Advancing Industrial Navigation with NVIDIA Jetson AI Edge Computers

 The Company

• A top supplier of diverse material handling equipment such as electric forklift trucks, pallet jacks, and automated guided vehicles (AGVs).
• Committed to offering complete material handling solutions designed for the unique requirements of their clients, providing services from warehouse optimization to fleet management and operator training to enhance efficiency, productivity, and safety.
• With over a 100 years of experience in the industry, they have supported clients across various sectors including retail, warehouse and distribution centers, the automotive industry, ports and terminals, and third-party logistics providers.

The Challenges

• There's a growing need for forklifts to avoid pedestrians and navigate precisely within factory environments.
• Material handling sites often experience changes in layouts and traffic flows. Conventional detection systems, which struggle to adapt, frequently cause false alarms or fail to detect hazards, increasing the risk of accidents and injuries.
• Collisions and accidents can disrupt operations, leading to delays and rising costs. Efficient collision detection systems are essential to ensure smooth and safe operations.
• General computers are unsuitable for factory floor conditions as they cannot withstand shocks, vibrations, and are not dustproof.
• There is a need for real-time AI inference and data analytics on vehicle movements and collisions to optimize operations and enhance decision-making.

The Solutions

• C&T's NVIDIA Jetson AI Industrial Computers, the JCO-3000-ORN-A, are equipped with high-performance AI capabilities for real-time object detection and decision-making.
• The NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX module provides up to 100 TOPS of AI performance while consuming only 10~25W of power.
• The configuration includes dual LAN ports, eight digital I/O channels, extensive wireless connectivity options, and an optional Allxon's OOB management module.
• Designed to meet industrial standards, C&T's rugged computers offer strong connectivity and are built to resist shocks, vibrations, dust, and debris, ensuring enhanced durability and reliability for tough factory floor conditions.

The Results

• Enhanced object detection and pedestrian avoidance capabilities through real-time AI processing and analysis of imaging data ensure optimized routing, significantly reducing accident and injury risks.
• Improved adaptation to evolving layouts, traffic patterns, and environmental conditions, ensuring dependable performance in dynamic material handling settings.
• Reduced operational costs by preventing collisions and minimizing downtime, offering customers increased assurance and enhanced safety.
• A committed engineering and sales team is available to tackle ongoing challenges and future projects.
• Effective, responsive, and transparent communication between C&T and the solution provider maintains high levels of service and collaboration.

Background

With a century of expertise, our client stands as a premier entity in the material handling sector, offering comprehensive solutions that encompass warehouse optimization, fleet management, and operator training to boost customer efficiency, productivity, and safety.

Dedicated to innovation and customer satisfaction, they provide tailored material handling solutions to meet the specific needs of each client. Their holistic approach enhances efficiency, productivity, and safety across various sectors. Specializing in electric forklifts, pallet jacks, reach trucks, and Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs), they assist businesses in retail, warehousing, distribution centers, the automotive industry, and ports & terminals, transforming material handling operations worldwide.

The Challenge

In material handling environments, traditional safety systems often fall short, particularly in effective collision detection, compromising operational efficiency and increasing safety risks. With the industry moving towards greater automation, the demand for reliable object detection and pedestrian avoidance systems has grown. These systems are crucial for tasks like pallet movement and require advanced AI capabilities and real-time analysis for seamless operations.

Moreover, as companies implement more advanced detection systems, the need for industrial-grade durability and reliability becomes essential. Material handling environments require solutions that can withstand tough conditions and deliver consistent performance. Systems must be shock and vibration resistant, dustproof, support a wide power range with power ignition management, and have a fanless design. Consequently, providers are seeking solutions that merge AI-driven technologies with real-time analytics and robust durability to address these challenges and drive innovation.

The Solution

C&T recommended the JCO-3000-ORN Series Mid-Range AI Edge Computer for their security systems, highlighting its compatibility with NVIDIA Jetson AI and C&T’s industrial-grade design to meet deployment requirements.

NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX for Powerful AI Performance and Balanced I/O 

The NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX 8G module delivers top AI performance of up to 100 TOPS with a power configuration between 10W and 25W, much lower than traditional industrial GPU computers. It features a 1024-core NVIDIA Ampere architecture GPU, offering substantial computing power for machine vision, AI edge computing, and more.

The JCO-3000-ORN-A includes balanced I/O connectivity with 4 high-speed USB3 ports, 3 COM ports, 2 LAN ports, and 8 DIO, catering to a variety of industrial needs. It ensures fast operation and data security in harsh environments through its 2 LAN ports and 8 isolated DIO. Additionally, its USB3 and RJ45 LAN ports support high-resolution connections to USB3 or GigE cameras for precise object detection and route navigation.
 

Fanless Industrial-grade Design

The JCO-3000-ORN-A from C&T features a rugged, fanless design essential for industrial computing, especially under challenging conditions like wide temperature ranges, shocks, vibrations, and power disruptions. This model is built with a durable chassis and has undergone extensive testing to ensure reliability against temperature fluctuations, power instability, and physical shocks. Additionally, it holds world-class UL, FCC, and CE certifications, affirming its compliance with safety standards and providing extra assurance for the solution provider.
 

Out-of-Band (OOB) Management   

Out-Of-Band (OOB) device management is a hardware solution that enables service providers to remotely oversee devices around the clock. It offers features like Out-Of-Band power cycling, allowing devices to be remotely powered on or off, thereby minimizing downtime and reducing the need for on-site technical support. The JCO-3000-ORN-A is equipped with an onboard OOB management module, enabling instant messaging for quick responses and prompt diagnostics.

The Benefits

High Power Efficiency & Improved Operation Reliability of NVIDIA Jetson Orin 

NVIDIA Jetson Orin is designed for industrial AI applications, offering high-performance AI capabilities with low power consumption in a compact form factor. The Jetson Orin NX module significantly enhances the power efficiency of industrial computers. Offering AI computing performance comparable to GPUs, the Jetson Orin NX is more compact and has a lower TDP than GPUs. This contributes to increased operational reliability through reduced power requirements and minimizes the risk of power fluctuations and unexpected shutdowns.

Responsive Engineering & Sales Support 

As NVIDIA’s established preferred partner, C&T provides an additional two years of customer support to address any future concerns or issues. With a highly knowledgeable sales and engineering team, C&T responds promptly to client inquiries and offers tailored manufacturing solutions along with stringent quality control. They are committed to meeting aggressive production schedules for material-handling solution providers.