Selection criteria
Page in page
Automation by AGV?
Before answering this question, and choosing between automatic or manual functioning, it is interesting to consider the industrialists' expectations and constraints so as to be able to determine some selection criteria to be validated for a successful automation.
What are industrialists' real expectations?
- Producing at optimized costs
- Foreseeing the future
- Preventing risks
- Working in safer factories
- Mastering hygiene rules
- Preserving the environment
What are their present and future constraints?
- Companies' size moving to a concentration of production sites
- Diversification of productions and ranges of products
- Pioneering to keep leadership
- Worldwide competitiveness
Selection criteria
- Companies using continuous replenishment system and running 16–24 hours per day, 5–7 days a week
- Repetitive and systematic handling operations
- Cross-flows
- Need for flexibility
- "Just-in-time" management of internal flows
- Repetitive and laborious tasks
- Products with high added value, or with handling constraints
- Environment constraints
20/02/2006.