Food Logistics serves the entire food supply chain industry with targeted content for manufacturers, retailers, and distributors.
Issue link: https://foodlogistics.epubxp.com/i/369253
SECTOR REPORTS A U T O M AT I C G U I D E D V E H I C L E S O ne of the most difcult decisions that a business manager faces is investing in new technology while it's still evolving. In the food and beverage supply chain, few tech- nologies present greater efcien- cies than automatic guided vehicles (AGVs); trucks that transport pallets independent of a human attendant. AGVs can reportedly increase full-case picking productivity by 25 percent or more, simply by eliminating one of the most labor-intensive jobs in many distribution facilities – the order selector who gets on and of the vehicle during full-case picking. Most AVGs to date have deployed in manufacturing facilities, according to the Material Handling Institute of America (MHIA). The MHIA's Automatic Guided Vehicle Systems Industry Group recently reported that manufacturing operations have accounted for three quarters of all AGVs. Crown Equipment, in a 2012 white paper on AGVs, noted that manufacturing pro- cesses are predictable and repeatable, making them an ideal candidate for automation. In addition, manufacturing has more consistent daily output compared to a dedicated distri- bution warehouse. Forklifts supporting these processes usually move products from one station to the next or from manufacturing to shipping at regular intervals. Vehicles travel the same path repeat- edly with no need to navigate around other vehicles. AGVs find a place in distribution In a dedicated distribution warehouse, AGV requirements are more complex and less predictable than a manufacturing warehouse. In a dedicated distribution warehouse, AVGs sometimes have to travel to multiple locations in a short time period and must be able to adapt on short notice. This limits the utility of vehicles that operate only in automatic mode as they lack the adaptability required. Nevertheless, AGV navigation technology continues to advance, creating new efficien- cies for manufacturing and distribution warehouses alike. A Food Logistics informal survey of AGV manufacturers indicates that distribution facilities are beginning to show more interest. Toyota AGVs follow a self-adhesive mag- netic tape which makes setup simple and requires no floor modifications, according to the company. Toyota's system features multiple path programming, retractable tow- ing pin, remote communication, and safety items including optical sensors that can be programmed for different zones to allow safe operation near pedestrians and in confined spaces. Several lift truck manufacturers have introduced AGVs in the last year that use some of the newer technology. Rudi Koetter, automation manager at Raymond Corp., says his company got back into automatic guided vehicles in the last year and a half because of progress in modern sensor technology and computer processing power. In addition, the emergence of natural feature recognition navigation enabled the development of easy- to-use and easy-to-implement automated lift trucks. Raymond trucks with the Seegrid technology have been finding use in food retail warehouses, notes Koetter. He says the vehicles can be driven manually as well as autonomously. One operator can manage up to five vehicles at one time for picking pallets and transporting them to a drop zone. Vision-guided navigation, which uses digi- tal video cameras to record the vehicle's path in the warehouse and map out the route, has emerged as one of the most economical and efficient AVG technologies in recent 44 AUGUST 2014 • FOOD LOGISTICS www.foodlogistics.com AGVs: No Need To Mount And Dismount Vehicles In The Warehouse AGVs increase full-case picking productivity; vision-guided systems offer options. By Elliot Maras With the Swisslog AVG, the WMS directs the picker who focuses on picking and does not mount the vehicle. The Toyota L-Cart follows a self-adhesive magnetic tape which makes setup simple and requires no floor modifications.