Mobile robot replaces forklift truck

In order to gradually move away from labor-intensive solutions, Kverneland decided to automate the internal pallet transports. The right solution came from Odense, where Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR) develops autonomous transport robots that can navigate independently and move freely - ideal for the dynamic production layout in Kerteminde. The MiR500 model was chosen specifically for transporting heavy goods. It can perform the tasks of a forklift truck, but ties up fewer resources thanks to its autonomy. At the plant, a MiR500 of this type now transports pallets of heat-treated parts to and from the paint shop. For this purpose, it is equipped with a lifting device which, in conjunction with a stationary rack installation, enables it to load and unload the pallets without human intervention.

A typical route takes the robot from the welding hall to the paint shop, the warehouse and back again - that's around 500 meters. At a speed of up to 7.2 kilometers per hour, it can complete four such laps in an hour. As it works non-stop, it can cover around 48 kilometers in the course of a day. The robot saves one employee at least five hours of transport work per week, which can be used elsewhere in planning and production.

MiR500 for industrial environments

In combination with the MiR Pallet Lift and the stationary MiR Pallet Rack, the MiR 500 automatically loads and unloads pallets. © MIR/Kverneland

The size of a Euro pallet and with a load capacity of 500 kilograms, the MiR500 is robust and suitable for use on the busy factory floor. Puddles of water or oil often form on the floor, for example, and dust sometimes accumulates - but this doesn't bother the robot. It can also cope with uneven surfaces or ramps and can deliver to the Kverneland employees on time. It also works almost silently.

Commissioning the MiR technology was straightforward: Before its first use, the robot travels around its future operating environment to map it precisely. Alternatively, CAD files of the plant can also be imported into its system. This enables the transporter to calculate the fastest route to its destination. There is no risk of accidents: in contrast to the forklift trucks commonly used by Kverneland to date, the MiR500 recognizes obstacles in good time and automatically avoids them. This is ensured by two 3D cameras and two laser scanners, which allow a 360-degree view. Proximity sensors in each of its corners also help to ensure that the robot can be used directly next to people without hesitation. If it encounters an obstacle, it recalculates its route so that the logistics process does not come to a standstill - essential for Kverneland to ensure timely deliveries in the internal order program. The robot can also open and pass through gates independently via WLAN or Bluetooth.

Employees benefit in many ways

The MiR500 doesn't take work away from anyone. Rather, it takes care of tiresome transport aisles and makes work more pleasant for employees, as they no longer have to be constantly on the lookout for forklifts. This also eliminates the risk of collisions and accidents. In the long term, Kverneland would like to do away with forklifts at this plant in order to provide employees with maximum safety. Workers also benefit from the ease of use of the robot: it can be controlled intuitively via a web-based user interface, which the worker can access via cell phone, tablet or PC. Jobs can be loaded without any special programming knowledge: The worker taps an icon on the tablet and the robot follows the instruction.

Kverneland wants to expand the use of mobile transport robots in the future in order to automate routine journeys and give staff more productive time. This would probably require ten to twenty transport robots in the factory. In the future, these could also take on other tasks and, for example, supply the employees on the assembly lines with materials. pb