When we look at intralogistics, we usually consider logistics processes that are located outside of a deterministic line production process, but which often have to deliver their services closely linked to it in terms of time. The automated fulfillment of this "intralogistics service" is the sum of processes - decoupled in terms of time and space - performed by a number of players. It requires a high degree of coordination. A complete, up-to-date and shared digital database is essential for this. This is the only way to answer questions such as: Which component is where and when? Where should the automated guided vehicle system (AGV) go and via which route? What is the status of a delivery order?

In the Industrial Indoor Localization (IIL) project, the IFPT is researching an open environment model for the automation of intralogistics and production. A common, constantly updated model should enable data consistency and up-to-dateness right up to the mobile edge area. The mapped data includes live geometry and localization information of different quality and accuracy classes as well as meta information from ERP systems. As a backend and infrastructure, the "Reference Architecture for Industrial Indoor Localization" (RAIL) relies on interaction with other systems that share their current perception of the environment. These perceptions must be generated and connected for each digital service and the utilizing actors; actors must be made smart.

Smart load carriers

Production-related environments with hybrid - i.e. manual and automated - interactions place particular demands on the implementation of end-to-end digitalization. Smart mesh trolleys, such as those being developed at the IFPT as part of the DEPOT project, are able to support such processes. They detect their load using various technologies such as barcodes or RFID tags and can identify objects optically using AI vision boards. By comparing the load with the digital model, manual processes are linked to the digital model. This model can be used to assist other activities and in other services. This means that smart mesh trolleys can mediate bidirectionally between the digital and analog worlds: Trigger events on mobile devices, serve as an interface for services or act as an output device and sensor; for example, personalized pick-by-light for several people.