Fixed path: Manufacturer increases efficiency with custom automatic guided vehicle

A mobile heavy equipment manufacturer was manually moving heavy spare parts and components from its shipping and receiving area to a parts storage area 1,200 feet away using aluminum custom carts that were easy to push and manipulate. The company was looking for a way to eliminate the need of tying up an associate for each shift, but when it considered the investment it already had in carts, alternatives appeared to be cost prohibitive. Using a customized automatic guided vehicle (AGV), the company was able to use its existing carts with no modifications.

The new AGVs follow a magnetic tape guidepath and use a heavy-duty steel frame with custom hitch to automatically pick up and deposit the existing carts. The vehicles are capable of moving at 82 feet per minute and have a 1,500-pound capacity with a 24-inch minimum turning radius. They also feature audible warnings, flashing lights, non-contact obstacle laser scanner and e-stops. The 24-volt system is powered by two 12-volt lead acid batteries, which are carried in battery boxes on a tray requiring no battery lifting.

The upper portion of the vehicles is built using high visibility orange pipe and metal joints for easy maintenance and long-term flexibility. Although primarily used as a tugger, they feature an upper load deck for miscellaneous boxes or supplies. The steel frame end caps are easily removed so the AGV can be raised by a forklift when maintenance is required. A foot pedal raises the unit’s spring-loaded AGV drive wheels off the floor allowing it to be pushed by its handle just like a cart.

Creform
800-839-8823
creform.com