Using it on an AGV

🔴 Sound loops until you stop it

The most important thing on this page. Both manuals state that the default playback mode is loop within the folder.

Danger

🔴 Once triggered, the sound repeats forever until you send a stop. It does not play once and fall silent.

If your code says “obstacle detected → play warning” but never says “obstacle cleared → stop”, the sound plays all day.

Stop by playing folder 0.

Tip

Always pair every start with a stop, on every path out of that state — including program shutdown. Under ROS 2, send the stop in the destructor or an on_shutdown handler, or Ctrl-C will leave the sound running.

Note

Single-play mode is possible but must be requested when ordering. It cannot be changed afterwards.

Folders and sounds

Value sent

Result

0

Stop

1

Play everything in AW001, looping

2

Play everything in AW002, looping

255

Play everything in AW255, looping

Important

A folder can hold several files, and it cycles through them. For one clean sound, put exactly one file per folder — otherwise you get sounds you did not intend.

Organising folders

Grouping by urgency makes the code readable at a glance.

Range

Used for

AW001–AW009

Danger — moving off, reversing, emergency stop

AW010–AW019

Direction — turning left, turning right

AW020–AW029

Job status — arrived, loaded

AW030–AW039

Faults — low battery, lost

Tip

Print this table and stick it on the robot. A technician can then tell what a sound means without opening the source code.

Volume

0–28, 29 steps.

Warning

Volume does not affect the sound already playing — it applies on the next play command. That is why the test tool always sends volume first, then the play command. Do the same in your own code.

Danger

🔴 Remember the rear knob multiplies this value. If 28 is still quiet, check the knob before suspecting your software.

Sequence in a real system

Warning before moving off:

  1. Receive the move command

  2. Send volume, then send play AW001

  3. Wait 2–3 seconds so people can react

  4. Start the wheels

  5. Once under way, stop the sound with folder 0

Important

The sound must come before the wheels move, not with them. Warning at the same instant leaves no time to step aside, which is the same as not warning.

More than one speaker

Danger

🔴 You cannot put two of these on one RS485 bus.

Every unit is address 1 and users cannot change it — the manual says users can not modify, and there is no register for the address. Two units will answer simultaneously and neither reply is readable.

For sound at several points, pick one:

  • Specify addresses when ordering so the factory sets them differently

  • Separate RS485 buses, one adapter each

  • Add external speakers to a single box via 3.5 mm AUX or the speaker terminal

Before going live

Check

Why

Rear volume knob turned fully up

Otherwise software control is not real

Every start has a matching stop

Otherwise the sound runs all day

Stop is sent on shutdown

Ctrl-C must silence it

Audible from 5 m away

Test with other machinery running

Warning and status sounds distinguishable

Ask someone who has not heard them before

Warning

Test during real production, not in a quiet room. 100 dB is very loud in silence but can be masked by plant machinery. If it is not loud enough, an external speaker can exceed 120 dB per the manual.