Forklifts using 5G
Autonomous vehicles connected to a 5G network are a particularly efficient and safe combination. The solution developed in Łódź enables the automation of forklifts operating in production halls, factories and warehouses. The successful demonstration confirmed the importance of 5G technology for the development of Industry 4.0. Combining autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs) with the latest cellular network brings specific competitive advantages of considerable importance to businesses:
- AGVs respond to persistent shortages of forklift operators.
- AGVs take over tasks in conditions that may be harmful to people, including high noise levels, poor or absent lighting and low temperatures.
- AGVs carry out assigned tasks more efficiently and safely than manual operators, without the effects of routine or fatigue, for example during a night shift.
- As a licensed network, 5G offers greater security than Wi-Fi networks.
- 5G provides very short transfer times, which are important for safety procedures such as remote emergency stopping of an AGV.
- 5G covers an area more evenly and provides a much more stable connection than Wi-Fi.
Testing the performance and safety of AGVs with 5G
The successful development project became a product ready for business use thanks to the involvement of expert partners Plus, Netia and Ericsson. The S5 Accelerator connected them with the Łódź startup. Established by the Łódź Special Economic Zone, the accelerator aimed to identify and accelerate companies offering businesses distinctive competitive advantages through 5G. There are many signs that these ambitious objectives will be achieved. With the support received, the first Inovatica AGV autonomous forklifts are expected to begin working in warehouses later in the year of this publication, while reservations for pre-deployment tests are increasing month by month.
Inovatica AGV develops IT systems that enable forklifts to operate autonomously in production halls, factories and warehouses. The AGV-with-5G demonstration covered the key navigation-system elements and showed how the safety systems work. Business representatives particularly valued information about the deployment process, preparing the team to work with AGVs and smoothly introducing this new type of vehicle into existing shop-floor processes.
“The 5G standard is about much more than downloading films faster on a phone; above all, it means major changes for industry and logistics. Thanks to 5G, our robotic forklifts can work reliably, efficiently and very safely. Existing Wi-Fi networks, which provide AGV connectivity in most facilities, do not offer the same level of assurance,” emphasises Bogumił Zięba, CEO of Inovatica AGV. “In extreme cases, our AGV could lose its Wi-Fi signal. Even though this lasted only fractions of a second, the safety system automatically activated and stopped the vehicle. In addition, as a licensed network, 5G is more resistant to various kinds of interference.”
The demonstration of the Inovatica AGV forklift concluded many months of collaboration between engineers from Łódź and experts from Netia and Plus. Rapidly growing demand for innovative, efficient solutions in warehouses and production facilities requires suitable data-transmission technologies. Once again, 5G demonstrated its suitability for Industry 4.0. Expanding service coverage and the possibility of deploying it even where it is not normally available to consumers open up new ways to build a competitive advantage.
“AGV technology may be an answer to the growing problem of warehouse-staff availability. The relatively high unit cost is still often cited as a barrier. This is understandable given the innovation and technological sophistication involved. The key to a cost-effective deployment is therefore to position the equipment precisely within the process, where it will be used most effectively. Only a sufficiently thorough analysis allows sound decisions and a proper assessment of investment returns. Nevertheless, as the technology becomes more widespread and labour costs continue to rise, broader use of AGVs, particularly in combination with 5G, is likely to become an obvious choice rather than merely a logistics trend. In my view, it is therefore worth learning more about the technology now to respond more effectively to future customer challenges,” concludes Łukasz Michałowski, Member of the Management Board of the LODZistics Cluster.
