Leverage the full value of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) with smart intralogistics solutions

Increasing competition, new environmental regulations and pandemic-related challenges are driving companies to automate more manufacturing processes. Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) are a key component of automation. However, they are only able to deliver their full value and reduce the need for human intervention when they are properly integrated with the factory’s intralogistics and material control. Integration allows the material management system to automatically create transport orders for the AGVs, sending them to retrieve and transport materials. With this, less human intervention is needed both in creating the orders and in physically moving around the plant to fulfill them.

Increased material control in the factory

Yet in many cases, intralogistics solutions are not integrated, and AGVs receive manual requests from a fleet management system or directly from humans. Although many manufacturers are aware of the benefits of integrating AGVs with their intralogistics, the complexity of integrating proprietary systems can be a major barrier.

Siemens’ Opcenter Intra-Plant Logistics makes it easier to standardize data and integrate systems, eliminating the human error inherent to manual operations. Using Siemens’ standardized data, manufacturers can easily integrate AGVs into their IPL system, optimizing logistics, ensuring streamlined delivery, and eliminating waste.

The power of intralogistics automation

Our new white paper reviews the challenges of integration and the importance of data standardization. It describes how leading Italian electronics designer ROJ used Opcenter Intra-Plant Logistics to enable smooth and continuous JIT/Kanban material delivery between warehouse and production while optimizing changeover time and eliminating material starvation and waste.