Wireless LAN in Innovative Logistics

“No one could match connectBlue in delivering on the tough demands of a mobile, wireless and driverless application.”
Markus Johansson, Product Manager, Kollmorgen

With over 60 years of motion control design and application expertise, Kollmorgen is a leading provider of motion systems and components for machine builders around the globe. For Kollmorgen, it is only natural to utilize a wireless technology to achieve true mobility; however, the wireless solution has to be safe, robust and fail-proof 24-7.

Kollmorgen was looking to implement Wireless LAN in their Compact Vehicle Controller (CVC). The CVC600 enables forklifts to be driverless and transmit data wirelessly and securely between the warehouse management system and the Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGV).

“We knew of connectBlue’s capabilities and we chose them since they had a ready-to-embed Wireless LAN (802.11 a/b/g/n) module which was of small size, robust functionality and offered dual-band functionality,” explains Markus Johansson, Product Manager at Kollmorgen. “No one could match connectBlue in delivering on the tough demands of a mobile, wireless and driverless application.”

Driverless Forklift Operation

A standard lift truck has very little free space for new components. Just 125 x 50 x 195 mm in size, the Kollmorgen CVC600 vehicle controllers fit where other vehicle controllers cannot.

Besides the compact design, it is important that the Wireless solution is rugged and can withstand the exceptional surroundings of the AGVs pertaining to vibrations, unstable power supply, temperature variations, humidity and dust.

Reliable Roaming as a Key Element

On top of that, the lift trucks are in constant motion and move from access point to access point.

“Only small bundles of data are transmitted between the access points and the lift trucks,” explains Johansson. “But if the connection between them fails, the system stops and productivity suffers. Therefore, the unique roaming procedure offered by the connectBlue Wireless LAN module is essential.”

Key Benefits

• Support for 802.11 a/b/g/n
• Compact design
• Robust functionality
• Diversity achieved via double antennas
• Reliable roaming during the access point handover

connectBlue Products Used

• Wireless LAN Module OWL221

About connectBlue

connectBlue™ is a leading provider of wireless solutions for demanding applications in segments industrial automation, medical, instrumentation, diagnostics, logistics / transportation, vehicles and point of sales. Based on Bluetooth technology, Wireless LAN (WLAN) and IEEE 802.15.4 / ZigBee, connectBlue provides ready-to-use products and modules as well as custom design solutions in both hardware and software. connectBlue has offices in Malmö (Sweden), Chicago (USA) and Pfaffenhofen/Munich (Germany). For more information, please visit www.connectblue.com. The connectBlue word mark and logo are owned by connectBlue AB.

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