INTRALOGISTICS AND AUTOMATION SOLUTIONS FOR YOU

Since the invention of spinning wheels and steam engines, businesses have wanted more. They have pushed themselves to get faster and more efficient. Luckily, technology has now caught up with our desire to push the boundaries. At Linde, we strive to put efficiency in every warehouse around the world. We do it through automation and determination. This further benefits companies by ensuring every part of the warehouse operations will run consistently and safely. We do it for the inventory and employees that keep everything moving forward.

How is it done? For businesses looking to up their game, we recommend automated guided vehicles. They are ideal for ensuring things stay consistently operating efficiently. This is why so many companies consider us for their automation needs.

What Are AGV forklifts?

An AGV is an Automatic Guided Vehicle. It is a computer-controlled, wheel-based vehicle that can travel where it needs to go. It does not require an onboard operator.

To operate, instead, there will be a combination of sensors and software. These two things guide it over a predictable pathway that is preset by the needs of the warehouse.

To do this, it relies heavily on a controlled acceleration and deceleration. They are also equipped with detection bumpers. This is a feature that also allows them to avoid collisions with obstacles, even those that end up in their path.

They can be loaded, dispatched to the drop point for that inventory, and return without help. They do not tie up employees for the mundane task of riding from one point to another. Instead, operators that would normally be kept on the forklift are free to take care of other tasks. They simply have to wait on the automated vehicle to return, doing other things while they wait.

How Do Driverless Forklifts Work?

One common question is how these machines can operate without human assistance or supervision. The truth is, there are several methods for system guidance. Some of these vehicles may use things like magnetic tape, wired pathways, laser target navigation, gyroscopic navigation, etc. It depends on what type of driverless forklift is being used.

With Linde, our most popular options are vision guidance and geo-guidance. These two options do not require warehouses to change or add anything to their floor plan. The vehicle simply sees what it is around.

The vision guidance system cameras on the equipment will constantly record features along its route. It can then analyze the images that are captured along the route that it must take. Those recordings are the key for it to successfully navigate where it needs to go.

Geoguided AGV forklift can recognise objects to establish a location as they move around. It operates in real-time so that navigation is flawless throughout the entire facility.

Once the type of controls is decided upon, warehouse owners can also choose the type of driverless vehicle they want. For the most part, they will be controlled by differential speed controls. This allows it to take full advantage of two independent drive wheels. It also means that the forklift or picker will function based on their wheels. When moving the wheels travel at the same speed, they will travel forward or backward. When turning, one of the wheels will slow enabling it to turn smoothly.

Another, more popular option, is steered wheel controls, which are similar to other vehicles with a steering wheel. It is more precise and does allow for equipment operators to take the wheel if it is ever necessary. This is the best option if an automated towing vehicle is needed.

Combination steering is also available in some vehicles. What this means is that the equipment will be able to use a steering wheel and differential speeds. These AGVs are perhaps the best for all situations, which means that they can be useful in any setting.

Benefits of Automatic Guided Vehicle

Some warehouse crews are impressed by driverless forklifts. They are very easy to work with, but also provide owners and operators with many other benefits. Some of the top reasons to bring them into a facility include:

• Cost Savings: A driverless forklift can save money. If nothing else, it is saved by simply being a more efficient option. It allows warehouses to have fewer employees on the job traveling from one side of the warehouse to the other. Warehouse owners do not have to hire people to keep up with inventory loading or unloading. Admittedly, some jobs may still require human assistance, but it will be less often.
• Accountability: Once loaded, an automated forklift will have a record of where it is going in the warehouse. This prevents it from being lost, even in a very crowded and busy warehouse. If something is placed in the wrong area, it will be easy to track. They can also reduce the risk of putting items on conveyor belts. They go where they need to drop off and pick up. They can even run on a specific schedule to keep them from making wasting trips around the warehouse.
• Operates in Smaller Areas: With an AGV forklift, shelves can be closer together than ever before. This allows smaller warehouses to increase the amount of inventory they have by making space that hasn't been available. It eliminates the risk of human error because these machines can go into areas that normal forklifts couldn't. They do it safely. If something is blocking their way, they can wait until their route is cleared before moving forward again.
• Expandable Options: In very busy, constantly growing warehouses with new inventory arriving often, things get messy. Luckily, new automated forklifts can be added with very little extra effort. All it takes is a slight modification to the program that keeps them active. Once this is done, they will operate in tandem, each going about the specific jobs that are set for them.
• Ideal for All Tasks: An AGV robot is ideal for all tasks both large and small. They can lift and transport a variety of different weights and sizes. They can also be customised to further meet the needs of a particular setting or task that the company may need for it to be able to do.