Engineers with Creform Corporation (Greer, SC) have designed and built a custom AGV to handle the transport of large pressure fuel cylinders during manufacturing. The design not only challenged Creform’s AGV building capabilities but also its mechanical design ingenuity. The company met the challenge and built a one-vehicle, bi-directional AGV that would be used to move the cylinders between five assembly and two finishing stations. Creform designed and built the AGV on a custom frame that measured 8.2 ft. long x 3.28 ft. wide (2.5M x 1M). The company also designed the system controls as well. Features include:
- A custom designed cradle, lined with plastic to avoid damage, to hold and position the cylinder. The cradle features a locking pin that rises automatically to guarantee the cradles position during transport. It features electrically-powered 100°rotation travel with three stop positions: one to load, one to transport and one to unload.
- A steel frame for strength and durability, equipped with a Creform bolt-on drive unit. Each end of the AGV follows a peel and stick magnetic tape guidepath to ensure accurate and repeatable tracking. This is particularly useful for space restrictive areas and to ensure repeatable alignment for the consistent transfer of loads.
- Power via two 12V, 160AH, AGM batteries. The unit contains side mounted opportunity-charging shoes that help to automatically maintain battery level. There is no need to cut into the floor for charging plates.
- Complete safety equipment for safety category 3. The safety equipment includes: Laser obstacle scanners front and rear with 16 settable zones; E-stop buttons at each end of the AGV; safety light and audible warning. It features cylinder position photo eyes for cradle control and to detect an unexpected load shift during transport.
www.creform.com; 800-839-8823
