Driver for Linde VNA

The Linde VNA (Very Narrow Aisle) driver enables seamless integration between SHARK and Linde's semi-automatic trucks. This integration simplifies the operator's task by automatically entering the warehouse location, making it easier to navigate to the desired warehouse destination.

The Linde VNA must be configured for remote control using a socket connection. The physical warehouse locations (x,y,z coordinates) must be defined in the truck. SHARK will not send the physical location, but the location address, the translation from the location address to the physisal coordinates but be defined in the truck.

If new locations are added or physical moved, the Linde VNA must be reconfigured.

It is preferred that the locations in the truck and in SHARK uses the same naming. If this is not the case, a set of rules must be defined to map from SHARK to VNA locations, this is done in a script in the VNA driver.

The communication to the VNA is defined in the Linde document:

Telegram Exchange
VNA Navigation System
Version 2.02

The figure below shows the required components in the integration.

Setting up the VNA with a local Windows PC

The integration to the truck is by means of a RS232 serial port. To make the serial port accessible via WIFI, a redirector is install on the PC that expose the serial port as a TCP/IP socket port. The redirector is a Windows Service from HHD Software, it can be downloaded from [https://hhdsoftware.com/remote-serial-ports).

When the port redirector is installed, it must be configured: Share a new port, using the COM port that is connected to the VNA and use TCP/IP port 5605. This makes the serial port accessible from the Wifi network.

If the Windows PC has an active firewall, port 5605 must be opened for incoming traffic from the SHARK server.

The Windows PC must have a either a static IP address (recommended) or a DNS name that can be resolved by the SHARK application server.

To check the connection, open a Power Shell command prompt in Windows and type:

tnc -computername <pc name> -port 5605

The truck operator will use the SHARK browser based client (Gator) for operation. It will only communicate with the server and has no direct connection to the VNA.

SHARK Server configuration

The software module for controlling the VNA is running on the SHARK Application Server.

SHARK WCS

Install the Linde VNA driver by the following configuration:

Registry: Devices -> AGV -> AGV1

Entry	Type	Value	Notes
Type	String	AGVLinde
Enabled	Boolean	true
Instance	String		Select where the driver should be loaded
Connection	String	:5605	IP address and port number for the PC truck