A request came from a customer that had purchased material handling systems from Lauyans & Company in the past. They liked the durability of the equipment as well as the ease with which Lauyans & Company’s systems meshed with the application software they already had in place.

The customer wanted a system that would take loads of products delivered by forklift from the loading dock, confirm the size, weight and identification of the container, and then present it to Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) for storage in their warehousing system. If a container did not match the specified size and weight, the customer wanted a reject loop to allow the issue to be resolved before the load was put into the warehouse system.

Lauyans & Company was able to come up with a system that performed exactly those functions. Additionally, Lauyans & Company provided all the necessary controls and a PLC to handle the loads. This made the installation of the material handling system much more simple on the customer’s site. Lauyans & Company’s controls also linked with the customer’s Enterprise Resource Planning system to identify the product and to control the AGVs that moved the product to the warehouse.

Sequence

1. The load is placed on the intake end of Lauyans & Company’s material handling system by a forklift

2. When clear of the load, the forklift operator uses a mechanical lanyard at the intake end to signal the system to proceed. This helps avoid any conflict between the manual insertion and the automated material handling system

3. The load is checked by Lauyans & Company’s system

A. Customer’s own application software confirms the load’s dimensions and weight. It communicates with Lauyans & Company’s material handling system via handshake

B. The height and length of the load is confirmed by the Lauyans & Company system

C. The load stops on the scale. A bar code on the side of the box is read. The box weight is confirmed

D. The load is checked for width

4. If the load meets the established parameters:

A. The load is sent to one of three accumulation stations

B. At the accumulation stations, the load is held until picked up by an AGV

C. A signal is sent to the AGV by the material handling system via radio. “Load Present” is confirmed

D. AGV approaches load. “Requests Access” to load

E. “Permission Granted” by Lauyans & Company’s material handling system

F. The AGV picks up the load

G. Once the AGV is clear of the material handling system with the load, the AGV signals “Disengage”

H. “Accumulation Advances” next load(s) to be ready for pickup

I. The AGV delivers the load to customer’s warehouse for storage

5. If the load does not meet the established parameters

A. The decision to reject is made by customer’s own application software with a handshake to Lauyans & Company’s material handling system

B. The rejected load is sent to a reject accumulation station

C. A forklift picks up the rejected load and removes for resolution of the issue

D. The load is placed back in the material handling system when the issue is resolved

For additional details and product applications, see our Pallet Conveyor page or Contact Us