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AUTOMATION & ROBOTICS


industrial machinery and autonomous systems relying on single connection networks, to experience slower data rate transmissions and drops in communication. Warehouses full of metal racking loaded with boxes, crates, and equipment, are potential blockages to RF signals. In terms of interference, these items can act like a metal wall and cause multipath reflections. The constant changing product volumes makes this a very unpredictable environment, and one that ultimately makes it extremely difficult to achieve reliable mobile connectivity. As warehouses become more sophisticated, with applications and autonomy, the ability to move without risk of connectivity loss becomes an absolute requirement. Warehouse operators may have thought the answer was to add more Wi-Fi access points or Private LTE Base Stations to improve coverage. But this also increases the risk of more potential for a bad handoff and a resulting dropout. So what is the answer?


MESH NETWORKS WITH MULTI- FREQUENCY CONNECTIVITY On the warehouse floor, resilient, robust, and interoperable communications are paramount. An industrial wireless network, such as Rajant’s Kinetic Mesh network, can easily overcome physical obstructions, RF interference, and provide equal upload and download throughput. Additionally Kinetic Mesh enables full mobility and autonomy by eliminating the handoff. Rajant Networks are made up of multi-transceiver nodes called BreadCrumbs. Each transceiver is capable of multiple active connections to matching transceivers in other BreadCrumbs. Unlike traditional Wi-Fi and Private LTE, Rajant supports Machine-to-Machine (M2M) connectivity, which is an excellent way to extend network coverage around and through ever changing environments. There is no central control node, instead Rajant uses distributed intelligence built into each BreadCrumb. Each BreadCrumb continuously monitors the quality of its many connections, and independently makes routing decisions based on connection quality. Unlike Wi-Fi and LTE networks which have static configurations, Rajant networks are dynamic and self-optimising. A network with the capability to self-optimise can adapt to every changing condition in the warehouse. This advanced network technology comes from


Rajant’s proprietary protocol called InstaMesh which manages the efficient movement of data across large mesh networks and can cater to wireless and wired connections. One feature many warehouse operators appreciate is that Rajant BreadCrumbs can also act as Wi-Fi access points, so any handheld device you now own can still be supported and have stronger, more consistent coverage than ever before. How does Rajant do this? By installing BreadCrumbs on all AGVs and equipment. This allows mobile workers to effectively take a dedicated access point with them. Rajant networks can operate with other


networks to extend coverage to various devices in hard-to-reach areas while overcoming the


limitations of other fixed infrastructure. They are uniquely designed for environments where assets within the network are in constant motion. In a Kinetic Mesh topology, only a few nodes


need to be wired into the local area network (LAN). All a node needs operate, is power. This dramatically simplifies network deployment, because you can place a node where you need coverage, as opposed to where you have a wired LAN connection. Additional BreadCrumbs are deployed directly on AGVs, forklifts, and other mobile conveyances. These mobile nodes then become part of a mobile infrastructure. Rajant even has BreadCrumbs like the Cardinal which is small and light enough to be man wearable.


EXTENDING COVERAGE WHEREVER YOU ROAM A multi-frequency mesh network means every node can simultaneously hold and maintain multiple connections. Multi-radio is crucial as it ensures signal transmission without any throughput degradation or connectivity loss typically experienced with other networking technologies. The most suitable proprietary protocol can provide a framework so packets always travel along the optimum path to their destination. If interference, congestion, or an outage is sensed at any point along the route, traffic is automatically re-routed through the next best radio link without operator intervention. Through dynamic load balancing, communications can be maintained and exchanged, even where signal blockage might occur with other networks. Affixing these compact nodes on machines and


personnel between racking to extend coverage means that these assets have access to always-on connectivity wherever they roam across the warehouse floor. Eliminating any dead spots, the network delivers fully mobile, rapidly scalable, and high-capacity wireless connectivity. The right self-healing mesh network with


intelligent wireless nodes will have a larger transmission range than Wi-Fi access points, and warehouse operators have full visibility of where radio nodes are strategically placed through a mesh interface. This means that you can achieve redundant coverage with far less infrastructure.


MULTIPLYING VS DIVIDING In traditional Wi-Fi, bandwidth is divided equally by all clients connected to an access point. This means as your client density increases, each client device shares a shrinking pool of network resources. Integrators may try to combat this by installing more access points operating at a lower transmit power, but this really just exacerbates the frequency of drop outs caused by roaming. In a mesh network, you can think of each node’s many connections as a virtual data pipe. Therefore, as the node density increases so too does aggregate bandwidth. So as your operations grow, you are similarly growing your network’s capacity. I do not know about you, but I always prefer more bandwidth to less. The reason that Wi-Fi and LTE infrastructure require LAN connections is because they lack the


integral capability to support both client and backhaul communication. This ties back to my earlier comments regarding Wi-Fi and LTE being half-duplex vs a suitable mesh network being full- duplex. A full-duplex network node can both receive and transmit at the same time. This allows for efficient multi-hop transmissions without losing great amounts of bandwidth per hop. Fox example, Rajant’s BreadCrumbs have extremely low latency and on average, the latency is less than four tenths of a millisecond per hop. Those mesh networks that can use LAN


connections as extensions allow integrators and end users to choose how many LAN ingress points they want, as well as where best to locate them. Information can flow from the mesh to the wired network in the building, and multiple nodes can be connected to the same subnet while providing broadcast loop prevention and automatic failover.


PREVENTING FURTHER EXPENSE Planning your network with sufficient bandwidth can enable you to stream live video and capture real-time data and telemetry for equipment health monitoring and predictive maintenance planning. When engineers conduct these measures on warehouse equipment, downtime, and delays are reduced and malfunctions eliminated. Predictive maintenance can also extend equipment life and reduce maintenance and operating costs. Typically, an autonomous solution requires


network throughput of at least 4-5Mbps per AGV, and latency less than 10 milliseconds. Some applications may have additional requirements such as no more than four consecutive packets dropped. If this is not achieved, you will experience AGV stoppage. Reliable wireless networks can help warehouse operators ensure personnel are kept out of danger areas, enhance worker productivity, and improve the accuracy of repetitive, high-volume tasks. This improves productivity, eliminates loss, and prevents worker safety incidents. Continuous wireless connectivity can keep your automated robots and systems operating, which in turn, eliminates worker intervention.


A DYNAMIC AND SELF-HEALING NETWORK Not all networks are created equal, the wireless network you chose will have significant implications on your business for years to come. Go beyond simply considering coverage and capacity when comparing network options and dig in to ensure continuous connectivity is also high on your list of requirements. Technology advancements are entering the logistics industry at a remarkable pace. It is exciting to be a part of such significant change. Warehouse management systems along with robots, people, and devices are dependent on constant access to all the data. It is possible to have a reliable wireless network that is fully mobile, intelligently adapt to change, and is easily scalable. Once that foundation is in place, warehouse operators can extract the full value from all of their productivity and technology investments.


Rajant Corporation rajant.com


FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS | NOVEMBER 2023 15


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