Overview:
Driven by our technological acumen, Ati Motors developed ground-breaking solutions to address the issue of forklift safety concerns on factory and warehouse shop floors. Forklifts have been identified as safety risks in recent years, resulting in accidents in factories. These unfortunate incidents necessitated the development of a solution aimed at enhancing their safety and lowering the possibility of worker injury.
The challenge:
Creating an AMR that addresses the dual concerns of output and safety related to the use of forklifts in the clients’ facility.
The client:
Forvia SE
The outcome:
Ati AMR was developed with improved safety measures that make use of AI and 3D Linar technology. Its reduced reliance on human intervention resulted in increased performance reliability. Additionally, the client also doubled their production floor throughput by using these AMRs.
Client Profile:
Forvia is a multinational corporation based in France that ranks seventh among Tier-1 automotive suppliers worldwide. Around 80+ companies in the automotive sector, including Ford, Toyota, BMW, General Motors, and Tesla, use FORVIA technology, which is installed in one out of every two cars worldwide.
Background and Key Challenges:
Forklifts are widely utilized in factories and warehouses all around the world to move goods. Over the years, forklifts have been shown to be safety hazards that can cause mishaps, injuries, and, at times, even the death of factory workers. In 2023, the US State Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reported that forklifts were responsible for over 30,000 accidents and more than 50 fatalities nationwide.
Several factors contribute to these accidents, such as the forklift rolling over, goods falling from inappropriate storage or overloading, forklift operators speeding too much, or forklifts colliding with floor-mounted equipment. The surface and layout of the factory are equally important. Uneven surfaces and abrupt elevations on the walkway might cause mishaps.
There are also several examples of human mobility causing accidents, as other factory workers unexpectedly enter the path and are struck by the forklift.
The traditional forklifts are also rife with human dependencies. As they are manually driven, concerns like human error, fatigue towards the end of the shift, unavailability of manpower, etc., also arise.
Hence, to create a safer and more efficient working environment at our clients’ site, it was critical for Ati Motors to devise a solution that eliminates all these issues.
Solution:
Ati Motors developed a unique AMR that factory personnel can operate remotely. It uses enhanced AI technology for precision navigation by scanning the shop floor in real time, gauging the floor surface and obstacles on the pathway. Its powerful obstacle detection and avoidance technology eliminates the possibility of mishaps by recording any dynamic changes in the environment.
The AMR offers improved power stability on ramps and is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. It has a fail-safe brake as well. Additionally, double the throughput capacity is also made possible by its sophisticated 3D LiDAR autonomy stack.
Implementation Process:
The multi-faceted team of Ati Motors first assessed the site and crafted a solution backed by digital simulations. Every facet of the deployment was evaluated by internal subject matter experts.
Impact:
By eliminating forklift activities from the shop floor, the AMR guarantees considerably safer operations, increased reliability due to a reduced need for human intervention, and no injuries or accidents.
This specific operation is now cost-effective, future-proof, and prepared for digital integration into the smart factory architecture as the plant turns digital.
Additionally, the client doubled the throughput by introducing Ati AMRs. This is a game changer, as it is a very valuable efficiency enabler for the client. Previously, a single forklift was able to move one pallet at a time, with all the hazards that come with utilizing a forklift on a shop floor. Whereas, by using the Ati AMR, they can now move over 2 pallets at a time, and that too safely.
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About Ati Motors:
A premier manufacturer of Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs), Ati Motors provides cutting-edge solutions for material handling and warehouse automation that improve the efficiency and consistency of material movement processes. A range of interdisciplinary specialists in AI/ML, power electronics, control systems, mechanical engineering, system software, electronics, manufacturing, and marketing make up our teams, which are situated in East Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, and the Americas. Ati Motors’ robots are made to complement humans at work. They are programmed to safely and seamlessly integrate into a client’s existing workspace, workflow, and workforce.