Speeding up warehouse automation with mesh networks

The demand for automation in warehouses has grown exponentially as companies seek to optimize their operations, increase efficiency and reduce costs. With the advent of Logistics 4.0, warehouses are transforming into highly technological centers, where robots, sensors and automated systems work in harmony to speed up logistics processes.

To meet this demand, a large number of devices and technologies are needed. Autonomous robots, drones, motorized conveyors, RFID inventory management systems and many other devices make up the infrastructure of modern automated warehouses. However, efficiently integrating these devices presents challenges, especially when it comes to communication and connectivity.

Latency in communication between devices can be a significant obstacle to operational efficiency. In a warehouse environment, delays in data transmission can lead to picking errors, delivery delays, and even product damage and accidents. 

This need for fast communication becomes more critical when we talk about fast equipment that shares trajectories in dense spaces, as is the case with shuttlecocks, small robots that quickly travel along suspended tracks in stock to move products. A delay, even in the order of a few seconds, in the instruction of one piece of equipment can impede the movement of another, or even cause a collision. Such risks limit the possible initial set-up for this operation, limiting its productivity. 

This is where the advantages of a network like this come into play. mesh, which is a network architecture in which each device is connected to several other devices, forming a communication mesh, which differs from a common network in which devices are connected to a central hub. This means data can be transmitted redundantly over multiple paths, avoiding single points of failure and significantly reducing latency.

Figure 1 – Comparative diagram of traditional networks (hub-based) and mesh networks. (Source: Own preparation)

In the context of an automated warehouse, a network mesh can ensure fast and reliable communication between all devices, from picking robots to inventory control systems. This reduction in latency increases operational efficiency, allowing devices to respond more quickly to commands and coordinate their actions more effectively. This translates into shorter processing times, less waiting time and greater order and movement output. 

Furthermore, a network mesh offers scalability and flexibility. As new devices are added to the warehouse environment, the network can dynamically adapt to accommodate them without the need for extensive reconfigurations. This simplifies the expansion and upgrade of warehouse infrastructure, ensuring it remains agile and prepared to handle new demands.

The benefits can go beyond the interior of the warehouse. The same decentralized approach is used, for example, in Space X's Starlink, which uses satellites as interconnected devices to bring internet with less latency even to remote areas, generating greater connectivity between different facilities and transport assets.

In short, the demand for automation is driving the need for fast and reliable communication between devices. There are still some barriers, such as high initial costs, but the use of more efficient networks to reduce latency can ensure that automated warehouses operate in a more efficient, safe and scalable way, adapting to the future of logistics.

References

• Breaking boundaries in logistics: Powering some of the largest automated warehouses with Meshmerize and Movu Atlas shuttles [a technical deep dive]
   meshmerize.net/warehouse-network-by-meshmerize-revolutionizing-logistics/
• How Mesh Networks Can Improve Your Shipping and Logistics
  cloudsort.com/perspectives/how-mesh-networks-can-improve-your-shipping-and-logistics
• How Starlink's Innovative Mesh Network Principles Can Revolutionize the Logistics Industry
  supplychainbrain.com/blogs/1-think-tank/post/38351-how-starlinks-innovative-mesh-network-principles-can-revolutionize-the-logistics-industry