AUTOMATION AND ROBOTICS PRINCIPLES

1. Automated Material Handling
Systems
GROUP
ENGINEERS
Dewa Talent Tafdzwa,
Gondo Nyasha Blessed,
Hondo Tinemi Douglas,
Kaseke Wilfred,
Mabasa Nativity,
Mabvuu Last

2. TASK B
Types of Material Handling System,
Configuration, Equipment, Elements
AGVS, ASRS, Carousal System, Design
& Analysis of Material Handling
System, Automated Storage and
Retrieval Systems, Distributed
Computer Control Architecture for
AGVs and AS/RSs, Conveyors, Stores&
Storage Systems

3. Automated Material Handling and Storage
Systems
• Agenda 1
1. Material Handling System
2. Automated Guided Vehicle Systems
3. Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems
4. Distributed Computer Control Architecture for
AGVSs and AS/RSs
5. Conveyors

4. Material Handling System
• Definition an integrated system involving such
activities as handling, storing, and controlling
of materials
• Objective material in the right amount is safely
delivered to the desired destination at the right
time and at minimum cost
• Principles of Material Handling 20 guidelines
for designing and operating material-handling
systems (reading). E.g. unit load principle,
space utilization principle, etc.
• Material-handling equipments industrial trucks,
conveyors, AGVSs, AS/RSs, and others (monorails,
cranes, hoists, etc.)

5. Automated Guided Vehicle Systems
• Definition an AGVS is a battery-powered
driverless vehicle with programming capabilities
for destination, path selection, and positioning
• Materials loading locations ? unloading
locations
• Collision avoidance capability
• Communication wire in the floor, radio
 Components
• The vehicle
• The guide path
• The control unit
• The computer interface

6. Types of AGVs
•Wire-guided guidance system energized wire, the antenna
•Optical guidance system colorless flourescent particles, photosensors, clean
operating environment
•Inertial guidance system a microprocessor, a sonar system, a gyroscope
•Infrared guidance system infrared light transmitters, reflectors, radar-like
detectors, computer
•Laser guidance system a laser beam, bar-coded detectors
•Teaching-type guidance system use neural network concepts to learn the path
Management of AGVSs

7. Types of AGVs Cont’d
Management of AGVSs
•AGVS steering control control the turn and maneuvering.
•Differential-speed steer control balancing the amplitudes of the left
and right signals, less tracking tolerance
•Steered-wheel steer control detect the positive or negative phase of
the sensor signal received from the guided path wire, high tolerance
•AGVS routing to take the shortest path
•Frequency select method
•Path-switch select method

8. Types of AGVs Cont’d
Management of AGVSs
•AGVS control systems
•Computer-controlled system most efficient, expensive and complex.
•Remote dispatch control system operator uses a remote control
station to send instructions directly to the vehicle. Automatic load/unload
•Manual control system operator load/unload and enters instructions on the
vehicle
•Interface with other subsystems
•Subsystems AS/RS, FMS, CNC machines, process control equipment, shop floor control
system
•Methods Distributed data processing network, host computer

9. Automated Guided Vehicle Systems
• AGVS design features common features to material-handling and
special features must be considered in the design of AGVSs
• Stopping accuracy depend on the applications, e.g. 0.001 inch for machine
tool interfaces
• Facilities automatic door-opening devices, elevators, environmental
compatibility
• Safety emergency contact bumpers and stop buttons, automatic warning
signals, etc.
• Maintenance service manual, Preventive maintenance (intervals replacement,
condition-based checking).

10. • System design of AGVSs
• Attributes for selection of guidance and AGVS
• Methods MCDM, ranking approaches
• Groups of attributes (reading) the vehicle,
vendor support and services
• Steps choose a feasible set of AGV models based
on attribute values ? rank
• Flow path design often use simulation, determine
• The type of guide path layout application
• The type of flow path within the layout
controls, economic
• The number and location of load transfer points
(P/D station)
• Load transfer station storage space
• Number of AGVs required
• Total time/delivery/vehicle
• Number of deliveries/vehicle/h
• Number of AGVs Ndr/Nd
• Where Dd(De) total av. loaded (empty) travel distance Ndr no. of deliveries required/hr, The
loading and unloading time Tf, traffic factor (0.85 - 1) v vehicle speed

11. Advantages of AGVSs
• Flexibility
• Higher reliability
• Higher operating savings and lower investment
• Unobstructed movements
• Easy interfacing with other systems
• Applications of AGVSs
• Raw material storage
• Finished goods storage
• Assembly operations
• FMSs
• Manufacturing operations

12. Automated Storage and Retrieval
Systems (AS/RSs)
• Definition an AS/RS system is a combination of equipment and controls
which handles, stores and retrieves materials with precision, accuracy and
speed under a defined degree of automation
• Functions An RS/RS attempts to achieve automatically the storage functions
in cost-effective and efficient manner
• Operations
• Automatic removal of an item from a storage location
• Transportation of this item to a specific processing or interface point
• Automatic storage of an item in a predetermined location, having received an
item from a processing or interface point

13. AS/RS Components
• A series of storage aisles having storage racks
• S/R machines
• One or more pickup and delivery stations

14. Why an AS/RS?
• Highly space efficient
• Increased storage capacity to meet long-term plan
• Improved inventory management and control
• Quick response time to locate, store, and
retrieve items
• Reduced shortages of inventory items due to
real-time information and control
• Reduced labor costs
• Improved stock rotation
• Improved security and reduced pilferage
• Flexibility in design to accommodate a wide
variety of loads
• Flexibility in interfacing with other systems
• Reduced scrap and rework
• Reduced operating expenses for light power, heat
• Helps implement JIT concepts.

15. Types of AS/RS
•Unit load AS/RS standard-size containers, load 500lb/unit, computer controlled, automatic S/R
machines guided by rails
•Mini-load AS/RS small loads, small investment
•Person-on-board AS/RS operator rides on a platform with S/R to pick up items
•Deep-lane AS/RS variation of unit load, multi-deep storage, flow-through rack. Load S/R
machines ? rack-entry vehicle ( a platform) ?storage rack
•Automated item retrieval system flow-through, store rear, retrieve-front

16. Design of an AS/RS
•Determining load sizes dimensions of the unit load (h,l,w) with appropriate clearance
(c1,c2,c3)
•Determining the dimensions of an individual storage space
•Height of a storage space h c1
•Length of a storage space l c2
•Width of a storage space u(wc3),
•Normally, the storage space depth (width) u 3 unit loads

17. Design of an AS/RS
•Determining the number of storage spaces
•Dedicated storage (fixed-slot storage) policy each product
? set of slots.
•Number of slots ?maximum inventory levels for all the
products
•Randomized storage policy (floating-slot) probability of
S/R are the same for very slot/ product unit.
•Number of slots max aggregate inventory level of all
products

18. Design of an AS/RS
•Determining the system throughput and the number of S/R machines
•The system throughput the number of loads to be stored and number of
loads to be retrieved/hour
•Speed of S/R machine
•Mix of single- and dual- cycle transaction
•percent utilization of storage racks
•Arrangement of stored items
•AS/RS control system speed
•Speed and efficiency of the material-handling equipment used to move
loads to the input and remove loads from the output
•Number of S/R machines (system throughput)/ (S/R machine capacity in
cycles/h)

19. Example 4 suppose the single command cycle system for
the S/R machine is recommended. The average cycle time
per operation is 1min. Thedesired system throughput is
360 operations/h. An operation refers to either storage or
retrieval
and both take approximately the same time.
Determine the number of S/R machines
Solution number of cycles/h/machine 60, number
of machines 6

20. Design of an AS/RS
•Determining the size parameters of the S/R system (length, width, height)
•Determining the number of rows and number of bays in each row if one machine ? one aisle
•Number of rows 2 x number of S/R machines
•Number of bays (no. of required storage spaces)/(no. of rows/machine x no.of machines x
no. of storage spaces/ system height)
•Number of storage spaces/system height desired system height /storage space height desired
system height 30 90ft

21. Design of an AS/RS
•Determining bay width, rack length, system length, bay depth, aisle unit, and system width
•Bay width length of a storage space center-to-center rack support width (l c2) c4
•Rack length bay width x number of bays
•System length rack length clearance for S/R machine clearance for the P/D area
•Bay depth width of individual storage space bay side support allowance u(w c3) c5
•Aisle unit aisle width (2 x bay depth)
•System width aisle unit x desired number of aisles

22. Distributed Computer Control
Architecture for AGVSs and AS/RSs
• Central control and distributed control? control the flow of materials and
information
• Objective ensure the automated systems keep running even if a control
component fails
• Distributed control system for integration of various components (AGVS,
AS/RS, FMS)
• Advantages
• Maintenance at level
• No large central computer
• Flexible expansion

23. Conveyors
• A conveyor is a convenient and cost-effective means of moving
materials over a fixed path
• Types of conveyor2 types according to type of product to be
handled bulk or unit
• Location of the conveyor overhead or floor
• Conveyors are designed to meet specific application
requirements

24. “
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Thank you
Automated Material Handling Systems
NATIONAL UNIOVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
FACULTY OF INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL AND MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING
MASTER OF ENGINEERING: MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING/SYSTEMS AND
OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing
COURSE CODE TIE 6121