Features/Benefits Provided: Increased throughput by 25% Reduced labor costs Reduced damage to parts and plant equipment Improved Safety Reliable JIT delivery of parts to the stamping lines and the shipping areas

In the typical automotive stamping plant, coils of steel are “stamped” into shapes which are then assembled into car body panels. In 1999, an automotive stamping plant was moving all materials manually using fork lift trucks (hi-lo). Material handling included moving materials

1. from receiving to the stamping lines
2. from the stamping lines to assembly
3. from assembly to shipping
 

• Pick/Drop Locations: 46
• Vehicle Guidance: Laser
• Total Plant Size: 1,500,000 ft2
• Guide Path Length: 13,000 ft
• Safety Bumpers: Laser

There is little storage buffer for materials at each area, so all deliveries must be made Just-In-Time. Although handling this material manually had always “got the job done”, there was an interest in reducing the number of hi-los.

As an introduction to automatic guided vehicles (AGVs), two tow style vehicles were purchased to move materials from one stamping line to shipping. Tow style vehicles were chosen to maximize the amount of material that could be moved per vehicle. Over the next 3 years, that original 2 vehicle AGV System has expanded to a 31 vehicle system.

is a proud member of AGVS, a Product Section of the Material Handling Industry of America

400 Highpoint Drive
Chalfont, PA 18914
Phone: (215) 822-4600
Toll Free: 1-888-362-3628
Fax: (215) 822-4553
Website: www.jbtc-agv.com