Implementation of smart wireless mesh networks in airbus aircraft manufacturing

Abstract: This thesis presents a framework to initialize a development and implementation of Smart Wireless Mesh Networks in industrial environments, in particular in Airbus manufacturing sites. First, the concept of Wireless Sensor Networks is explained and extended to apply not only sensor applications. In addition a distinction to RFID, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi systems is drawn. Important network standards with their functionalities, applications and underlying layer model are presented and main issues like network topologies, routing, time synchronization and localization of nodes are discussed. The hardware components of typical motes are explained and existing components presented. A special focus is set on the energy supply and in particular energy harvesting, as it is identified as a high potential development field. The existing approaches and technologies are transferred to the Airbus specifications, explaining how the Airbus realization is intended to be designed. Upon this, the intention of Airbus is to define an own standard of wireless process data transfer, to which vendors shall adapt their systems to simplify integration and dissolve current monopoly situations on shop floors. Finally, the use cases explain application scenarios for the presented technology and indicate the utilization range to gather further use cases. The intention is to realize an Airbus wide installation of network infrastructures in each plant, enabling to add specific applications as desired, without high implementation effort each time.