During the mesh-up
When robotic vehicles from different manufacturers "meet," everything now seems to be "all right": VDA 5050 provides a protocol for communication. But questions remain. A "Layout Interchange Format" (LIF) is now intended to regulate the form in which everything is transmitted.
VDA 5050 currently regulates the method of exchanging status and driving information, but not how the underlying course layout should be described and exchanged. This aspect has previously had to be clarified individually between the project partners during the implementation of projects using VDA 5050. In practice, this can cause real headaches.
"The Layout Interchange Format – LIF for short – now offers a way to transmit the vehicle information necessary for connection to the control system in a standardized data format.".
Photos: klk.
“This ensures greater clarity and transparency between project participants when implementing a heterogeneous fleet with VDA 5050,” says Wolfgang Hillinger, board member of the Mobile Robots division in the VDMA Materials Handling and Intralogistics Association and managing director of DS Automotion GmbH.
LIF contains information on how the vehicle integrator's vehicle can interact with its environment and navigate within a map layout. At the same time, the clear separation between defining the course layout and the tasks of the central control system ensures clearly defined responsibilities and roles within the project.
