Features/Benefits Provided: Laser Guidance. Integrates with Host Material Management System. Increased Efficiency and Production

AGV System Increases Productivity & Efficiency While Maintaining Safety

A highly successful automotive components manufacturer located in Elwood, Indiana, implemented an automatic guided vehicle system (AGVS) to handle movement of finished goods to racks.

The system consists of six laser guided, side-fork AGVs. The AGVs were designed to use a control system that monitors material movement and assigns orders to the AGV.

The system initiates the sequence by a trigger from a manufacturing cell indicating either a full rack is available or that an empty location is available.  After receiving the job trigger, the control system assigns the job to an AGV and monitors the material movement through the facility.  Four steps are completed, defining the full sequence for the AGV.

• Pick Empty:  the AGV uses the optimal path to the manufacturing cell to pick up the empty rack.
• Drop Empty: the AGV uses the optimal path to the given cell and drops the rack.
• Pick Full: the AGV moves to the full rack location and picks up the full rack.
• Drop Full: the AGV arrives at the Gatekeeper and deposits the loaded rack.

The AGVs move through the facility using an on-board computer containing a virtual guidepath map.  In addition to the map the vehicles use an oscillating laser to triangulate their exact positioning within the facility.
 

 
is a proud member of the AGVS Manufacturers Association of Material Handling Industry of America

11818 James Street
Holland, MI 49424
Phone: 616-393-0101
Email: sales@egeminusa.com    Website: www.egeminusa.com