USE OF UNIT LOAD AGVS FOR FULLY AUTOMATED PART HANDLING IN THE WELDING SHOP

The paper presents the possibilities of using unit load AGVs for handling parts in a welding shop. One of the key success factors of this technology implementation is the full automation of handling operations in front of welding lines and workplaces. Pallets with parts usually have a rectangular floor plan. Due to the high passability of the isles, it is advisable to transport these pallets to the welding lines with a narrower dimension (in width). This is done today with the help of forklift or tugger trains. Before the welding lines, however, the pallets are oriented lengthwise. This results in the necessity of turning them, which is carried out using forklifts. The effective deployment of unit load AGVs requires the replacement of forklifts and tugger trains. In that case, however, it is necessary to find such a solution, during which the pallet will be rotated in front of the welding line fully automatically. The aim of the paper is to propose and evaluate such solutions. For this purpose, a case study from the welding shop of a passenger car manufacturer and multi-criteria decision-making methods are used. A total of five possible solutions are evaluated. Each solution is analyzed in detail and evaluated from the point of view of seven criteria.