© 2014 MHI®

Copyright claimed as to audiovisual works of seminar sessions and

sound recordings of seminar sessions. All rights reserved.

Sponsored by: Presented by:

Mark Longacre, Marketing Manager - JBT Corporation

Brian Keiger- Grenzebach Corporation

Interesting New

AGV Applications:

Where to Start

New AGV Applications • Automatic Carts at Retail DC (Macy’s)

• Moving Heavy Aluminum Ingots

• Tote/Carton Handling for Injection Molding

• Operation in a Hospital

• Delivery of Aircraft Subassemblies

• Transport of Building Materials in Manufacturing

• Beverage Distribution Center Automation

• Trailer Unloading of Raw Mt’ls and Loading of Finished Goods

• Raw Material Delivery for Paper Mill Converting

• Food/Ingredient Manufacturing

• Automotive Parts Manufacturing

• Grocery Distribution Product Movement

• Automated Warehousing

Automatic Guided Carts Help

Macy’s DC

• 750,000 sq. ft. warehouse

• 6 AGCs tug furniture on trains of

carts to/from dock doors

• AGCs also move empty carts back

to loading bays

• Features auto coupling &

decoupling hitch

• Flexible magnetic tape guidance

• 24/7 with Automatic Opportunity

Charging

– Charges during 4-minute

stops at 3 drop zones

• Previously used man aboard tuggers

• On-time order fulfillment increased to

99%

• Overall productivity increased 22%

• Reduced overtime

• ROI achieved within 12 months of

commissioning

• Helped achieve LEAN objectives

Project Benefits

Automatic Guided Carts Help

Macy’s DC

AGVs Move Heavy Loads in

Aluminum Plant

• Two heavy-duty AGVs move 95,000

lb. ingots that are 900 degrees F

• AGVs have 4-wheel independent

electronic steering allowing them to

move in any direction

• System features dual laser

navigation scanners for a 360

degree field of view

• Minimizes number of times ingots are handled, reducing damage.

• Improved safety compared to overhead cranes and fork trucks

• Significantly reduces employee accidents

• Increases productivity

• Flexibility – able to easily change guidepath

• Durability in harsh environment

Project Benefits

AGVs Move Heavy Loads in

Aluminum Plant

Tote/Carton Handling AGV System

Plastic parts manufacturing:

The AGVs transport empty totes and boxes

to the injection molding machines and

finished goods from the machines to the

pack-out area. Jobs are generated as the

operator enters a print request for a label

after checking product quality. AGVs are

capable of carrying three totes or boxes.

Transfer is possible on both sides of the

vehicle, using extractable shuttles and

passive P&D stations.

System data:

• 20 Unit Load AGVs

• Inertial navigation

• Opportunity battery charging

• Belt conveyor vehicle transfer mechanism

Hospital AGV System Hospital with 1,415 beds • 7 main buildings • 1 Distribution center • 8 Logistic depots

Performance data: • Can handle 3,900 transports daily

• 1,200 Miles traveled daily

• Longest route ~1/2 mile

• Max. load 1,000 lbs.

Scope of supply: • 81 AGV (1,6 m/s / 275 fpm)

• Flexible inertial navigation

• 60 Opportunity charging stations

• 216 Send/Receive stations

• 1,150+ carts

Parts Handling AGV System Airplane parts manufacturing:

The AGVs transport airplane parts

(e.g., wing slats) throughout the

manufacturing and assembly areas.

AGVs are capable of carrying large,

bulky items. Transfer is possible at

multiple levels, such as the floor or a

stand.

System data:

• 2500 kg (5,500 lbs)

• Laser Guidance

• Forward / Backward Movement

• 180° turn in a very small space (9 m

to a team of about 7 m)

• Position Accuracy of ±0.5mm

Parts Handling AGV System Building material manufacturing:

The AGVs transport building materials

(e.g., racking, supports, etc.)

throughout the manufacturing and

assembly areas. AGVs are capable of

carrying large, bulky items. Transfer is

possible from both sides of the vehicle

and across multiple conveyors.

System data:

• 3000 kg (6,600 lbs)

• Multi-Conveyor

• Inertial Guidance

• Omni-Directional Movement

• 180° turn in a very small space (9 m

to a team of about 7 m)

• Position Accuracy of ±0.5mm

• Product Traceability

• 780,000 sq. ft. warehouse

• Average Inventory = 700,000 cases

• 5 laser guided AGVs store/retrieve

product in lanes

• Product block stacked up to 4 high

• AGV mounted bar code scanner

identifies pallet

• Integrated with WMS

Benefits

• Improved inventory accuracy

• Fewer repairs

• Reduction in breakage & energy costs

• Flexibility/scalability/mobility

• Payback 1.5 yrs

Beverage Distribution Center

Beverage Process/Bottling Trailer Loading

• 20 AGVs with single double attachment

• Finished goods handling

• Pick up pallets from 12 stretch wrappers

• Deliver pallets onto trailers at 15 bays

• Also delivers pallets to temporary buffer

storage (35 lanes)

• Standard over-the-road trailers

• Accommodates multiple loading patterns

Trailer Unloading

• 4 AGVs with single double attachment

• Pallets of empty bottles

• Automatic delivery to bottling lines

Paper Mill/Paper Converting Challenge:

For quality purposes, each finished run from over 10 sheeters

requires a pallet the same dimensions as the paper sheets.

The customer builds all their own pallets creating significant

variance in size, shape, and height. The result can be over

100 different pallet configurations.

System Solution: • Database of key pallet profiles and locations

• The host computer relays pallet profile to AGV for pick up

• Sensing solution on the AGV identifies/reconfirms size,

shape and location of fork pockets

• Fork AGVs with ability to shift forks side to side and also

change widths between the forks

• Opportunity charging and fully automated battery swap

system

Results: • Increased throughput, reduction in labor

• Full tracking of WIP/FG from raw roll to dock door

• 2 Year ROI

Food/Ingredient Manufacturing Challenge:

The customer manages thousands of

spice and condiment SKUs and must

keep them moving from receiving to

storage and through production with each

location having different heights.

System solution: • Two new FlexFork AGVs with wireless

navigation

• Non-contact laser sensors for

obstacle detection and avoidance

• AGV self-monitoring battery voltage

levels

• Interfaced with customer existing ERP

system

Results: • Significant reduction in waste from forklift/driver

damage

• Real time tracking of materials throughout facility

even during moves

• Scalable system to grow/change as production needs

change

Automotive Parts Manufacturing

Challenge and Needs: • Deploy a process that would increase efficiency and reduce the overall cost of

material handling. • Adaptable and flexible solution for ever-changing floor and facility layouts.

Solution: 10 Flexible AGVs • Two tow tractors transport product between manufacturing processes.

• Three tow tractors transport inbound freight from the support facility and deliver

within the manufacturing area.

• Four double length pallet trucks move product from manufacturing to shipping

areas to the shipping staging lanes.

• One single length pallet truck with towing attachment transports empty racks on

carts to the manufacturing line and brings finished product back to the finished

goods store.

Automotive Parts Manufacturing

Results: • Increased Efficiency: Flexible AGV fleet

provides a consistent flow of internal

component movements as well as inventory

reduction due to more frequent deliveries to

the manufacturing lines.

• Reduced Cost: With flexible AGVs

improving overall efficiency, there is an

overall reduction in material handling cost.

• Improved Safety: Flexible AGVs deliver

automotive parts reliably and in a

predictable manner. The use of AGVs

eliminates employee, product, and facility

damage, creating a safer work environment.

4 AGVs

5 AGVs

1 AGV

Grocery Distribution Challenge and Needs: • Eliminate wasted hi-lift travel from the reserve back to the dock. • Improve efficiency in the distribution center, reduction in hi-lift travel time

Solution: 8 Flexible AGVs • 20-30% of all inbound freight is handled by flexible AGV double length pallet trucks.

• AGV pallet trucks are utilized for inbound delivery of pallets in the DC

Results: • Increased productivity with replenishment

hi-lifts in aisles because operators now

have more products to move in shorter

distances.

• Reduced manned travel from putaway by

20-30% and increased hi-lift pallet per hour

by 20%.

• Team members reallocated to more value-

added roles in the DC such as

replenishment and selection.

Automated Warehousing

• Production buffer warehouse

• Integrated conveyor sortation

system

• Deep lane storage with staging

to outbound docks

• 25 Clamp AGVs

• AGV management software

integrated with WMS

Complete Storage Automation

Automated Warehousing

• Reduced labor and

supervisory costs

• Improved material tracking

• Reduced damage to facility,

equipment, & product

• Two year payback

Project Benefits

Where to Start? • Define Goals and Objectives

• Develop Preliminary Layout

• Define Loads and Transfer Points

• Create Distance and Frequency Matrix

• How Should Movement Requests be Generated?

• What Future Changes are Expected?

Where to Start • Define Project Goals and Objectives

– What issues are driving the project? – e.g. capacity

increase, labor costs reduction, throughput increase,

track product, reduce damage, etc.

– What specific goals/objectives must be attained to

proceed? – e.g. ROI, payback, safety improvements,

etc.

– Develop preliminary project schedule. Consider

phased implementation and avoid peaks in activity

– Compare AGV solution vs other automated and non

automated solutions

Where to Start • Develop Facility Layout Drawing showing

– Transfer points (Pick up and delivery locations)

– Preliminary vehicle paths

– Drawing scale or travel distances

– Doors, low height clearances, equipment interferences

– Aisle widths

– Key intersections with other vehicle and pedestrian

traffic

Where to Start • Detailed Load Information – for Each Load

– Type – pallet, container, skid, bin, roll, slip sheet

– Weight – max, min, average

– Dimensions – length x width x height

– Stability – leaning, product overhang past base (pallet)

– Fork opening dimensions

• Transfer Point Definition – Type – floor, stand, conveyor, racking, etc.

– Height

Where to Start • Transport Distance Matrix

– Corresponding to positions shown on the facility layout

drawing, calculate distance between all pick-up and

delivery points

All distances in meters Delivery

Point 1

Delivery

Point 2

Delivery

Point 3

Delivery

Point 4

Delivery

Point 5

Pick-up Point 1 120 100 50 400 425

Pick-up Point 2 100 200 80 320 180

Pick-up Point 3 50 120 100 260 250

Pick-up Point 4 200 300 150 120 300

Pick-up Point 5 400 120 180 90 200

Where to Start • Transport Frequency Matrix

– Corresponding to positions shown on the facility layout

drawing, determine the number of deliveries per period

of time that is required to support operations

– Develop data for both average and peak conditions

Deliveries per hour Delivery

Point 1

Delivery

Point 2

Delivery

Point 3

Delivery

Point 4

Delivery

Point 5

Pick-up Point 1 4 1 2 3 4

Pick-up Point 2 0 4 4 0 0

Pick-up Point 3 0 0 0 2 2

Pick-up Point 4 2 0 0 3 3

Pick-up Point 5 1 3 0 6 0

Where to Start • How are Material Movement Orders Created?

– Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System – SAP

– Warehouse Management System (WMS) – Red Prairie

– Input/Output (I/O) Sensor - barcode

– Operator Driven– Call buttons, handheld, other

• Other considerations – Will AGV System Management software track inventory?

– Special software integration requirements

Where to Start • Considerations for Future

– AGVS are generally very scalable and flexible for

future changes

– Are capacity increases or decreases planned for the

near future?

– Are there ERP/MRP/WMS business software changes

expected?

– Are facility layout changes expected?

Where to Start • Contact an MHI AGVS Member Company

For More Information:

Contact

AGVS MHI Managing Executive

Gary Forger

gforger@mhi.org

Automatic Guided Vehicle Systems (AGVS)

Product Section

http://www.mhi.org/agvs