless Network
For AGV and AS/RS Systems
The rapid development of automated material handling (AMH) systems is anticipated to continue in the years ahead as e-commerce and intelligent manufacturing technologies evolve. Five22 years from now, the AMH market categories with the largest potential for growth are autonomous mobile robots (AMR) and automated guided vehicles (AGV). Systems for AMR and AGV are referred to as "mission-critical" tools. The operation of these technologies could be readily affected by an unreliable wireless signal. A stable and secure wireless solution with fast Wi-Fi connectivity and simple network management is essential in order to guarantee continuous operation.
Major Challenges for Wireless Networks
Hard to Manage
Unlike wired connections, wireless connections are invisible and affected by a lot of different factors, making it difficult to spot abnormalities. Usually, an anomaly would only be discovered when the AGV or AS/RS system operations have already been affected. In addition, it's often hard to find and solve the root cause of wireless connection issues, causing unnecessary downtime. All these factors combined make troubleshooting and managing wireless connections very difficult.
Unreliable Connectivity
AGVs and AS/RS shuttles are constantly on the move in a warehouse. The client devices that are mounted on mobile AGVs should be able to roam seamlessly between access points (AP), without downtime and support industrial protocol communication over wireless to enable interaction between the connected PLCs and the remote controller. In addition, In addition, Wi-Fi configurations are complicated, time-consuming, and prone to errors.
Limited Space and Interference
Designing AS/RS and AGV systems typically involves working with limited installation space. This means that the motors that drive the vehicles and shuttles often share the same power source as the communication devices. Hence, wireless devices mounted on AGV or AS/RS structures must tolerate interference from neighboring equipment. They should also be able to withstand the vibration from the constant movement of the vehicles that they are mounted on.
The Benefits of Moxa Wireless Solutions for AGV and AMR Systems
Simplicity in Network Management
MXview Wireless gives you a clear view of your AGV And AS/RS systems wireless network through the visual interface from which you can view the real-time network topology and the network status dashboard. Moreover, whenever there is an anomaly, the system will send out an alert automatically. You can also playback the roaming history to identify and solve the root cause and get your systems running normally again as quickly as possible.
Mobile networks with high reliability
To ensure continuous AGV operations, our AWK Series AP/bridge/clients feature Turbo Roaming technology to achieve millisecond-level handoffs. Moreover, the unique MAC Clone function can be enabled on all the AWK Series to support PROFINET communication over wireless networks. Some AWK Series also supports the unique AeroMag technology which automatically performs basic wireless setup when adding new Wi-Fi devices to the network, reducing the time spent configuring Wi-Fi settings and preventing errors caused through manual input.
A compact, rugged device
The AWK Series wireless clients are small yet strong and come with built-in isolation for both power and antenna ports to protect against interference and noise. All AWK Series devices undergo rigorous testing to ensure suitability for environments with extreme vibration Moreover, with a wide operating temperature range of -40 to 75°C, the AWK Series Wireless products are deployable in cold-storage warehouses.
The most reliable wireless solution for your AGV and AMR system
Find Reliable Network Management Software
MXview Wireless
Newly Launched MXview Add-on Module Specially Designed for Wireless Network Management:
- View Wi-Fi connections and network status at a glance
- Play back the roaming history to identify the the root cause of issues
- Minimize downtime through instant alerts
Find Reliable Industrial Wireless Devices
Moxa Solutions | AWK-3252A SeriesAP/Client | AWK-4252A SeriesAP/Client | AWK-1151C SeriesAP/Client | AWK-4131A SeriesAP/Client | AWK-3131A SeriesAP/Client | AP/Client
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Network Management | |||||||
MXview | | | | | | | |
Mobile Operations | |||||||
Roaming Ability | | | | | | | |
MAC Clone | | | | | | | |
NAT | | | | | | | |
Compact but Rugged | |||||||
Interface | Ethernet (PoE) | 2 x Ethernet (1 x PoE+) | 2 x Ethernet (1 x PoE+) | Ethernet | Ethernet (PoE) | Ethernet | Ethernet and Serial |
Anti-vibration | | | | | | | |
Industrial EMC & Antenna Isolation | | | | | | | |
Major Challenges for Wireless Networks -40 to 75 Operating Temperature Range | | | |||||
Ingress Protection | IP30 | IP68 | IP30 | IP68 | IP30 | IP30 | IP30 |