Auto Maker Implements IoT in Manufacturing Facility

Reducing operational expenses and enhancing maintenance services are significant concerns for automotive manufacturers, and this holds true for a French manufacturing facility operated by an automotive company whose headquarters are in another European country.

In addition to being world-renowned for its automobiles, this manufacturer produces engines for various applications, including trucks, industrial power systems, and boats, and utilizes Autonomous Guided Vehicles (AGVs) to help facilitate the production of these large engines.

In the manufacturing industry, efficiency reigns supreme. Every step of the process, from assembling components to transporting materials, must be streamlined to ensure the timely delivery of high-quality vehicles. AGVs serve as the workhorses behind the scenes, with a multifaceted purpose that allows for the streamlined operation of material transportation while also providing flexibility for changing production needs. Additionally, AGVs are able to reduce time and labor requirements on the manufacturing floor significantly, therefore allowing production to be more financially efficient as well.

Utilizing IoT sensors, AGVs are able to navigate efficiently and effectively, seemingly by magic. There is - of course - actually a lot of technology and programming happening “under the hood” that allows this to happen.

By deploying AGVs in their facility, the company was able to experience greater flexibility throughout the production chain when compared to a traditional fixed production line. However, additional technologies mean additional challenges to consider.

Each AGV is powered by a 24V battery, and when the voltage drops below 22V, the AGVs completely stop working, causing disruptions in the production chain that result in a loss of approximately two engines per week.

To address this issue proactively, the company’s IoT team within the Digital & IT division that supports the factory conceived a wireless system for predictive maintenance. Initially, the team explored using Wi-Fi technology, but the 2.4GHz band was already allocated for critical processes in the production line.

To circumvent this challenge, the IoT team turned to LoRaWAN protocol designed for connecting battery-operated devices to the internet, suitable for powering the fleet of AGVs, and that offers advantages like long-range communication, resistance to interference, and a secure and adaptable network architecture.

The team also deployed LoRaWAN sensors on each AGV to periodically collect battery voltage data (below 23V) and detect battery failures.

LoRaWAN - or Long Range Wide Area Network - is a wireless communication protocol tailored for the Internet of Things (IoT). It excels in providing long-range, low-power connectivity for IoT devices.

LoRaWAN is known for its extensive reach, often spanning several kilometers and its energy-efficient design that allows IoT devices to operate on batteries for extended periods. It's particularly well-suited for applications requiring small data transfers, making it ideal for sensor-based systems in the manufacturing industry. Additionally, LoRaWAN ensures data security, supports two-way communication, and offers scalability to accommodate thousands of devices in a single network, making it a versatile choice for connecting IoT devices in large and evolving manufacturing facilities.

The complete predictive maintenance system that was deployed within the facility consists of LoRaWAN sensors on every AGV, a private LoRaWAN network, a maintenance platform, a mobile application, and screens distributed throughout the factory to display real-time AGV status.

With this new system in place, the maintenance team receives low-voltage notifications that allow them more time to move the AGVs to charging points without disrupting production. These alerts also make it possible for the maintenance team to schedule interventions to prevent or remediate battery failure in a way that doesn’t impact the facility's overall productivity.

The connected factory, equipped with LoRaWAN technology, has opened up exciting new opportunities for the organization. Additional sensors have been integrated for non-AGV purposes, including a temperature and humidity sensor for paint quality improvement and pressure difference sensors for monitoring filter clogging.

The key elements of a LoRa-based IoT ecosystem that allows for long-range, low-power, and cost-effective communication between devices and centralized data processing are: