State-of-the-art automotive manufacturing calls for modularity and versatility when it comes to planning and implementing material supply trolleys for intralogistics. (See video below.)
This is especially clear if you explore the Audi site in Neckarsulm, Germany, where the Audi A8 is manufactured over several floors.
Top-of-the-range models such as the Audi A8 allow customers to choose from a wide range of design options and additional extras to customize their vehicle however they want.
This means that the production teams must stock different types of components in the warehouse and utilize precise advance planning to have the required materials arrive at the line in sufficient quantities and, most importantly, in the right order.
More often than not, conventional methods of transport used in the automotive industry, such as manually operated tugger trains, are inadequate in such situations.
Perfect for Intralogistics: Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) Systems
Automated material transport solutions are particularly ideal for automotive manufacturing. AGV systems can be connected directly to production planning processes via digital interfaces, so they always know when which components need to be available in which area of production.
In the video below, you will see the AGV’s in use at Audi, carrying item supply trolleys, guided by a multi-level pathway via a plan of the production facility stored in their memory.
Project planners opted for red flowerpots containing artificial plans to serve as landmarks, distinctive waypoints for AGV’s to work out their current position.
Via various contact points fitted in specific distinct patterns beneath the trolleys, the system identifies which type of material supply trolley is being moved.
To keep the required safety zone and the likelihood of unplanned stops by the AGV to an absolute minimum, Audi in Neckarsulm opted to work with item to create an exceptionally compact design that’s also exceptionally strong and stable.
The quality offered by the item MB Building Kit System and Profile Tube System D30, as well as close consultation and prototype implementation, led to an on-site item customer adviser who helped plan, build, and deliver the individual trolleys to Audi, ready for use.
By combining the most suitable item components for each transport task as part of a modular design approach, every material supply trolley achieves the optimum packing density.
Interested in exactly how Audi and item created this ideal integrated system with automation and material supply?
Download the item case study Intralogistics in the Automotive Industry for insight on creating a culture of improvement and systematically optimizing your intralogistics using customized factory equipment.
You can also read the full story on the item blog here.
