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© 2012 Material Handling Industry®. Copyright claimed as to audiovisual works of seminar
sessions and sound recordings of seminar sessions. All rights reserved.
Welcome to Session 133
Sponsored by: Presented by:
Patrick (Pat) Conway
Director, Global Business
Development
AGVs: Offering the Complete Solution
Seminar Agenda
• What is an AGV?
• How do AGV Systems work?
• Where have AGVs been used?
• Where are AGVs being used now?
• Examples of applications where AGVs provide the “complete” solution
• What are some features of AGVs?
• What are the benefits of using AGVs?
• Questions
What is an AGV?
• AGV - Automatic Guided Vehicle
• Mobile Robot/Transport Unit
• Unmanned / Fully Computer
Controlled & Real Time Monitored
• Battery Powered
• Intended to replace a person on a manual truck
• Excels at routine, movement of stable loads
• There are typically several vehicles combined with other controls to
make a system
How do AGV Systems Work?
• Vehicles receive instructions from a computer (AGV System Controller)
• 2 way communications with the computer is via RF/Wireless LAN
• Run on virtual guidepaths that can be changed in software
• Guidance systems require little or no floor installation or modifications
• System controller typically provides:
• AGV traffic management
• Interface with customer’s software
• Inventory control and tracking
• Graphical user interface
• Vehicle and system diagnostics
• Client terminal and Web enabled access
How do AGV Systems Work?
System Controls
Ethernet Hub
SYSTEM INTERFACE
AGV-Controller HOTLINE
SERVICE
VPN Support
HUB HUB RF-LAN network
IEEE 802.11B
Warehouse Management System or
Production Control System
• Raw material from receiving to warehouse
• Parts from warehouse to assembly line
• Work-in-process through manufacturing cells
• Finished goods to storage/shipping
• Tooling or dies from storage to manufacturing
Manufacturing Applications
Interface Points • Floor, conveyors, stands, racking
Items Handled • Often custom fixtures or containers
Where have AGVs been used? Manufacturing - Get the right materials to the right place at the right time!
Where have AGVs been used? Typically in Manufacturing Applications
• AGV serve as a “taxi” system responding to I/O requests
• AGVs provide only material movement between processes for product
• Focus is on the vehicle which is customized to handle the unique load size
and interface requirements of applications
• Simple system software relies on communication with the production
control system (PCS)
• PCS handles decision rules regarding what materials are delivered where
• End of Line – linking palletizer, stretch wrapper and finished
goods storage or shipment
• Warehousing – storage and retrieval
• Order Fulfillment in Distribution Centers
• Shipping/Receiving
• Cross Docking
Warehousing and Distribution Applications
Interface Points • Floor, conveyors, stands, racking, block stacking
Items Handled • Typically standard pallets
(i.e.: GMA, Euro,..)
Where are AGVs being used?
Where are AGVs being used? AGV Systems in Warehousing and Distribution Applications
Typically….
• interface with WMS/ERP serving as the most important system contributing to
overall efficiency
• interface with all W&D Systems - often “building bridges” between all automated
systems – thus “driving” operations
• provide not only material movement but also essential full tracking/traceability of
the inventory & transported products
• use standard vehicle designs with load handling actuators very similar to those
on standard fork lift truck models
• incorporate “rules” which allow vehicles to appropriately respond to certain
conditions and keep the system in operation
Examples of applications where AGVs
provide the “complete” solution?
1. End of Line - Moving finished goods from the stretch wrappers to
a) a conveyor leading to a DC
b) buffer storage
c) directly onto a trailer
2. Order Fulfillment – Providing material movements to support mixed
case picking in a Distribution Center
End of Line AGVs delivering the
complete solution
System Summary
• 11 Counterbalanced Vehicles
• Single/Double Load Attachment
• Interface with WMS
• Payback in 2 years
Pickup at Stretch Wrappers
• 10 Locations/2 Pallets
• 40”W x 48”L x 67” H
• 2,500 lb pallets
End of Line AGVs delivering the
complete solution
Stretch Wrapper Pickup
End of Line AGVs delivering the
complete solution
Bridge Conveyor Drop-off
• 8 Locations/2 Pallets
To
DC
End of Line AGVs delivering the
complete solution
Conveyor Dropoff
End of Line AGVs delivering the
complete solution
Temporary Buffer Storage/Retrieval
• Used when conveyor goes down
• 312 Locations – 2 high/3 deep
End of Line AGVs delivering the
complete solution
Conveyor Dropoff
End of Line AGVs delivering the
complete solution
Trailer Loading – std over-the-road trailers
• 9 docks
• Multiple loading patterns
• Safety interlocks
End of Line AGVs delivering the
complete solution
Trailer Loading
End of Line AGVs delivering the
complete solution
Automatic Battery Swapping
• Maximizes vehicle utilization
End of Line AGVs delivering the
complete solution
Automatic Battery Exchange
End of Line AGVs delivering the
complete solution
Order Fulfillment AGVs delivering
the complete solution
System Summary
• 16 Lift Deck Vehicles
• 2,200 lb capacity
• Interface with WMS
• Payback in 2 years
Distribution Center Application – Person to Goods Picking &Packing
Order Fulfillment AGVs delivering
the complete solution
Pick Pallets introduced to the picking mezzanine via 2 elevators
Order Fulfillment AGVs delivering
the complete solution
Pick Pallets picked up at elevators by AGV and delivered to 4,000 pick locations
Order Fulfillment AGVs delivering
the complete solution
Pickers walk aisles (Person to Goods Picking) and push wheeled
trolleys/carts and pick items as appropriate to build an order on the trolley.
This operation will be done by an AGV in phase 2 of the project. Automating
this operation will optimize the picking route and increase picker productivity.
Order Fulfillment AGVs delivering
the complete solution
AGVs remove empty pick pallets and trash bins from the picking area
Order Fulfillment AGVs delivering
the complete solution
Pickers push finished mixed pallet orders still on the trolley/cart to the trolley
storage area
AGVs move full trolley/carts form the picking trolley storage area to the packing
trolley storage area
Picking trolley storage area Packing trolley storage area
Order Fulfillment AGVs delivering
the complete solution
AGVs deliver empty pallets to the packing area
Order Fulfillment AGVs delivering
the complete solution
AGVs pick up packet pallets in the packing area and deliver them to the
elevators to shipping which is located below the picking mezzanine
Packed Pallet Pickup Elevators
Order Fulfillment AGVs delivering
the complete solution
AGVs move empty trolleys from the packing trolley storage area to the picking
trolley storage area
Picking trolley storage area Packing trolley storage area
What are the features of AGVs?
• Durable, expect a long service life
• Minimal infrastructure required
- Ideal for automating existing
warehouse & DC operations
• No single point of failure
• Scalable for quick expansion, reduction and even relocation
• Expect high utilization and uptime
• Use Standard Components but configured for Customer’s Application
• Very Safe: 360 degrees obstacle detection
• Typically Good ROIs for 16/5 operations
• Typically Great ROIs for 24/7 operations
What are the benefits of using AGVs?
• Reduce labor costs
• Reduced product damage
• Track product locations
• Reduce/Eliminate errors
- Right product to the right location at the right time!
• Reduce rack damage
• Increase picker productivity
• Improve safety
• Highly flexible/Easy to change
• Reduce picker strains and injuries
• Tracks system performance
© 2012 Material Handling Industry®. Copyright claimed as to audiovisual works of seminar
sessions and sound recordings of seminar sessions. All rights reserved.
For More Information:
Speaker: [email protected]
Home Page: www.jbtc-agv.com
Please visit JBT Corporation at Booth 1105
MODEX 2012