Product category:
Automated handling systems, AGVs, integrated handling systems
News Release from: E and K Automation Indumat Systems | Subject: Indumat AGV system
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 26 February 2001
HeVac manufacturer doubles AGV activity
At the Telford factory of Denso, the Indumat AGV (automated guided vehicle) system has been extended and upgraded to allow up to 45 trailer movements/h or double the previous capacity.
At the Telford factory of vehicle air conditioning and heating equipment manufacturer, Denso, the Indumat AGV (automated guided vehicle) system has been extended and upgraded to allow up to 45 trailer movements per hour, nearly 50 per cent higher than the previous maximum It allows automated delivery of component parts from the main warehouse to selected assembly lines, whereas recently some transportation to these lines was carried out by manually driven tugs during the busier parts of the day
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 5 Feb 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
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At the same time, kanban delivery of parts to a number of the lines has been cut to 30 minutes, representing an improvement of over 100 per cent in most cases.
A major additional benefit is that movement of boxes of some in-house produced components, namely heater cores and aluminium pipes, will be brought into the automated system.
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Extra stopping points have been located at the ends of the respective production lines and the kanban collection interval is planned to be 30 minutes.
A further change is that the stopping point in the empty box sortation area has been moved out of the main building to a more convenient location under a canopy near the despatch area, for which a 70 metre extension to the AGV travel route was installed.
The battery chargers and trolleys have also been relocated here to speed battery exchange.
To conserve heat loss in cold weather, the factory and canopy are linked by two high-speed roller doors which are opened automatically when an AGV approaches.
Closure is also automatic after the last trailer being towed is clear of the door.
The three original AGVs from the Handimat range have been joined by two more identical vehicles.
All are used as tugs to tow up to three manually coupled and uncoupled trailers.
Parts are placed onto the trailers by hand and similarly removed at the assembly lines.
There is a ride-on facility which converts the vehicle into a manually driven tug should this be required.
Whereas at the outset 37 trailers were designated for towing by AGV, all 75 trailers on site have now been converted for harnessing to either an AGV or a conventional tug, making for increased flexibility.
DENSO at Telford is a good example not only of the successful application of AGVs, but also of the ease with which the hardware and software may be extended and adapted to accommodate changes in the user's business - a facility which is particularly beneficial in the automotive industry in view of current volatility in its manufacturing base.
Moreover, as Denso's business is just-in-time, line-side delivery of climate control equipment to vehicle OEMs, there is no room for error or downtime.
So the company's on-going reliance on AGVs working double day shifts from 7.00 am until 11.00 pm is indicative of the company's confidence in the technology.
The original reason for Denso adopting AGVs was to eliminate a large proportion of tedious manual delivery of parts over relatively long distances by manually driven trucks.
It allowed operators to concentrate on one task and hence perform it better, for example picking, or sorting empty boxes, or delivering parts to those lines which do not need to be served by the AGVs.
In this way, materials handling capacity was increased without any additional staff or lift trucks, leading to an early payback for the AGV system.
A short amortisation period is also anticipated for the extension.
As for the future, Denso may well develop the AGV installation further to accommodate new assembly lines and to automate transportation of other products produced in-house, such as evaporators.
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