Features/Benefits Provided:

• Improved newsprint inventory tracking
• Expanded lay down capacity
• Improved butt roll handling
• Streamlined roll preparation
• Improved control hardware and system management
• Installed without interruption of existing production
• Non-wire inertial guidance provides flexibility to easily relocate pick/drop stands or expand the system
• FM radio communications
• Automatic Opportunity Charging

This newsprint handling system at this large, daily newspaper is designed to deliver a continuous supply of paper rolls to 44 press reels during the daily production run. Two roll preparation stations prepare the paper rolls arriving from the warehouse for delivery by the nine inertial-guided (non-wire) AGVs. Rolls are delivered to and from a 174 roll laydown buffer storage area. When needed, the rolls are transferred to the press reels.

The AGVs transport full and empty waste containers from the production area to a processing area where the waste is subsequently removed from the facility. To maintain maximum AGV performance and up-time, the system was provided with automatic opportunity battery charging. During idle production time frames, AGVs are routed to in-floor charging locations where the onboard batteries can be automatically recharged.

The overall AGV newsprint handling system is controlled under the supervision of the Vehicle System Manager (VSM), using FM radio communications. Since system uptime is critical, the VSM includes hot backup allowing transfer of control to a backup computer in the event of primary computer failure. During press production, the VSM and system microterminals at roll preparation and the press reel stands receive high level newsprint delivery information and requests from the Press Control System (PCS). These microterminals allow operators to interface with the VSM to request the AGVs to deliver newsprint, pick up waste, and remove partially used or rejected newsprint from the presses.

 
is a proud member of the AGVS Manufacturers Association of Material Handling Industry of America

8212 M-119
Harbor Springs, MI 49740
Phone: 231-348-3931   Fax: 231-348-7201
Toll Free: 1-800-448-6521
Website: www.controlengineeringco.com