The collaboration will deliver bespoke AGVs across industries
Siemens has partnered with Parmley Graham and AR Controls to produce smart automated guided vehicles (AGVs) to meet the growing demand across industries.
At the heart of the innovation is the Siemens AGV kit, which includes SIMOVE, a
standardised system platform for AGV applications and solutions to suit any
customer across industries, and the SIMATIC MICRO-DRIVE, a versatile, seamless,
and safety-related servo drive system that covers a wide range of applications
in the protective extra-low voltage range (24-48 V DC). Servo drives are used
extensively when building AGVs. These compatible controllers from the SIMATIC portfolios
optimally complement the motion control functionalities of this future-proof
solution.
The design, build and manufacture of the AGVs are a result of collaboration
with Gateshead-based Parmley Graham, leaders in industrial automation, and
Sunderland-based AR Controls, experts in integration and robotics. Parmley
Graham is working collaboratively to support the project through the provision
of hardware specifications, organising of kit-formed bills of material, and
sourcing of other third-party products for the AGVs. AR Controls is using its
wealth of experience to design and build this new range of AGV.
The collaboration comes at a time when the demand for AGVs is increasing. The
pandemic put many industries into disarray, especially the logistics industry
that struggled to get essentials to consumers during lockdowns and border
closings. Manufacturers across industries had to rethink and look towards
efficient processes in warehousing, moving goods internally within the factory,
and deal with labour shortages from both the pandemic and Brexit.
AGVs bring a wealth of benefits including improved warehousing efficiency and
streamlined logistics management, lower labour costs, faster delivery, and
reduced risk of workplace injury. They can also be integrated to achieve
digitalisation and Smart Factory goals.
The alliance aims to target the exponential growth in the global AGV market,
which is expected to almost double to $3.72 billion by 2028.
The partnership builds on its success providing hundreds of AGV kits to a major
auto manufacturer, which has a production plant in the North.
Commenting on the partnership Brian Holliday, Managing Director, Siemens
Digital Industries, said: “The UK supply chain market is growing exponentially,
and most manufacturers are now investing in technologies to boost their own
logistics. AGVs are a crucial part of this investment.”
“Partners like Parmley Graham that have a legacy in automation were well
equipped with the right technologies and experience to deliver AGVs to the
automotive manufacturer. It is also a testimony that given an opportunity,
innovation can help generate new income streams for businesses in these testing
times.”
Nick Wilson, Managing Director, Parmley Graham said: “We work in partnership with
organisations across a wide spectrum of industries. This collaboration helped
produce the AGVs for a burgeoning need to meet efficiencies in warehousing,
intralogistics, and logistics across many industries.”
“Our experienced engineering team regularly delivers innovative solutions,
training, and support that is tailored to the diverse needs of our varied
customer base. We take our initiatives seriously and have appointed a project
manager to oversee the production of the AGVs. We will be able to deliver
bespoke solutions for AGVs to a range of customers in the pharmaceutical, food
and drink and logistic industries”
Andy Ramsey, Company Founder and Managing Director, AR Controls said: “We have
a portfolio of automotive manufacturers for who we provide services like
sensing, position control, visual inspection, machine safety, audio-indent,
robotics, drives and programmable logic control so partnering with Siemens and
Parmley Graham to produce AGVs is a very exciting project for us. We look
forward to a fruitful outcome of this alliance.”
