One example of intelligent solutions from the paper industry is a project that Solving was commissioned to carry out by CMPC from South America. The task was to develop an AGV that would automate the handling of sheet pallets in one of the world's largest paper mills. The system was to pick up fully loaded pallets with finished cut sheets of paper from the sheeter and transport them from there to conveyor belts, from where they are fed to a packaging line. The AGV will also be used to transport empty pallets from the pallet store to the sheeter.

AGV for transporting pallets and sheets of paper in loaded condition at CMPC. © Solving

The challenge with such projects lies in adapting the AGV to the existing manufacturing process. The customer's requirements must be analyzed in advance and incorporated into the development of the system. This close cooperation and Solving's many years of experience make it possible to develop a high-quality solution for the customer. The result of this development is a "swarm" of automated guided vehicles that operate fully automatically as counterbalanced forklifts via laser navigation. A master computer serves as an interface between the AGV and the customer's logistics management program. It controls and monitors the entire process while it determines all the information from the customer's system about quantities, frequencies, load acceptance and acceptance and generates transport orders.

The AGVs recognize independently at which production machine they are currently needed and which trips they have to make, but also the remaining battery life before they drive to their automatic battery charging station and are recharged. A replacement vehicle is permanently available for downtimes during battery charging or for maintenance work on the AGV and can be deployed immediately if required. Despite the 24/7 continuous load, the Solving Movers are very energy-efficient, particularly quiet and emission-free.

The counterbalance stackers are equipped with a free fork design. This enables flexible handling of different pallet sizes, which can vary depending on the production line and paper format. They are individually adjustable and allow pallets to be picked up and set down in hard-to-reach places thanks to the sideways movement and off-center position of the forks.
A load support attached to the top of the fork with definable pressure ensures that the neatly stacked sheets of paper cannot slip during transportation. Of course, Solving AGVs are also equipped with safety technology. In addition to photocells and warning lights, this also includes acoustic signals, as well as the necessary emergency stop buttons and collision protection from safety laser scanners.

No matter where Solving Movers are used - service on the AGV is possible at any time via a remote maintenance module. Each individual AGV can be controlled via the Solving main plant. This means that layout adjustments or process changes can be carried out remotely or log files can be evaluated for possible troubleshooting. With factory acceptance tests (FAT), Solving provides proof that all technical and quality-related requirements have been met. Solving also provides training for customer personnel to ensure that all details are correct and that the customer can use their AGV system safely.