Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) use software to determine their positioning, movement and location. Equipped with automatic guidance systems, and powered by an electric motor, they’re able to complete tasks such as material handling, transportation, assembly, delivery and storage across a wide range of industries including: greenhouse, manufacturing, plastics & metal, postal/mail, automotive, aerospace, food & beverage and packaging.
AGVs can move & stack pallets, complete assemblies or tow heavy loads. They’re well suited for repetitive tasks. AGVs with robotic limbs are adept at picking up and handling items. They’re all designed to improve productivity and efficiency, because unlike human workers, they can operate continuously. They only need to stop when it’s time to be recharged. AGVs eliminate human errors, and they minimize the potential for human injury, by completing monotonous tasks in potentially dangerous conditions.
HKP provides a range of technologies for AGVs including: Brushless DC Motors with gearboxes, brakes and encoders. These technologies continuously drive an AGV’s wheels.
They accurately control the AGV‘s start and stop, acceleration and deceleration, rotation and turns – and they can also control lifting and landing when the AGV reaches its
target location.
Application Challenges for AGVs:
• Compact design with high output power and efficiency
• Uninterrupted work, long life
• Product consistency
HKP solutions are a popular choice for AGVs, for the following reasons:
Gearboxes:
HKP offers a cost-effective series of spur gearboxes that feature sintered steel gears that complement HKP motors. When added to HKP motors these gearboxes bring great flexibility to a designer. Spur gearboxes provide an offset output shaft and are offered with sleeve or ball bearings, optional lubricants for extreme temperatures, and Delrin gears for reduced noise.
HKP also offers a series of planetary gears with different ratios and stages. The planetary series provides a centered output shaft for servo and continuous duty power transmission applications. Planetary gearboxes are offered with plastic or metal gears and can be customized with sleeve or ball bearings on the input and output shafts.
Brakes:
Brakes – such as the B30A are designed to hold a load in position when power is removed from the motor and brake. This compact 30mm brake has a holding torque of 0.113 Nm (1 lb-in). It is typically mounted to the motor rear, and features:
• Holding torque of 0.113 Nm
• Factory-set precision air gap
• Low profile mounting plate
• Rigid molded friction disk
• High rate compression spring
• MIL-W-22759 / 34D lead wires
• Hexagonal drive nut with set screw.
Encoders:
Encoders - Compact and low profile, HKP encoders provide parameters of reflective optical technology, transmissive optical technology with and without differential line drivers, and a multitude of line counts. Bearing style encoders are tested for quick start-up. They feature:
• Resolutions from 120 to 8192
• TTL Quadrature output
• Frequency response to 960 kHz
• Low power consumption, 5V @ 60mA max
• Locking connector.