Automated Deliverance of Goods by an Automated Guided Vehicle

Abstract

Abstract The global automotive industry presents a highly competitive business environment. Corporations are constantly trying to adapt to changing market demands. Throughout all industries companies are rapidly readjusting their operations in line with the fourth industrial revolution. It has been named Industry 4.0 which encompasses a wide range of new key enabling technologies surrounding a renewed digitization of the manufacturing environment for industries worldwide. In sight of this, Volvo Trucks in Tuve is exploring a variety of possibilities for implementing new autonomous solutions within their production. They are doing so to increase their production efficiency and to further advance their position on the global market. This study aims at setting up a safe and efficient process where an automated guided vehicle (AGV) is used to deliver material from one assembly process to another. The study was carried out at Volvo Tuve assembly plant in Gothenburg during the first two quarters of 2019. The main questions asked were if an implementation of the process was possible within the given time frame and how the workflow needed to be designed in order to achieve a safe work environment. This study was also set out to describe how the level of automation within the internal material handling could be increased. Several methods were used in order to gain valid results that could lead to a solid conclusion. Different kinds of interviews where held with employees at Volvo Tuve alongside thorough observations which both functioned as a foundation for the design of a new workflow. A large focus were place on providing the authors with the skills necessary to program the AGV to perform desired tasks. Analysis of tests run both in Pilot Plant and in the assembly process showed several key findings. The results contained solutions regarding the docking procedure between the AGV and the used trolley. These findings showed that the docking procedure presented major hurdles which stagnated the development of a robust workflow. One solution to this was to mount different fixtures in the floor to enable a more reliable docking process. Another solution which came at the very end of the study showed that the docking procedure could greatly be improved by changing certain parameters in the settings for the AGV. One other important result came through the risk analysis which provided information that were used in programming the AGV to suit the given demands. When one type of programming had been selected, the AGV went through three capability tests during production in the factory. These showed that the designed workflow did not meet the standards for new tooling and equipment. Based on these results, the authors concluded that an automated delivery of material by an AGV at the given station could not be implemented within the given time frame. Several recommendations were made in order to succeed with this implementation. One recommendation was to request a few software updates for the AGV that would elevate its capabilities. Another one was to design clear rules for the workflows surrounding the AGV.