Food producer takes on seven Egemin AGVs
Mexican canned food producer La Costeña has ordered seven AGVs from Egemin because the components of its existing AGV fleet had become obsolete and could not ensure the required transport volumes.
The AGVs are equipped with four roller conveyors in double deck configuration, two top and two bottom conveyors. This allows for simultaneous handling of full pallets with canned chilies and empty pallets between the production zone and the 13 packing lines and the distribution area. The AGVs pick two full pallets at a go from the upper output conveyors at the end of the packing lines and load these onto the top AGV conveyors.
Simultaneously, the vehicles supply empty pallets from the bottom AGV conveyors to the lower conveyors of the packing lines. Next, the AGVs bring the loads to the stretch wrapper to wrap the pallets and to store them in the finished goods warehouse. Empty pallets are loaded on the lower conveyors of the AGV in order to supply the packing lines with new pallets.
The AGVs drive at full speed when driving empty or only loaded with empty pallets. Reduced speed is used when loaded with full pallets to ensure load stability. This was needed as the cans are stacked loosely in trays on the pallets. The flexible speed regulation, which is automatically generated, gives La Costeña up to 15% more transport capacity using the same type of equipment.
One of La Costeña’s requirements was to install the new AGVs without interrupting the production. To achieve this, Egemin integrated the communication interface to the existing AGV management system in its E’tricc management software in order to make the conversion as smooth as possible. This allowed for falling back on the old AGV system during the installation phase and prevent downtime. After on-site delivery the AGV system was in full operational production after only 4 days, with no production loss. This was due to the seamless transition between the old and new system as planned. The remaining two weeks Egemin was on-site to provide training, monitor the functioning system and fine-tune the system for maximal performance.
