MANUFACTURING Keeping AGVs on Track:


The Critical Role of Connectivity As manufacturers embrace Industry 4.0, repetitive and manual tasks are increasingly being automated through purpose-built technologies.


By Alex Liu, senior solutions support engineer, Wireless at Belden. A


mong these, Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) have seen significant evolution in recent decades and now play a central role in modern logistics, specifically in sectors like automotive, electronics, pharmaceuticals and intralogistics. Designed to move goods, materials or components without human assistance, the benefits of their implementation are manifold, such as increased efficiency, through reduced labour costs, enhanced safety performance or freeing personnel to focus on more critical tasks.


AGVs rely on continuous wireless communication with their environment. Each AGV acts as a mobile client device that connects to a wireless access point, a fixed unit installed throughout the facility to create network coverage. These access points serve as communication bridges between the AGVs and centralised control systems, enabling commands, data and real-time updates to flow seamlessly.


AGVs depend heavily on stable wireless connectivity. Supporting this requires more than installing a few access points across the facility. It demands a purpose-built wireless infrastructure that accounts specifically for the unique environmental and operational challenges found in modern manufacturing.


The Wireless Backbone Behind AGVs For AGVs to deliver on their potential, wireless networks must enable: •


Mobility across broad coverage areas


• Low-latency communication for safety and efficiency


• •


Real-time coordination with other AGVs and central systems


Scalability for future expansion without major reconfiguration or costs


• Seamless roaming between access points during movement


Traditional wireless networks, typically designed for handheld devices, for example portable wireless terminals, barcode scanners and others, or office environments are often not capable of fulfilling these requirements. Industrial AGV networks must support higher levels of determinism, signal integrity and roaming performance.


14 APRIL 2025 | ELECTRONICS FOR ENGINEERS


Why AGV Connectivity Fails and How to Fix It


Even if the wireless networks were designed well and with specific purposes in mind, they still require continuous optimisation and management. Three frequent issues that impact AGV reliability include:


•


Radio Frequency Interference: Same- frequency and adjacent-frequency interference occur when multiple access points or client devices attempt to operate on the same channel. In industrial spaces, this is exaggerated by EMI coming from production equipment. To maintain stable connectivity and


Best Practices for AGVs Implementation


Manufacturers planning to deploy AGVs should begin with a wireless site survey to assess the industrial environment. There are specific steps to follow, from strategic access point placement through comprehensive RF channel planning to selecting the right industrial-grade wireless equipment and establishing ongoing monitoring and diagnostics.


In high-demand environments, where data must travel as quickly and efficiently as the vehicles themselves, stable wireless connectivity becomes more than a convenience, it becomes a critical operational asset.


What AGV Networks Must Overcome to Stay Connected


AGV projects tend to fail due to missing optimisation of the specific physical and radio frequency (RF) conditions in manufacturing spaces, like warehouses and factories. These environments often feature dense steel structures, reflective surfaces and high levels of electromagnetic interference (EMI) from heavy machinery. All of these factors can degrade signal quality, create multipath distortion and complicate network performance. Additional challenges include signal reflection and dead zones caused by metal structures such as steel racks and enclosures. AGVs are also highly sensitive to latency, where even millisecond delays can disrupt navigation or create downtime due to safety controls. Finally, frequency overlap, particularly in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, can lead to wireless congestion and data collisions when multiple industrial systems operate simultaneously.


avoid communication breakdowns, it is essential to implement proper channel allocation, optimise access point spacing and to conduct a spectrum analysis regularly to proactively mitigate RF congestion.


• Hidden Node Problems: Hidden nodes are devices within range of an access point but that are unable to communicate with one another. This lack of mutual awareness often causes simultaneous transmission attempts, leading to data collisions. Advanced roaming protocols and strategic AP placement help remedy this issue.


• Roaming Delays: AGVs frequently move between access point coverage zones. If roaming is not fast and seamless, connections may drop, causing the vehicle to slow down or stop completely. Roaming must be managed by smart algorithms inside the client devices.

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