Did you go on a shopping spree during last year's Tmall Double 11? The transaction volume reached 10 billion yuan in just 2 minutes and 5 seconds, with the total transaction volume for the day reaching a staggering 213.5 billion yuan. Behind these enormous figures, I can imagine countless parcels piling up like mountains. In the process of transporting these parcels, besides the hard work of delivery drivers and countless logistics personnel, there's also a group of helpful little assistants – AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) carts.
Today, we'll introduce the main types of AGVs and what specific product solutions SICK can provide for different types of AGVs.
Depending on the model, the most popular AGVs currently fall into five main categories: lurking type, backpack type, heavy-duty type, towing type, and forklift type.
Hidden AGV
The low profile of the AGV allows it to move freely in limited spaces. It uses a lifting hook to pull a trolley to perform transport tasks. It is compact and flexible, and can choose the shortest route when not in use, thus improving turnover efficiency.
(The red circle in the image below shows the lifting hook of the AGV.)
Backpack AGV
Backpack-type AGVs transport goods by placing pallets, racks, and bins on their vehicles. Their advantages include the ability to replace forklifts for transferring large and heavy goods, obstacle detection, emergency braking, anti-slip cushioning, and lower investment compared to traditional conveyor lines.
Heavy-duty AGV
Heavy-duty AGVs ranging from 10 to 40 tons represent AGV technology that has reached international standards. This type of AGV is mainly used in warehousing, manufacturing, ports, airports, hazardous locations, and special industries. It effectively improves the level of automation in heavy-duty logistics, reduces the labor intensity of operators, and has important practical significance for improving production efficiency, shortening logistics cycles, accelerating capital turnover, and improving economic benefits.
So here's the question:
Now, let me test you: can you tell the difference between the lurking, backpack, and heavy-duty AGVs?
Correct answer:
Hidden AGVs use lifting hooks to lift shelves for transport. Backpacking and heavy-duty AGVs, on the other hand, transport goods by carrying them directly on their backs, which means that these two types of AGVs need to have a stronger load-bearing capacity.
AGV traction
As the name suggests, a towing AGV is a vehicle that uses the tail of an AGV to tow material carts. It can tow multiple material carts at once, and can also place pallets and other items on the vehicle for transport.
Forklift AGV (also known as forklift AGV)
The last type is the forklift AGV. This type of AGV is more complex than the previous four because it not only needs to transport goods point-to-point, but also needs to position pallets to achieve precise picking. Forklift AGVs can operate on more complex paths. An independent hydraulic lifting system, assisted by high-precision displacement sensors, allows the forklift to stop at any position within its lifting stroke, greatly improving loading flexibility and lifting position accuracy.
For the five common AGV applications mentioned above, we have compiled SICK's product solutions.
For light-duty AGVs (AGCs) such as those that are stealthy, towed, or carried, their navigation methods are mostly magnetic strip or fluorescent navigation. Combined with SICK's laser scanner and encoder, the operators around the AGV and the speed of travel can be monitored and protected.
For AGV navigation systems such as forklift and heavy-duty models, collision avoidance and speed measurement are only part of the equation. The steering wheel angle, fork lifting height, and fork positioning are also crucial. Absolute encoders monitor the specific angle of the steering wheel. Cable encoders monitor the fork lifting height, preventing injuries to personnel and goods caused by forks exceeding the lifting distance. Finally, photoelectric sensors, proximity switches, laser scanners, or 3D image sensors can be used to position the forks, enabling precise pallet picking.
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