Automated Material

UNIT 3 AUTOMATED MATERIAL HANDLING Handling

Structure
3.1 Introduction
Objectives

3.2 Introduction to AGVS

3.2.1 Automated Guided Vehicles
3.2.2 The Components of AGVS
3.2.3 Different Types of AGVS
3.2.4 Guidance Systems for AGVS
3.2.5 Routing of the AGVS
3.2.6 AGVS Control Systems
3.2.7 Interface with other Sub-systems
3.2.8 AGVS Design Features
3.2.9 System Design for AGVS
3.2.10 Flow Path Design

3.3 Introduction to Industrial Robots

3.3.1 Robot Anatomy
3.3.2 Robot Classification
3.3.3 Classification based on Control Systems
3.3.4 Robotic Applications in the Industry
3.3.5 Double-Gripper Robot in a Single-Machine Cell

3.4 Summary
3.5 Key Words

3.1 INTRODUCTION
Automated material handling (AMH) systems improve efficiency of transportation,
storage and retrieval of materials. Examples are computerized conveyors, and automated
storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) in which computers direct automatic loaders to
pick and place items. Automated guided vehicle (AGV) systems use embedded floor
wires to direct driverless vehicles to various locations in the plant. Benefits of AMH
systems include quicker material movement, lower inventories and storage space,
reduced product damage and higher labour productivity.
Objectives
After studying this unit, you should be able to understand the
 importance of AGV in a computer-integrated manufacturing system,
 role of industrial robots in a computer-integrated manufacturing systems, and
 alternative for automated material handling system.

3.2 INTRODUCTION TO AGVS

A material-handling system can be simply defined as an integrated system involving such
activities as handling, and controlling of materials. Materials include all kinds of raw
material, work-in-progress, sub-assemblies, and finished assemblies. The main motto of
an effective material-handling system is to ensure that the material in the right amount is
safely delivered to the desired destination at the right time and at minimum cost. It is an
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Fundamentals of CIM integral part of any manufacturing activity. Role of AGVs and Robots have become
strategic with respect to the modern material handling practices followed in the present
day industry. The next section deals with the automated guided vehicles (AGVs). In
Section 3.2, we have introduced the modern industrial robots and the attributes related
with them, which are essential for their understanding.
3.2.1 Automated Guided Vehicles
Automated guided vehicle systems (AGVs), commonly known as driverless vehicles, are
turning out to be an important part of the automated manufacturing system. With the shift
from mass production to mid-volume and mid-variety, flexible manufacturing systems,
are increasingly in use. They require not only machine flexibility but also material-
handling, storage, and retrieval flexibility. Hence, the importance of AGVs has grown in
manifold. It is a battery-powered driverless vehicle with programming capabilities for
destination, path selection, and positioning. The AGVs belongs to a class of highly
flexible, intelligent, and versatile material-handling systems used to transport materials
from various loading locations to various unloading locations throughout the facility. The
capability related to collision avoidance is nicely inbuilt in AGVS. Therefore, the vehicle
comes to a dead stop before any damage is done to the personnel, materials, or structures.
They are becoming an integral part of flexible manufacturing system installations.
Now-a-days, AGVS are versatile in nature and possess flexible material-handling system.
They use modern microprocessor technology to guide a vehicle along a prescribed path
and makes correction if the vehicle strays from the path. A system controller receives
instructions directly from the host computer, communicates with other vehicles, and
issues appropriate commands to each vehicle. To avoid collision, communication is
necessary among the AGVs. To facilitate the communication, they are connected through
a wire in the floor or by radio.
3.2.2 Components of AGVS
There are four main components of an automated guided vehicle system. They are as
follows :
 The Vehicle : It is used to move the material within the system without a
human operator.
 The Guide Path : It guides the vehicle to move along the path.
 The Control Unit: It monitors and directs system operations including
feedback on moves, inventory, and vehicles.
 The Computer Interface : It is connected with other computers and systems
such as mainframe host computer, the Automated Storage and Retrieval
System (AS/RS), and the Flexible Manufacturing System.
3.2.3 Different Types of AGVS
There are different types of automated guided vehicles that are able to cater different
service requirements. The vehicle types include :
 AGVS towing vehicles
 AGVS unit load transporters
 AGVS pallet trucks
 AGVS forklift trucks
 AGVS light-load transporters
 AGVS assembly line vehicles
The level of sophistication of the AGVS has increased to allow automatic positioning and
pickup and drop-off (P/D) of cargo, and they also perform P/D services between
machining work centers, storage racks, and the AS/RS. They are also capable of two-way
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travel on the same path and real-time dispatching under the control of the computer. The Automated Material
Handling
different types of AGVS are discussed in the section to follow.
AGVS Towing Vehicle
AGVS towing vehicles were the earliest variety to be introduced. A towing
vehicle is an automated guided tractor. A wide variety of tractors can be used,
such as flatbed trailers, pallet trucks, custom trailers, and bin trailers. Different
types of loading equipment used for loading and unloading the trailer include an
AGV-pulled train, hand pallet truck, cranes, forklift truck, automatic transfer
equipment, manual labor, shuttle transfer, and programmed automatic loading and
unloading device.
AGVS Pallet Trucks
AGVS pallet trucks are designed to lift, maneuver, and transport palletized loads.
It is used for picking up or dropping off loads from and on to floor level, than
removing the need for fixed load stands. No special accessories are needed for
loading and unloading the AGVS pallet except that the loads should be on a pallet.
It is basically used in floor-level loading and unloading operation. Loading and
unloading can be done in two ways viz. automatically or manually. For the
transportation of load, the normal course followed by the vehicle is determined by
the storage area destination. Normal operations carried out in pallet trucks are :
(i) loads are pulled off onto a spur,
(ii) lowering of the pallet forks to the floor,
(iii) pulling out from the pallet, and
(iv) finally automatically returns empty to the loading area.
AGVS Forklift Trucks
An AGVS forklift truck has the capability to pick up and drop off palletized loads
both at floor level and on stands, and the pickup height can be different from the
drop-off height. They are capable of picking up and dropping off a palletized load
automatically. It has the ability to position its forks at any height so that conveyors
or load stands with different heights in the material-handling system can be
serviced. AGVS forklift trucks are one of the most expensive AGVS types.
Therefore, they are used in the case of full automation. The truck is accoutered
with sensors at the fork end, so that it can handle high-level stacking on its own.
These systems have the advantage of greater flexibility in integrating with other
subsystems with various loading and unloading heights throughout the material
handling system.
AGVS Light Load Transporters
They are applied in handling small, light parts over a moderate distance and
distribute the parts between storage and number of work stations.
AGVS Assembly-Line Vehicles
AGVS assembly line vehicles are an acclimatization of the light-load transporters
for applications involving serial assembly processes. The guided vehicle carries
major sub-assemblies such as motors, transmissions, or even automobiles. As the
vehicle moves from one station to the next, succeeding assembly operations are
performed. After the loading of part onto the vehicle, the vehicle moves to an
assembly area and stops for assembly. As the assembly process is completed, the
operator releases the vehicle that proceeds to the next part’s staging area for new
parts. After that the vehicle moves forward to the next assembly station. The
process is repeated until the final unloading station is reached.
The main advantage of the AGVS assembly line is its lower expense and ease of
installation compared with “hard” assembly lines. The line can be easily
reconfigured by altering the guide path and by reprogramming. Variable speeds
and dwell intervals can be easily programmed into the system. However, an
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Fundamentals of CIM extensive planning and complex computer control is needed in the case of overall
integration. Some of the guiding factors determining the functioning of the AGVS
are :
(i) Guidance Systems
(ii) Routing
(iii) AGVS Control Systems
(iv) Load Transfers
(v) Interfacing with other subsystems
Next section deals with the guidance systems designed for keeping the vehicle on
predetermined path.
3.2.4 Guidance Systems for AGVS
The main purpose of a guidance system is to keep the vehicle in the predestinated path.
The main advantage of AGVS guidance system is that the guide path can be changed
easily at low cost compared to the high cost of modifying fixed-path equipment such as
conveyors, chains, and tow lines. Many guidance systems are available and their
selection will depend on need, application, and environmental constraints. Some of the
familiar guidance systems are wire-guided guidance system, optical guidance system,
inertial guidance system, infrared guidance system, laser guidance system, and teaching-
type guidance system.
3.2.5 Routing of the AGVS
AGVS routing means determining how the vehicle conforms the path and takes a
shortest path between the two points. The commonly used methods are : “frequency
selection method ” and the “path switch selection method ”.
3.2.6 AGVS Control Systems
Three types of AGVS control systems are available.
(i) Computer-controlled system
(ii) Remote dispatch control system
(iii) Manual control system
Computer Controlled System
Here, all the exchanges and AGVS vehicle movements are controlled and
monitored by the system controller. A detailed sketch of the computer-controlled
system is shown in Figure 3.1. The guide path controller controls the guide path of
the AGVS and transfers the information to the AGVS process controller.
Movements of AGVS vehicle are directly controlled by the AGVS process
controller.

Figure 3.1 : Computer-controlled Architecture for AGVS Control

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 Automated Material
Remote Dispatch Control System Handling
Here, a human operator controls the movement of AGVS through a remote control
station. The control system sends destination instructions directly to the vehicle.
Manual Control System
In this type of system, the operator loads the vehicle and enters a destination into
the onboard control panel of the vehicle. The efficiency of the system depends on
the skill of the operator.
3.2.7 Interface with Other Subsystems
The computer-controlled system can link the AGVS materials-handling system with
other subsystems in the organisation. These subsystems include:
(i) Automated storage and retrieval systems.
(ii) Computer numerical control (CNC) machines.
(iii) Shop floor control system.
(iv) Process control equipment.
(v) Flexible manufacturing systems.
They may be linked by a distributed data processing network and the host computer. In
the distributed data processing network, the system control computers communicate with
each other directly without the intermediate or host computer.
In the next section, we will elucidate the main features considered for designing the
AGVS system.
3.2.8 AGVS Design Features
Many design features pertaining to AGVS are common to other material handling
systems. However, there are several special features unique to the AGVS, such as
stopping accuracy, facilities, safety, and maintenance.
A very important attribute of the AGVS system is “Stopping Accuracy” and it varies
considerably with the nature and requirements of the system. A system with automatic
load transfer requires high stopping accuracy. In case of manual load transfer, lower
stopping accuracy is required. In addition to that, unit load transporters are used for
systems that require higher accuracy. In an AGVS, the stopping accuracy is provided by
the feedback of Computer Control Systems. Stopping accuracy depends on the
applications, for example,  0.001 inch for machine tool int erfaces ,  1 inch or more
for towing and light-load vehicles, and  3 inch for a manual system.
Many considerations are undertaken while designing the AGVS, like incorporation of
automatic door-opening devices, elevators etc. Safety features such as emergency contact
bumpers and stop buttons, object detectors, automatic warning signals, and stopping
devices must be built in the AGVS. These features must be of paramount importance in
the minds of the designers so as to avoid the human injuries and damage to other
equipment, materials, and vehicle itself.
3.2.9 System Design of AGVS
The decision process related to the system design is very complex in nature. A number of
issues are to be addressed which includes:
(i) Guide path layout
(ii) Number of vehicles required
(iii) Flow path design
(iv) Selection of guide path type and vehicle type
(v) Type of flow path within the layout

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Fundamentals of CIM (vi) Location and number of load transfer points and load transfer station storage
space.
Operational issues such as the routes used by the vehicles during operation are also taken
into consideration. There must be a synergy between the operational and design features
for the successful implementation of AGVS.
3.2.10 Flow Path Design
The flow path design is one of the most important processes in the AGVS design. Some
of the important decisions involved in flow path design are:
(i) Type of guide path layout.
(ii) Flow path within the layout.
(iii) The number and locations of load transfer points.
(iv) Load transfer function station storage space.
Areas of application of the AGVS determine the critical issues like guide path layout,
P/D (Place and Delivery) location points, and load transfer station storage space.
However, the complexity of controls and economic considerations influence the direction
of flows.
Vehicle blocking, congestion, and unloaded vehicle travel are the issues to be taken into
consideration and depend on the number of the vehicles and the requests for vehicles
from various pickup and delivery stations. Simulation is used to develop the realistic
design under aforementioned circumstances. The type of information required for
developing a simulation model would include layout of departments, aisles, location of
load transfer stations, and charts containing the material flow intensities between
departments.
Required Number of AGVS
Estimation of the number of AGVs required in the system is an important element
of the system design. Here, we provide a simple mathematical analysis for the
determination of the number of vehicles. The following notations are used :
Dd = Total average loaded travel distance.
Dc = Total average empty travel distance.
Ndr = Number of deliveries required per hour.
Tf = Traffic factor that accounts for blocking of vehicles and waiting of
vehicles in line and at intersection. If there is no congestion, the traffic
factor is 1. However, when more vehicles are involved, the traffic factor
value will certainly be less than 1. Normally, Tf lies between 0.85 and 1.
v = Vehicle speed.
Th = Loading and unloading time.
The total time per delivery per vehicle (Tdv) is given by the sum of loaded travel
time, loading and unloading time, and empty travel time as follows :
Dd D
Tdv =  Th  c
v v
Number of deliveries per vehicle per hour
60 T f
Nd 
Tdv
Number of automated guided vehicles = Ndr/Nd
The treatise discussed here provides an approximate estimate of number of
vehicles.
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 Automated Material
Example 3.1 Handling
Pradeep Engineering is contemplating to integrate the AGVS and AS/RS with
their flexible manufacturing system. It is also in the process of determination of
number of AGVSs for its manufacturing system. It has to deliver 67 pieces per
hour. The company has decided in favour of installing a wire guided path system
and the unit load AGVS. The following data has been collected as shown in
Table 3.1.
Table 3.1 : Data Pertaining to the AGVS in the Industry
Vehicle Speed 200 ft/min
Average loaded travel distance per delivery 600ft
Average empty travel distance per delivery 400 ft
Pickup time 0.25 min
Drop-off time 0.25 min
Traffic factor 0.75
The total time per delivery per vehicle (Tdv) is given by
Dd D
Tdv =  Th  c
v v
600 400
  0.25  0.25  = 5.5
200 200
Number of deliveries per vehicle per hour,
60 T f60 (0.75)
Nd  =  8.18
Tdv 5.5
Hence, the number of vehicles required = 67/8.18 = 8 vehicles.
Example 3.2
An automated manufacturing system for machining crankshafts in a forging
industry is planning to implement AGVs in the organisation. There are five CNC
workstations (A, B, C, D, E) and a load-unload station (F). Approximate time of
moving the crankshaft on AGVS between stations is shown in Table 3.2.
Table 3.2 : Approximate Time of Moving the Crankshaft on
AGVS between Stations
A B C D E F
A - 2 1
B 2.5 - 2.5
C 3 - 1.0
D 2 - 0.5
E 1.5 - 1.0
F 0.5 0.5
One hundred crankshafts are machined in every 8-h shift and the operations on the
crankshaft are performed in sequence from station A through E. Taking an
assumption that every pickup and drop-off operation takes approximately
0.75 min, determine the number of AGVSs to meet the demand of moving
100 crankshafts. The load factor is assumed to be 0.75 and the traffic factor 0.95.
Solution
In this problem, the empty travel times of the AGV is not known though load
factor is known to us. Here, load factor refers to the percentage of time the AGVS
carries the load.
Total travel time of a crankshaft from a pickup operation to a drop-off operation
= 1 + 2.5 + 3 + 2.0 + 1.5 + 0.5 = 10.50.

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Fundamentals of CIM Total pickup and drop-off time = 4.50 min because there are only six stations
including the pickup and drop-off station and each takes 0.75 min.
Total transit time = 10.50 + 4.50 = 15.00 min.
Considering that there are delays due to congestion and there is empty travel of
AGVs:
Total AGVS travel time for one crankshaft = 10.00/ (traffic factor × load factor)
= 10.00/ (0.75 × 0.95) = 14.03 min.
Total available time per shift = 8 hr/ shift × total time per crankshaft)/ available
time = 100 × 14.03 / 480 = 2.92 vehicles.
This means that approximately 3 vehicles are required.
SAQ 1
(a) Discuss the following types of AGVSs and their applications:
(i) AGVS towing vehicle
(ii) AGVS unit load transporters
(iii) AGVS pallet trucks
(iv) AGVS forklift trucks
(v) AGVS light-load transporters
(vi) AGVS assembly-line vehicles
(b) Discuss various types of guidance system.
(c) Describe the following types of AGVS control methods:
(i) Computer-controlled system
(ii) Remote dispatch control system
(iii) Manual control system.

3.3 INTRODUCTION TO INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS

An industrial robot is a general-purpose, programmable machine possessing certain
anthropomorphic characteristics. Mechanical arm is the most common characteristic of
an industrial arm and is used to perform various industrial tasks. Making decisions,
capability to communicate with other machines, and capability to respond to sensory
inputs are the important attributes of an industrial robot. These capabilities allow the
robots to be more versatile in nature. It involves the coordinated control of multiple axes
(joints) and use dedicated digital computers as controllers.
The various reasons for the commercial and technological importance of industrial robots
include the following :
(i) Robots can be substituted for humans in hazardous or uncomfortable work
environments. A robot performs its work cycle with a consistency and
repeatability that cannot be attained by humans.

46
 (ii) Robots can be reprogrammed. When the production run of the current task Automated Material
Handling
is completed, a robot can be reprogrammed and equipped with necessary
tooling to perform an altogether different task.
(iii) Robots are controlled by computers and can therefore be connected to other
computer systems to achieve computer integrated manufacturing.
3.3.1 Robot Anatomy
A robot joint is a mechanism that permits relative movement between parts of a robot
arm. The joints of a robot are designed to enable the robot to move its end-effector along
a path from one position to another as desired. The basic movements required for the
desired motion of most industrial robots are :
Rotational Movement
This enables the robot to place its arm in any direction on a horizontal direction.
Radial Movement
This helps the robot to move its end-effector radially to reach distant points.
Vertical Movement
This enables the robot to take its end-effector to different heights.
These degrees of freedom, in combination with others or independently, define the
complete motion of the end-effector. Individual joints of the robot arm are responsible
for the accomplishment of different movements. The joint movements are in synergy
with the relative motion of adjoining links. Depending on the nature of this relative
motion, the joints are classified as prismatic or revolute.
3.3.2 Robot Classification
Robots are being classified on the basis of their physical configuration and control
systems adopted. These classifications are briefly described as follows :
Classification on the Basis of Physical Configurations
On the basis of physical configuration industrial robots are classified in four
different types. They are :
(i) cartesian configuration,
(ii) cylindrical configuration,
(iii) polar configuration, and
(iv) jointed-arm configuration.
Cartesian Configuration
Robots having cartesian configurations consist of links connected by linear joints
(L). As the configuration has three perpendicular slides, they are also called
rectilinear robots. Robot having a similar configuration is known as Gantry
Robots. Its structure resembles a gantry-type crane.
Cylindrical Configuration
In the cylindrical configuration, robots have one rotatory (R) joint at the base and
linear (L) joints succeed to connect the links. The space in which this robot
operates is cylindrical in shape, hence the name cylindrical configuration.
Polar Configuration
Polar robots have a work space of spherical shape. In general, the arm is linked to
the base with a twisting (T) joint and rotatory (R) and or linear (L) joints. The
designation of the arm for this arm can be TRL or TRR. Robots with the
description of TRL are also called spherical robots. Those having the designation
of TRR are called as articulated robots. It resembles a human arm in terms of
configuration.
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Fundamentals of CIM Jointed-Arm Configuration
The combination of cylindrical and articulated configurations is known as
jointed-arm configuration. The arm of the robot is connected to the base with a
twisting joint. Rotatory joints are used to connect the links in the arm. Generally,
the rotation takes place in the vertical plane. Popular robot falling under this
category is called SCARA (Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm). It is
basically used for the assembly purpose.
In the next section, we will elicit the classification based on the control systems.
3.3.3 Classification based on Control Systems
On the basis of the control systems adopted, robots are classified into the following
categories :
(i) Point-to-point (PTP) control robot
(ii) Continuous-path (CP) control robot
(iii) Controlled-path robot
Point-to-Point (PTP) Control Robot
The PTP robot is capable of moving from one point to the other point. The
locations are recorded in the control memory. The paths are not controlled by the
path guide. Instead the desired path is traced by programming a series of points.
Component insertion, spot welding, hole drilling, machine loading, unloading and
crude assembly are some of the common applications of this type of robot.
Continuous-Path (CP) Control Point
The movement along the controlled path is performed by the CP robot. Along the
controlled path, with CP control, the robot can stop any specified point. In the
robot’s control memory, all the points must be stored explicitly. Straight-line
motion is being carried out by these types of robots. Some continuous-path
controlled robots also have the capability to follow a smooth curve path that has
been defined by the programmer. Here, the programmer manually moves the robot
arm through the desired path and the controller unit stores a large number of
individual point locations along the path in memory.
Controlled-Path Robot
In controlled-path robots, the control equipment can develop paths of different
geometry such as straight lines, circles, and interpolated curves with a high degree
of accuracy. Good accuracy can be obtained at any point along the specified path.
Only the start and finish points and the path definition function must be stored in
the robot’s control memory. It is important to mention that all controlled-path
robots have a servo capability to correct their path.
In the next section, we will elicit the robotic applications in the industry.
3.3.4 Robotic Applications in the Industry
Work environment is one of the several characteristics that should be considered when
selecting a robot application. The hazardous characteristics of industrial work tend to
promote the substitution of robots for human labour. Hence, robots are being used in a
wide field of applications in industry. Currently, robots are mostly used in the field of
manufacturing. The applications can usually be classified into following characteristics :
(i) Material handling
(ii) Processing operations
(iii) Assembly and inspection
Application of the robots in the industry must be technically and economically viable for
the industry.
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 Automated Material
Material Handling Applications Handling
Material handling applications are those in which the robot moves the materials or
parts from one place to another. The robot is equipped with a gripper type of
end-effector to accomplish this type of transfer. The gripper must be designed to
handle the specific part or parts that are to be moved. Within this application
category are the following cases which are
(i) Material transfer, and
(ii) Machine loading/unloading.
In almost all the material handling applications, the part must be presented to the
robot in familiar position and orientation.
Material Transfer
These are the operations in which the robot picks up the parts at one location and
place them at a new location. The basic application in this category is pick and
place operation, where robot picks up a part and deposits at a new location.
Transferring parts from one conveyor to another is a classic example of this
application. However, palletizing is a more complex example of the material
transfer application. Here, the robots must retrieve parts, cartons, or other objects
from one location and deposit them onto a pallet or other container with multiple
locations.
Machine Loading/Unloading Operations
In machine loading and unloading operations, the parts are transferred into/from a
machine. The three possible scenarios can be machine loading, machine
unloading, machine loading and unloading. In the machine loading operations, the
robot loads parts into machine, but the parts are unloaded from the machine by
some other mechanism. In the unloading operations, the machines are unloaded
using the robots. When both the earlier situations are present, then this can be
placed into the third category.
Numerous applications of machine loading and unloading operations are as
follows :
(i) Die casting operations
(ii) Metal machining operations
(iii) Plastic molding
(iv) Forging
(v) Heat treating
(vi) Press working
Robots as mentioned earlier are also used in the process industry. Numerous
applications in this category are spot welding, continuous arc welding, spray
painting, various rotating processes, and machining processes.
Spot Welding
Spot welding is a metal joining process in which two sheet metal parts are fused
together at localized points of contact. It has got a widespread use in the
automobile industry. The end-effector used here is a spot welding gun used to
pinch the car panels together and perform the resistance welding process.
Continuous Arc Welding
Continuous arc welding is used to provide continuous welds rather than points in a
spot welding process. As the working condition is tough, therefore automation is
recommended in this case. The robotic cell consists of a robot, the welding
apparatus (power unit, controller, welding tool, and wire feed mechanism), and a
fixture that positions the components for the robot. The fixture might be
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Fundamentals of CIM mechanized with one or two degrees-of-freedom so that it can present different
portions of the work to the robot for welding.
Spray Coating
Spray coating makes use of a spray gun directed at the object to be coated. Fluid
flows through the nozzle of the spray gun and is dispersed and applied over the
surface of the object. Here, robot applications consist of spray coating appliances,
automobile car bodies, engines, and other parts, spray painting of wood products,
and spraying of porcelain coating on bathroom fixtures.
Other Processing Applications
The list of other industrial processes that are being performed by robots is as
follows :
(i) Drilling, routing and other machining process.
(ii) Laser cutting.
(iii) Riveting.
(iv) Grinding, wire brushing, and similar operations.
(v) Water jet cutting.
In the next section, we detail the assembly and inspection operations performed by
the robots.
Assembly and Inspection
Assembly and inspection are hybrids of the previous two application categories:
material handling and processing. Assembly and inspection applications can
involve either the handling of materials or the manipulation of a tool. Assembly
and inspection are traditionally labour-intensive, boring and highly repetitive
activities. Hence, they are the fitting cases for the robotic applications.
Production rate is one of the important performance measures for such robotic
applications. Therefore, industrially relevant problems have been presented and
solved in the next section.
Example 3.3
Calculate the cycle and production rate for a single-machine robotic cell for an
8-hr shift if the system availability is 85%. Also determine the percent utilization
of machine and robot. On average, the machine takes 35 sec. to process a part. The
other robot operation times are as follows :
Robot picks a shaft from the conveyor 4.0 sec
Robot moves the shaft to the lathe 1.5 sec
Robot loads the shaft onto the lathe 1.0 sec
Robot unloads the shaft from the lathe 0.5 sec
Robot moves the conveyor 1.5 sec
Robot puts the shaft on the outgoing conveyor 0.5 sec
Robot moves from the output conveyor to the input 5.0 sec
conveyor
Description of Solution Approach
The total cycle time of 49 seconds is obtained by adding all the activities of the
robot including the machining time and other related activities. The production
rate is the reciprocal of cycle time. The production rate considering system
availability is therefore

50
 Automated Material
1 unit  8h 
Production rate  (60s / min) (60 min / h )   (0.85% uptime) Handling
49 sec .  shift 
= 500 units per shift
Machine cycle time
Machine Utilization = = 35/49 = 0.7142 or 71.42%
Total cycle time

Robot cycle time

Robot utilization = = 14/49 = 0.2857 or 28.57
Total cycle time

3.2.5 Double-Gripper Robot in a Single-Machine Cell

A double-gripper robot has two gripping devices attached to the wrist. They can be put
into action independently. The double gripper can be used to handle a finished and
unfinished items simultaneously. This helps in increase in the productivity. A numerical
example has been given to clarify this point.
Example 3.4
In this case study, we elucidate the improvement in productivity with the use of
double-handed grippers using the data in the previous example.
Solution
The operation sequence with double-handed gripper is
Machine cycle time = 35 sec.
Robot unloads the shaft from the lathe = 0.5 sec
Robot loads the part onto the machine = 1.0 sec
The total cycle time is 36.5 sec.
The production rate considering system availability is therefore
 1   60s   60s   8 h 
Production rate =      0.85 uptime
 36.5   min   min   shift 
= 671 units per shift.
The productivity increase obtained by using a double-handed gripper is
(617 – 500) / 500 = 0.234 or 23.4%.
SAQ 2
(a) Describe the physical components of a typical industrial robot.
(b) Discuss the following robot configurations
(i) Cartesian robot configuration
(ii) Cylindrical robot configuration
(iii) Polar robot configuration
(iv) Jointed-arm configuration

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Fundamentals of CIM
3.4 SUMMARY
In this unit, we have dealt with the automated guided vehicles and Robots used in the
industry. Due to the industrial automation, many changes have taken place in the field of
microprocessor, programmable controllers, industrial logic controls, computer numeric
control (CNC) etc. Automated Guided Vehicle systems are material-handling systems
that are flexible, reliable, inexpensive to operate, and easy to interface with systems such
as FMSs, AS/RS, and other material handling systems. Robots have also played a vital
role in the automation of the industry. Industrial robots now perform a wide variety of
tasks and are used in all kinds of applications. For effective management of robot and
AGV, it is important to understand the basics of robotics and AGVS. In this unit, we
have attempted to cover such basic aspects related to Robots and AGVS.

3.5 KEY WORDS

AGVS Guide Path : Automated Guided Vehicle Systems. It guides the
vehicle to move along the path.

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