Challenge:

A leading provider of intelligent robot solutions known as Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) needed an industrial grade and reliable enterprise Wi-Fi solution for building an advanced robotics offering with AI technologies to address the growing connected logistics and warehousing market.

The smart robots would be used in large warehouse environments communicating with management systems over a wireless network consisting of multiple Wi-Fi access points. As a highly mobile solution, the robots must be able to transition quickly between Wi-Fi access points and maintain always-on reliable communications in a wide-range of environmental conditions.

Today, more and more warehouses are deploying AGVs to increase productivity, reduce workplace injuries and improve picking accuracy. In larger environments, this can typically result in hundreds of robots being deployed to travel all over the warehouse. Therefore, the need for secure, reliable connectivity that allows for accurate data communications between the picking station and the robot is of paramount importance.

Could Lantronix provide a secure, robust wireless solution that would allow this robotics OEM to quickly deliver its advanced logistics device to the market?

Essential Requirements:

• Fast roaming capability
• Dual-band Wi-Fi
• Enterprise grade Wi-Fi connectivity and data security
• Industrial grade design
• Ease-of-deployment
• Cost-effective

Solution: The Lantronix xPico 240 Advanced Embedded Wireless IoT Gateway

With dual-band Wi-Fi, antenna diversity and industrial-grade wireless connectivity management, the xPico 240 gateway delivered the robust performance the OEM needed to ensure that their logistics robot would be able to operate reliably in a noisy industrial warehouse environment. The xPico 240 gateway’s compact industrial-grade footprint allowed it to be easily designed into the logistics robot’s PCB and ensured reliable performance in extreme environmental conditions.

The xPico 240 gateway’s built-in network communications engine eliminated the need for the OEM to invest thousands of hours in application development, enabling them to build a market ready prototype quicker, reduce total cost of development and go to production faster, and deliver its robots to one of the largest online retailers in the world on time.

Results:

• Faster time-to-market
• Best-in-class enterprise grade dual-band Wi-Fi ensures reliable and robust field performance
• Built-in network communications engine reduced application development time
• Compact footprint makes integration into the product design easy
• Industrial grade specifications enable the device to operate in a wide range of environmental conditions

About the Lantronix xPico 200 Embedded IoT Gateways

Best-in-Class Embedded Solutions for Managed Industrial Connectivity

Featuring dual-band Wi-Fi, antenna diversity, enterprise Wi-Fi security and robust wireless connectivity management, the xPico 200 family of embedded IoT gateways delivers higher performance and scalable deployment suitable for the busiest industrial and enterprise settings. Simplify embedded application development and go to market faster with the xPico 200 gateway’s built-in network communications engine and flexible system integration modes.

xPico 200 Key Benefits:

• Dual-band Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n) and Ethernet
• Bluetooth 4.2 (Bluetooth and Bluetooth LE – xPico 250 only)
• Enterprise Wi-Fi security (WPA2- Enterprise, EAP)
• Automatic network connection management
• Soft AP + client mode that enables direct access without disrupting machine field operations
• Industrial grade design for operation in extreme operations
• Pre-integrated with MACH10™ IoT Platform