More efficient production with wireless technology Wireless connections with equipment will bring greater efficiency and flexibility to industrial production in the future. However, wireless data transmission and the wireless control of automatic guided vehicles and robot cells must not be allowed to endanger or disturb the continuity of production. It will now be possible to change the operations of factory production lines without new cabling. It will be easy to add new equipment to the line or to transfer devices from one line to another. The equipment can be controlled from a remote location, with a user interface that works in a regular web browser.
Wireless technology opens up new possibilities for E-commerce.
A factory will work more efficiently when it opens an electronic window to component suppliers, allowing them to look at its production plan and warehouse, so that the suppliers can independently decide when to deliver new components to the factory. At best, the third party in the supply chain, the component transporter, will also get appropriate information about transport needs and plan its goods transportation in a logistically profitable way. A wireless remote connection will also allow factories to use the remote consultation of the manufacturers of the automatic guided vehicles or robots. New settings or instructions for repairing a fault can easily be obtained for the wireless equipment used in the factory quite independent of the location of the manufacturer's specialists, servicemen or calibration staff, so long as they receive the necessary information and video pictures. VTT Automation has arranged an experimental environment for the testing of the wireless remote control and monitoring of factory production equipment and e.g. a mini-warehouse.