AGV fleet

for Komatsu Forest AB

Produkte & Lösungen » Group references » AGV fleet for Komatsu Forest AB

KOMATSU Forest AB, producer forestry machines, has built a new factory in Umeå, Sweden. When moving to the new factory the company decided to merge the previous two assembly lines into one. The SPIE Automation Solutions GmbH’s task: Design and implementation of a custom AGV fleet that will seamlessly integrate into continuous operation.

Smart helper along the line

A total of 16 automated guided vehicle systems were designed and implemented, specially developed for their respective transport tasks. The AGVs can be found along the entire line, from chassis to marriage to wheel assembly. Loads of up to 35 tons and with huge dimensions will be moved along at a flow speed of 1 mm/s to 24 m/min. Always just as required for the respective work step - and of course with due regard for the highest safety standards for the workers.

Heavy loads, smart solutions

The variety of Komatsu forest machine models entails parts of differing sizes. Thanks to height-adjustable carriers, the AGV can re-adapt from model to model - it only takes a few movements to adjust the transport vehicle quickly and reliably to the next chassis. Another highlight is the 12 m long lifting table for wheel assembly: Here, the AGV is raised along with the now almost complete forestry machine so that the final crucial step of assembly can be completed before the vehicle rolls off the production line and being transferred for delivery.

AGV expertise of MLR

The AGV experts of the SPIE Automation Solutions GmbH, MLR, were able to contribute all of their experience in the area of automated guided vehicle systems (AGVs) for this project. In earlier projects, MLR developed transport solutions for combine harvesters, for example, so the team was well acquainted with the size of forestry machines. The second player in the project was SPIE ROFA GmbH, which was responsible for design, mechanics, and overall project leadership, as well as the subsidiary ROFA Controls, which contributed the electrical cabling. In total, Komatsu received all services from one well-coordinated group - with only one central point of contact, which made coordination processes easier, especially in COVID times.

Quality-assured and future-proof

As always in the SPIE Automation Solutions GmbH’s projects, the utmost care went into creating a 100% individual solution. Before the AVGs went into series, SPIE ROFA GmbH developed a pre-series vehicle with MLR, which was delivered to Komatsu Forest. A manual test run with the actual loads was carried out on site to see if the AGV could really stand up to the actual requirements. Komatsu chose to use magnet navigation for track guidance. “If a new course becomes necessary some day, for example if something changes in the assembly process, then our AGVs will already be ready! All you have to do is change the reference points, transfer them to the controls - and you’re ready to do,” says project manager Mario Risinger.

Showcase

Customer: Komatsu Forest AB
Project: AGV line for continuous assembly
Product: Harvester and Forwarder
Order volume: 2,4 Mio €
Project duration: 2019 – 2021

Involved group companies:
ROFA INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION AG: Project planning and management, design, construction
MLR System GmbH: AGVs for continuous assembly > E-planning and control
ROFA Controls Romania: AGV wiring