Together, Hyster Co and AGV Products Inc manufacture and install AGV solutions to transport goods automatically throughout a variety of manufacturing and warehousing environments -- what has been described as "the warehouse of the future."

"What makes our system exclusive is that we have the capability to interface with the client's warehouse management system," says Moataz Eldib, consultant accounts manager for Hyster Co. "The other unique aspect is that this is a complete system and not just a vehicle that can be automated."

Numerous automated systems have been in operation for several years now. System expansions are common, proving that Hyster and AGV Products have brought a viable and dependable solution to the market.

"Hyster Co provided AGV Products with warehousing lift trucks that fit our application perfectly," says Mike Rodriguez, regional sales manager for AGV Products. "Hyster Co also has an extensive dealer network that allows for convenient servicing. Since 1999, they've been our exclusive lift truck provider."

Plastics Manufacturer Benefits From Automated Warehouse

A major plastics manufacturer in the Midwest recently discovered how adopting the "warehouse of the future" results in big rewards today. After installing a system of Hyster® lift trucks automated by AGV Products, the manufacturer has increased throughput by 100%.

With swelling sales and limited space to store finished goods, the plastics manufacturer hired AGVP to replace its manual lift truck operation. The company had originally intended to install an Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) that would utilize cranes to speed operations and increase capacity. But consultation with AGVP identified an automated Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) lift truck operation as a more versatile and cost-effective solution.

The new system enabled the company to increase its storage capacity by approximately 380%. In addition, it was able to decrease its warehouse aisle from 12 ft to less than 6 ft, thus creating space for additional racking. Automated VNA vehicles require only 68 in. to operate, as opposed to the 12 ft required by manually operated lift trucks.

The plastics manufacturer's third shift order staging process has become virtually a "lights-out" operation with only a skeleton staff, thanks to the fleet of eight automated guided lift trucks manufactured by Hyster Co, and four smaller fork-style AGVs built by AGV Products, which service more than 10,000 storage locations throughout the facility.

How Do the Automated Trucks Work?

First, workers box, palletize, and manually transfer finished goods to conveyors as they come off the assembly line. There, they are labeled, wrapped, and moved to designated pickup points. Along the way, special sensors determine the load's physical size. Automated VNA trucks then move into action, transporting pallets to the appropriate storage location. The process is designed to ensure that each pallet is stored in the space that most closely matches its size, so that warehouse space is used most efficiently.

The entire operation is coordinated by the system's Traffic Routing AGV Command Executive (TRACE) operating software, a Windows NT-compatible program created by AGVP. The TRACE traffic routing system synchronizes material movement with production demands; coordinates traffic control and collision avoidance; generates new orders and pickup and drop-off locations; and communicates with existing warehouse management systems. AGVP equips the Hyster® VNA trucks with onboard software that is controlled by TRACE, allowing TRACE to automatically determine the closest appropriate storage locations, communicate these locations to the trucks to transport finished goods, and then "remember" them for future order staging.

The operation even accommodates the need for "kitted" pallets, or pallets that require configuration with assorted product before they are sent out. When a kitted order enters the system, TRACE notifies the automated trucks, which bring full pallets to a special station. There, new pallets are manually consolidated according to specific orders. Once product is taken from the original pallets, the "leftover" pallets are transported to conveyers where they are rewrapped and fitted with newly generated bar code labels. These pallets are then automatically re-warehoused by the Hyster VNA trucks, while the new, kitted pallets are delivered to the shipping area to fulfill orders.

"The Automated Warehousing System can be as simple or as complex as our clients require," says Rodriguez. The AGV system further simplifies complex operations by enabling users to visually map out guidepath routes for automated trucks. An easy point-and-click, drag-and-drop system has replaced the old method of performing tedious calculations created on paper and then typed in.

The Result -- Lean Manufacturing

Multiple cost savings associated with installing a "warehouse of the future" include a reduction in labor costs, reduced product and plant equipment damage, and reduced lift truck costs. Indirect cost savings come via improved material tracking, reduced material costs, timely delivery of inventory, reduced downtime, and increased plant safety.