The assembly line of Mark IV
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The challenge
The Orbay technical centre of Mark IV Automative, with its 350 employees, specializes in injection welding, blow molding, and thermoset processing. It supplies the automative industry with air admission and cooling systems with both modules and components.
This centre equipped with injection presses used to manually palletize finished products on base before transferring them to a warehouse.
In a context of direct logistics flow, Mark IV Automotive was looking for an innovative solution for an optimum products unloading, at a flow rate of 14 pallets per hour and towards two areas of the warehouse. It also wished to replace a little train that served the workshop.
The main issue of this project consisted in taking into account different formats of containers depending on the end customer. The dimensions of the containers can vary from 770x1000 mm to 1100x1380 mm.
The solution
In order to perfectly meet Mark IV Automative's specifications, BA Systèmes opted for the implementation of two laser-guided AGVs of GL type (forkover AGV) that can adapt to the different formats of containers that need to be unloaded. These AGVs can travel at a speed of 1.4 m/second; the loads are up to 1,200 kg and the maximum lift height is up to 1 metre.
These driverless trucks can also pick up a load placed on a trolley at a working station, and deliver it on a gravity roller conveyor in warehouse.
Unloading is requested through terminals at pick up bases. The operator can request the emptying of a full container and/or the feeding with an empty container. Unloading missions are transmitted by radio to the AGVs and feeding missions are routed to the forklift operator who takes charge of the empty containers using the same radio network.
The contract was signed in July 2004 and the AGVs commissioned in January 2005. Following an increase in production rates, a third AGV was added to the installation in November 2005.