Features/Benefits Provided: - Improved production efficiency
- Reduced operation and labor costs
- Minimal system supervision
- Safe, reliable delivery of raw material to production lines
A Self Guided Vehicle (SGV) system was installed for a large chemical manufacturer to transport aluminum pin carts containing acetate fiber rolls. The SGV system replaced an existing guided vehicle system, and consists of five forked vehicles which transport loads from the raw material production area and delivers them to the finished product production line, or to the QA lab for inspection.
All automated load movements are directed by the SGV Manager Control System which communicates with plant I/O devices. In the raw material area an operator pushes the pin carts into their pick positions, and an overhead I/O sensor detects the cart. This generates a load movement request, and a SGV is dispatched to pick-up the load. Empty pin carts are also transported from the finished product production lines back to the raw material area.
The SGV system was seamlessly integrated with existing plant equipment including conveyors and a robotic arm system.
Within two weeks of arriving on site the SGV system was supporting production. The system operates 24/7 and processes up to 23 loads/hour. The SGV system provided a solution which greatly improved production efficiency, and was much more efficient than the previous guided vehicle system.
Before the SGV system was installed many hours were spent supervising material transport. However, the new SGV system requires minimal supervision and allows employees to focus on value added activities.
The customer is delighted with the reliability of the new system. Operating costs were also significantly reduced, and the expected pay back period is less than three years.
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