Feature Article - Material Handling POP QUIZ

Material Handling POP QUIZ

Not every material handling system is alike—even though it may seem like it. While the average person pays no attention to who's making what, we do. Do you? Match the company to its system/capability.

By Colleen DeJong, Senior Associate Editor

COMPANIES

A. Warner Electric
B. Rapistan Systems
C. Custom Conveyor, Inc.
D. Jervis B. Webb
E. Bleichert

Descriptions

Using CAD tools, in-house engineers, various material handling technologies, and your company's specific requirements, this turnkey integrator has built systems to handle everything from piston parts to fully assembled vehicles.
This company is part Mannesmann Dematic, of one of the largest conglomerations of material handling companies in the world. Capabilities include customized automatic guided vehicle systems (AGVs), modular conveyor systems for flexible automation and assembly, chain-free systems, and more.
Rapidrail (manual propulsion) and Rapidbelt (motorized) overhead conveyance systems are modularly designed for user-specific configuration. One- and two-axis setups, as well as double-railed configurations, are a couple of the possibilities. A full line of accessories is available for the line.
500HK monorail conveyor system consists of side-mounted mobile work stations and infrared obstruction detection system to prevent pallet collisions. Each carrier has its own controller, enabling users to vary the movement and duration of a pallet's stay at a workstation as necessary.
ANSWER KEY

1=C
2=B
3=A
4=E
5=D
Webb-AlumiTrack conveyors for smaller objects use anodized aluminum track for durability and lighter weight. Both powered and free systems are available, as well as accessories ranging from drive units to trolleys. Engineering services can be provided.

Better Handling: Modules and Controls

"Modular" is the buzzword in vehicle manufacturing today, but it's also the overriding concern in material handling for large assembly operations. Robert Pierson, vice president of sales and marketing for Jervis B. Webb Company (Farmington Hills, MI), states, "Modularity is definitely a trend that is growing and growing. It's not as much that there have been any large developments in new product technology, it's been more the processes that get us there."

Fata Automation's electrified monorail system.

OEMs are shrinking time-to-market and improving efficiency by running multiple models on the same assembly line and introducing new models without stopping production. Therefore, it is no longer desirable to stop production, remove an entire assembly line, set up and troubleshoot a new line and new material handling systems, then resume production. Instead, material-handling systems must install quickly and easily and work from the get-go without disrupting production. Hence, the move to modules.

Brent Kelso, operations manager for Fata Automation Inc. (Farmington Hills, MI) explains it like this: "In theory, you take all of these modules—they all have known operating characteristics and they're all individually tested—and you assemble them into a system." This allows the modules to be set up off-site and tested before they reach final installation. It also allows the modules to be integrated in shorter time-spans, like over a weekend where there is no production scheduled.

The switch to modules is also having an effect on controls. "It's pushing the controls down to the low levels," says Kelso. "You're seeing multipin quick-connect cables between every-thing instead of hard-wire conduit. The communication between controls is moving toward an open architecture approach."

Rather than using one big PLC to control every function of a system, modular material handling systems are more likely to have a main PLC that just controls material routing and the communication between the local controls. The local controls then take care of the operation of their specific module. Kelso explains that this does mean more control hardware is used, but this added cost is offset by the lower installation cost. An added advantage is that local controls are easier to troubleshoot and repair when modules go down. Furthermore, a problem with one module won't shut down the entire rest of the system.

Things to Know about AGVs

In June 1999, Frost & Sullivan (Mountain View, CA), an international marketing consulting firm, released a report, "World AGV and AEM Markets" (report number: 5848-10), which is available for $3,450. The study looks at a variety of aspects of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and automated electrified monorails (AEMs), from present applications to future trends.

Here are some of the things we learned about AGVs from Frost & Sullivan information...

AGVs come in four types:

Driverless tractor: Designed for pulling trailers. Capable of handling loads up to 50,000 lb.
Unit load: It carries a load on its deck. Come in various capacities, up to 10,000 lb.
Forked: Like fork trucks.
Special-purpose: Usually built for heavy loads (i.e., 10,000 to 250,000 lb.)

The biggest user of AGVs: The auto industry.

Revenues for 1998 AGV shipments: $566 million. The market is projected to have a compound annual growth rate of 6.9% during the period 1998 to 2005.

Of the total:

Driverless tractor: $62.3 million in '98 with a projected compound annual growth of 8.1% between '98 and `05.
Unit load: $294.3 million revenue in '98 with a projected compound annual growth of 6.7%.
Forked: $178.3 million in '98 with a projected compound annual growth of 6% between '98 and '05.
Special purpose: $31.1 million revenue in '98 with a compound annual growth of 10.4%
Why use AGVs?
To get better use of existing manufacturing capacity
To realize better floor space utilization
To reduce labor costs
To reduce human error.

Why not use AGVs?

Because they may represent a high capital investment
Because the payback period may be longer than acceptable
Because there may be labor union resistance
Because the cost of modifying existing manufacturing operations might be too high
Because the operational costs might be higher than conventional systems.

To learn more about the study, you can check Frost & Sullivan's website at www.frost.com.