Tool helps you to evaluate usefulness of transport automation
Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) present a large potential when it comes to automating logistic movements on the production floor. However, how can a company assess whether automation is a good idea and how it can be optimally deployed? Sirris has developed a tool which supports companies wishing to evaluate if an AMR or AGV could be useful on the production floor.
Companies considering automating their production logistics often have a lot of questions. The options seem endless and how do you get started in practice? What is the real potential of AMRs for your business? Which type of device fits best in my production and how many of them do I need? These last two pieces of data are essential and are indeed key factors in deciding which investments to make in transport automation on the production floor.
User-friendly tool
To help these companies, Sirris has developed the AGVsim tool as part of the COOCK 'FlexIn²Log' project. By simply entering data in three Excel files, an initial estimate of the number of AGV devices you need can be made. Why this tool in particular? Simulation tools already exist to estimate how many AMRs or AGVs a company can use, but are often too expensive for SMEs and have a steep learning curve. That is why Sirris developed a user-friendly tool for SMEs which is able to estimate the number of AGVs needed and does so based on a number of data in Excel files, including your current floor plan and historical data of transports. Furthermore, the tool takes into account a number of conditions, such as the payback time, to evaluate to what extent these automation solutions could be beneficial or useful. In this way, the tool can be the first step towards introducing AMRs or AGVs in a company.
The tool has gone through an internal testing process and has been deployed for a specific business situation. It will soon be presented and further tested by the project's user group. After that, the tool will be included in our service offerings.
Before using the AGVsim tool, it is important to evaluate the logic of the flow of goods in production. Sirris can support you in this: together with you, we can make a layout study of your production. Want to find out more? Contact us!
AMRs @Acumen 2023
Can't wait and already want to know more about how to get started with AMRs in your business? At Acumen, on 26 October 2023 (11:00), we will give a presentation on this topic: 'How to start an AMR project to automate product logistics?'. During this online presentation, you will learn how to find out if an AMR is the right solution for your business. We give you some guidelines on what to look out for and we present a real use case of an implementation. Interested? Register now!
