Automated Material Handling - Transport - Bibliography

Lesson 138 of  Industrial Engineering ONLINE Course.

Sub-Module in Process Improvement - Transport - Material Handling Operations

Lessons  136  -  137  - 138 - 139 - 140 -  141

Industrial Engineering - Role of Engineering, Mechanization and Automation

In process improvement study or projects, to do a task in the most productive manner, the most efficient manual method (best manual method), best mechanized method and best automation method are to be compared and the most productive method has to be employed. This comparison has to be done at element or suboperation level.

Source: Book: Motion and Time Study: Design and Measurement of Work, Ralph M. Barnes, 7th Edition, Chapter 18. Motion Study, Mechanization, and Automation.

Jidoka - Automation and Mechanization - Process Engineering and Industrial Engineering in Toyota Production System

Jidoka, a pillar of Toyota Production Systems advocates automation with human touch in all operations of a process to increase productivity of operators as well as that of total systems.

https://nraoiekc.blogspot.com/2021/04/jidoka-automation-and-mechanization.html

Automation of Operations in Flow Process Chart

Automated Manufacturing - Production Operations in Manufacturing Processes

Automated Inspection - Bibliography

Automated Material Handling - Transport - Bibliography 

Automated Storage and Warehousing - Storage Operation Improvement in Engineering Processes

Automation for Preventing Temporary Delays - Lean WIP Processes - Systems

Benefits of   Automated Material Handling (AMH) 

The benefits of AMH systems include quicker material movement, reduced shop floor storage space, reduced product damage and reduced cost also in many applications.

About the trajectory of automation in automotive there are a range of answers. On the one end is a projection that almost all materials handling will be automated in the next 10 years. Others predict a more gentle move to automation. But the trend is certain. There is a steady  increase in automation overall.

The options for automated material handling  range from automated wheel tire assembly handling to automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS), conveyors and a combination of automatic guided vehicles (AGVs), automated mobile robots (AMRs) and automated lift trucks.

https://www.mmh.com/article/automotive_material_handling_anything_but_routine

Amazon Using Kiva Robots - AGVs

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLJ6gM4AQI4

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Modern Material Handling

https://www.mmh.com/

https://www.mmh.com/topic/category/automation_warehouse

https://www.mhi.org/fundamentals/material-handling

WHAT IS AMHSA?

THE VOICE OF THE AUTOMATED MATERIAL HANDLING INDUSTRY

The Association is committed to promoting excellence in the automated material handling industry in terms of solutions, after sales support, reliability and safety. AMHSA promotes the interests of its members, defines and upholds best practice in the industry and aims to be a leading example of excellence.

AMHSA gives access to the latest information and industry intelligence, as well as superior technical knowledge and support.

With over 60 members supplying automated solutions, conveyor systems and associated equipment, AMHSA plays a significant role in the drafting of CEN and ISO standards affecting the automated handling sector, maintaining close contact with government organisations such as the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR – formerly the DTI) and the HSE.

AUTOMATION PRODUCTS AND TECHNOLOGIES

Automation in its simplest form is about efficient operation and streamlining particularly repetitive tasks to save labour costs, improve process quality and prevent injury to staff.

Logistics automation covers a wide variety of products and technologies.

Typical technologies provided by AMHSA members include:

Fully automated pallet warehouses with ASRS automatic stacker cranes in highbay racking fed by conveyors, AGV and shuttles

Tote and carton storage systems (miniloads) with tote conveyors

Sortation systems

Robotic palletisers and picking systems

Ancilliary equipment including label printer, carton erectors, stretch wrappers and packaging machines

Vehicle loading and unloading systems

Mezzanine floors

Totes

Control systems

Warehouse management and control systems

Product Categories

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• AGVs
• ASRs
• Case Studies
• Control Systems
• Conveyors
• 
  Lifting and Elevating Equipment
• Loading/Unloading Equipment
• Mezzanines
• • Miniloads
  • Order Picking Systems
  • Plastic Pallets

• Products and Technologies
• Racking and Shelving
• Robotics

• Sortation Systems
• System Design
• System Integration
• Totes
• Uncategorised
• Vision Systems
• WMS/WCS
• _________________

News of AMHSA

2021

Lincolnshire-based supplier of flexible warehouse solutions, OW Robotics, is now supplying the F4 automated forklift to businesses seeking to increase flexible automation in the warehouse.

The F4 is an automated robot that is designed to move palletised stock in the warehouse. It can work alongside warehouse operatives, existing materials handling equipment and pallet racking – for a hybrid approach to order picking and packing.

https://amhsa.co.uk/press-release/ow-robotics-adds-automated-forklift-to-its-warehouse-robotics-range/

https://amhsa.co.uk/

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_Bv9BJE2lI

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Top Players in Automated Material Handling Equipment Market are 

BEUMER Group, 

Cargotec, 

Daifuku Co., Ltd, 

Kion Group, 

Crown Equipment Corporation, 

Honeywell Intelligrated, 

FlexLink, 

Hytrol Conveyor Company, Inc.,

JBT

https://www.wfmj.com/story/43071883/automated-material-handling-equipment-market-analysis-by-industry-size-share-key-drivers-growth-factors-demands-manufacturers-and-2026-forecast

Top Players in Automated Material Handling Equipment Market

BEUMER Group 

With 4,500 employees in more than 70 countries we offer intralogistic solutions for conveying, loading, palletising, packaging, sortation and baggage handling.

https://www.beumergroup.com/

Cargotec

Cargotec is a leading provider of cargo and load handling solutions with the goal of becoming the leader in intelligent cargo handling. Cargotec's business areas Kalmar, Hiab and MacGregor offer products and services that ensure our customers a continuous, reliable and sustainable performance.

CARGOTEC CORPORATION HEAD OFFICE

Porkkalankatu 5

00180 Helsinki, Finland

+358 20 777 4000

https://www.cargotec.com/en/about-Cargotec/cargotec-corporation/

Daifuku Co., Ltd

Daifuku's innovative material handling systems and products, including AS/RSs, AGVs, picking, and sorting solutions.

Daifuku Oceania Limited

Brad Jackson, CEO

Address

Headquarter：8 Antares Place, Rosedale, Auckland 0632 NEW ZEALAND

Tel：64-9-414-1350 Fax：64-9-414-1355

https://www.daifuku.com/

Kion Group

Our portfolio

Material handling solutions to match every customer

Our logistics solutions ensure the smooth flow of materials and information in our customers’ warehouses, factories and distribution centers around the world. Discover the full range of our services, from warehouse technology and forklift trucks to fully automated supply chain solutions, in our virtual 360° warehouse.

https://www.kiongroup.com/en/About-us/KION-at-a-glance/

Crown Equipment Corporation

Forklifts

Rental Forklifts

New Forklifts

Reconditioned Forklifts

Used / Pre-Owned Forklifts

V-Force Batteries & Chargers

https://www.crown.com/en-us.html

https://www.mmh.com/article/crown_equipment_celebrates_75_years

Honeywell Intelligrated

https://sps.honeywell.com/us/en/products/automation/solutions-by-function

https://sps.honeywell.com/us/en/industries/transportation-logistics

https://www.intelligrated.com/en/resources/white-papers/viability-modern-pick-light-systems

https://www.intelligrated.com/en  - Now part of Honeywell SPS

FlexLink

FlexLink is a company with its roots in manufacturing. Established in 1980, the company emerged from a production efficiency project at SKF, the world-leading bearing manufacturer, and production efficiency is still what drives the company today.

FlexLink has unrivaled experience of many industries – automotive, bearings, electronics, food, lab automation, optical, personal products, pharmaceutical, tissue, and tobacco. This has enabled us to leverage synergies and develop solutions that enhance long-term competitiveness.

Aluminum conveyor systems

Chain conveyors

Modular belt conveyors

Elevating solutions

Balancing solutions

Structural systems

Stainless steel conveyor systems

Chain conveyors

Modular belt conveyors

Elevating solutions

Balancing solutions

Structural systems

Pallet and puck conveyors

Pallet conveyors, single track

Pallet conveyors, twin track

Puck handling

Industry specific solutions

PCB handling equipment

Controls and OEE tools

Production monitoring

Controls system

Safety engineering

Safety guards

Enclosures

Consultancy and safety systems

Robotic solutions

Palletizing

Material feeding

Case packing

Services

Support services

Preventive maintenance

Continuous improvements

Life time support

Pre-studies and simulations

https://www.flexlink.com/en/home/about-us/flexlink-in-the-world

https://www.flexlink.com/en/home/about-us/expertise/industry-expertise

Hytrol Conveyor Company, Inc.,

Hytrol has been producing conveyors and other material handling solutions since 1947. Our products are known for their high quality, dependability, durability, and timely delivery. Hytrol’s product line offers solutions for a variety of product weight and sizes that include accumulation, sortation, transport, pallet handling, and more.

https://hytrol.com/Products

https://hytrol.com/

Academic activities at Hytrol

https://hytrol.com/Information-Center/Press/2020-2-18

JBT 

PRODUCTS

Forked AGVs

JayBoT AGVs

Special App AGVs

Towing AGVs

Unit Load AGVs

Software & Services

APPLICATIONS

Trailer Loading

Material & WIP Movement

Pallet Handling

End of Line Handling

Roll Handling

Custom Applications

INDUSTRIES

Automotive

Fast Moving Consumer Goods

Food & Beverage

Healthcare

Manufacturing

Packaging

Paper & Tissue

Warehousing & Distribution

https://www.jbtc.com/en/north-america/automated-systems/products-and-applications/products/

News on Automated Material Handling

2023

  Automated bin-picker works with any make of robot or gripper

14 JUNE, 2023

The Italian robotics and automation manufacturer Comau has developed a bin-picking technology that can be used with any make of robot, bin or gripper to recognise, locate and grasp up to 40 randomly placed items every minute. The MI.RA Picker uses  virtual simulation tools and predictive algorithms, to optimise path management and achieve collision-free trajectories, while lowering costs and potential risks.

Comau says that the automated picking system is a cost-effective, relliable way to automate complex bin- and piece-picking operations. It is a substitue for manual picking activities, improving both productivity and operator well-being.

https://drivesncontrols.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/7389/Automated_bin-picker_works_with_any_make_of_robot_or_gripper.html

2022

Robotic Automation of Food Crates for Delivery to Supermarket Chains - ABB Robots - Heemkerk Fresh & Easy

ABB supplied a robot-centric solution to automate the order picking operations at Heemskerk’s production facility. At the beginning of the product flow is an ABB IRB 660 four-axis robot that removes crates containing the orders for a particular supermarket store and places them on a conveyor belt. The crates then move to the order picking zone where six IRB 6700 six-axis robots positioned on a track pick up the crates and place them in “pigeon holes” that are designated for that supermarket store. Two other IRB 6700 robots positioned on the other side of the order picking zone consolidate the order picked crates to create stable mixed high stacks for the supermarket chain. These crates are finally picked up by another IRB 660 four-axis robot that places the crates onto dollies to be transported directly to the supermarket chain store. This  order picking procedure can seamlessly process an endless variety of orders – a concept that is very useful to the daily changing volume orders of the fresh food industry.

One of the most important advantages for Heemskerk and its supermarket customers is that the solution reduces the amount of time the fresh produce spends in the supply chain, thereby extending its shelf life, and minimizing wastage.  The ability for retailers to receive already order picked quantities for each store increases its shelf life by about one day as they quickly send the received items to stores through cross docking. In the earlier system, the packaged food is first stacked in the supermarket chain’s storage unit where employees pick and stack the food according to orders from each of its stores only after which they are transported the stores. This process typically takes about half a day, lowering the already short shelf life of fresh and natural food.

The ABB robotic solution enables Heemskerk to deliver more than 60 large scale order picked deliveries every day. While the system processes over 800,000 crates every week normally, it can handle double or even triple that volume without needing any changes. The system has an expected Return on Investment (ROI) of three and half years and the company is getting close to that number in its operations.

https://new.abb.com/news/detail/66112/heemskerk-abb-robots

https://new.abb.com/products/robotics/initiatives/unlocking-automation-for-all-industries

The Fundamental Differences Between Manual and Automated Equipment Handling

B2E Automation, 3 Mar 2022

Manual equipment handling is one of the most archetypal materials handling strategies worldwide. Operators move around the warehouse or building to store, retrieve, and locate the goods and materials. Compared to automated manual handling systems, manual material handling systems have a relatively slow speed. They might also not offer higher productivity and efficiency, which significantly leads to error-prone inventory management and order fulfillment processes. Automated handling systems use cutting-edge technology to build computerized systems for moving, locating, retrieving, storing, and moving goods.

Compared to manual systems, automated systems are relatively more agile, faster, and easily scalable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHbJRMA0sGA

https://www.b2eautomation.com/insights/5-ways-a-materials-handling-system-will-boost-your-revenue

Automated Box Handling For Internal Logistics | Enabled Robotics

Enabled Robotics,26 Jan 2022

Introducing a new way of handling internal logistics. Our ER-FLEX mobile collaborative robot is demonstrating the automatic replenishment of required materials directly on the production line.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-VJEBxkXUU

Automated Material Handling in Warehouse of Pitman Creek, Kentucky.

Benefit: a 250% improvement in picking efficiency.

January 20, 2022

The pickers were allotted to zones. For any order, the picker picks items in his zone and puts them in a totebox. Inventory in the zone was slotted such  the most frequently picked items were stored nearest the conveyor. An order selector could pick 72% of most orders in the four rows nearest the conveyor and complete 97% in the eight rows nearest the conveyor.

Further, a recirculating conveyor is used as buffer storage until all of the totes needed for an order are ready and can be sent to a packing station. The packing section will receive all totes at the same time and will do the packing.

https://www.mmh.com/article/the_lure_of_automation_and_efficiency

2021

Save Space and Reduce Strain with the 4-Way Fork Box Pallet Dispenser

The 4-Way Fork Box Pallet Dispenser offers a new line of pallet dispensers to improve safety while reclaiming space and resources.

By Huron Technology Corp. · December 15, 2021

In the category of automated pallet dispensers and stackers, Huron Technology Corp. has gone a step further with their new 4-Way Fork Box Pallet Dispenser. This dispenser offers a small, robust footprint with a modular pallet dispenser or stacker, that requires less supply air in a form that can be modified to meet nearly any demand.

More Bibliography - Automated Material Handling - Transport

https://www.supplychain247.com/article/the_2020_top_10_materials_handling_system_suppliers

https://cerasis.com/benefits-of-automated-material-handling/

https://www.rockwellautomation.com/en-in/capabilities/machine-equipment-builders/automated-material-handling-systems.html

https://www.automatedmh.com/

https://galecia.com/content/automated-materials-handling#:~:text=Automated%20materials%20handling%20(AMH)%20refers,and%20bins%20containing%20library%20material.

https://www.amhmaterialhandling.com/

https://www.manufacturing.net/operations/article/13227775/implementing-an-automated-material-handling-system

https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6290/4/3/22/pdf

https://www.jbtc.com/en/asia-pacific/automated-systems/covid-19-solutions/automation

https://www.masterautomation.in/

https://toyota-forklifts.eu/automation/automated-solutions/

Different Types of AGVS

 AGVS towing vehicles

 AGVS unit load transporters

 AGVS pallet trucks

 AGVS forklift trucks

 AGVS light-load transporters

 AGVS assembly line vehicles

Ud  24.8.2022,    13.3.2022,  1.10.2021

Pub 21.12.2020