Capacity analysis: The potential of the wireless factory of the future

The introduction of new wireless technologies is one of the requirements for the digital transformation of manufacturing technology. The implementation of wireless devices, such as smart sensors and flexible programmable robots, requires an increase in the data transfer rate, the number of wireless network nodes and, as a result, an increase in the density of the wireless data transmission channels. Often, devices use different data transfer protocols and different radio frequencies simultaneously, which may, in turn, lead to both overlap and interference of signals.

The study will be conducted within a smart manufacturing factory cell, where network throughput, latency, and RSSI will be among the data points collected. The goal is to evaluate the effects of typical production floor activities on signal strength, throughput, and latency, such as when a robot obstructs the wireless signal. The collected RSSI values will be presented on a heatmap generated in MATLAB. The data will be gathered using equipment that is both cost-effective and readily available, making it feasible for smaller operations to perform plant analysis.