TAF PUBLISHING

In the era of Industry 4.0, where factory efficiency is highly desired, knowledge about the position of the objects like tools, materials, and employees is indefensible for improving the processes and reducing idle times within the Smart Factory. The Smart Factory requires the real-time collection, distribution, and access of manufacturing relevant information anytime and anywhere. Indoor positioning systems (IPSs) can track objects such as assets or people in real-time and play a vital role. However, it is not easy to deploy such a system in a factory due to the obstacles and challenging environment. This paper shares the real experience of deploying Ultra-wideband (UWB) IPS in a manufacturing factory. The positioning system contains UWB anchors, tags, a backend system, and a frontend GUI. The deployment challenges and methods to overcome the challenges in factory environments are discussed. Techniques to improve accuracy such as implementing Kalman Filter, best practice of tag wearing and battery life consideration are also shared. Generally, a solution of providing indoor positioning in a smart factory is shared.