DEVELOPMENT NEWS:

Palettino® L – wireless remote control

During the testing of the Palettino® L, our developers realized that some work steps can be simplified—without compromising safety.

During the commissioning phase, Automated Guided Vehicle (AGVs) are often operated manually using a mobile control device. This is usually connected to the vehicle by cable and is carried by the user, who controls the vehicle by sight.

However, our Palettino® can be controlled more conveniently wirelessly using a game console controller, mobile phone, or laptop. The Bluetooth connection is quick to set up, but this raises safety concerns: What happens if I start the Palettino® and then the wireless connection is lost? Will it continue to drive uncontrollably?

The solution: In order to meet the safety-related requirements for dynamization during measurement, the signals from the passive sensors already present in the control unit (e.g., acceleration sensor, microphone, light sensor, distance sensor, etc.) are used as control signals. A loss of radio contact is then detected by the receiver on the AGV due to the absence of the control signal. In this way, the vehicle can be stopped automatically and will only continue to be controlled when the control signal is present again. In accordance with the risk assessment that has been carried out, the evaluation takes place partly in the IPC and partly in the integrated safety control system.

This approach ensures safe and significantly more comfortable commissioning—now also possible with a lightweight wireless game controller.