Image from Automotive Manufacturing Solutions
AGCs (image above) are extremely important because this innovation has lead to increased productivity on the assembly line in manufacturing plants or warehouses.
I chose to discuss the impact of growing technology of autonomous vehicles in manufacturing because it is has vastly changed the nature of the industry. Manufacturing impacts just about everything we do, and it has gone through various stages from manual labor on the assembly line to what we now refer to as Industry 4.0, which Epicor defines as “a new phase in the Industrial Revolution that focuses heavily on interconnectivity, automation, machine learning, and real – time data.” This can also be referred to Industrial Internet of Things or smart manufacturing. I will mostly be focusing on the automation piece of Industry 4.0, but all play a crucial role in this new era.
One of the more common technologies is Automated Guided Carts (AGCs) which are flexible piece of equipment that follows a piece of magnetic tape on the floor. According to Motion Control Robotics, AGCs allow for easy changes to the pathway of the vehicle and are ideal for assembly lines or transporting goods in a plant or warehouse. One major benefit is they provide durable and consistent movement whether it is small or large.
Other benefits Motion Robotics mentions to using AGCs include:
“Hands – off” approach
Free up floor space
Open access to previously isolated process areas
Improve storage space utilization
Reduce product damage
Create a predictable environment for production and operations
Simplify maintenance on equipment
Deliver cost reduction consistently
Particularly in manufacturing, these vehicles are ideal because they are flexible, inexpensive, and work 24/7 in 360 degrees doing repetitive movements. Motion Robotics points out how easy installation is for the magnetic tape and how easy is to modify. Regarding control options, known as a Cart Management System (CMS), it allows the AGCs to have a computer blocking system with Windows operating system on the panel. The layouts and functions can be modified and downloaded using WIFI signals that are sent to the cart in seconds. The control screen is very user friendly and works asynchronously with the CMS controller giving the operator complete access to the assembly line.
As of 2020, Flexis records that about 10% of US manufacturers have adopted autonomous or semi- autonomous mobility (whether it be forklifts, cranes, and drones). It is interesting to note that cost is both positive and negative as it can reduce your savings but has cost barriers to make this switch. This begs the question of how long it will take for self-driving cars to come to market in this new autonomous era. This will have major impact on manufacturing because it will vastly change their production and operation processes. They are predicting that cars will be in lower demand which more manufacturers will rely more heavily on car – sharing or other alternatives.
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