Modified to go driverless

To reduce handling costs at a leading UK manufacturer of pharmaceutical products, two industry-standard forklift trucks have been supplied in modified form so that they can travel between the warehouse and factory without the need for drivers. The work was carried out by E&K Automation, specialist in the manufacture and implementation of AGV (automated guided vehicle) systems.

This pharmaceutical installation is a good example of how a simple, standalone AGV network can be cost-effectively configured with laser guidance and radio communication to operate independently of existing factory systems. A further feature is the ease with which the layout was subsequen tly modified in 2011, after several years of operation, to make space for an additional production line.