Technology

The possibility of intervening on work route configurations is the factor that has essentially determined the widespread use of automated carts.

Control. The CASSIOLI control system can monitor all information regarding vehicle positioning and status, as well as requests transmitted by the production system. In this way, the system processes and determines the best route for the current situation, in real-time (vehicle scheduling and routing).

Double navigation system. The Company’s ultra-decennial experience and competence in the field of automated vehicles has demonstrated that there is no single guiding system that is efficient in all industrial environments. In certain warehouse areas, such as narrow and long aisle, tunnels near industrial ovens and, in general, outside the factory, the accurate fixed-reference triangulation required by laser technology is not possible. Hence, in these particular contexts, CASSIOLI’s AGV - LGV  integrate the technology of self-driven carts with a double navigation system: laser guidance technology and induction guidance technology, based on the detection of magnetic fields generated by pellets embedded in the floor. In specific cases, a special video camera may also be used, to provide information to the navigation system.

Wireless Technology. Our researchers always strive to discover opportunities offered by new technologies: all data exchanges between any single cart and the main control system occur by means of Wi-Fi technology. In effect, the possible communication overload and electromagnetic interference have always been a limit for traditional AGV systems, which were connected to the main system by means of radio frequency channels. To the contrary, by using Wi-Fi technology, the CASSIOLI cart control system receives information from the first level management system directly through an Ethernet network. As a result, the whole cart logic is not controlled by a PLC but rather by a PC which, thanks to its features, can independently control some functions related to traffic management. Switching from a centralized control system, typical of traditional PLC controlled carts, to a distributed control system, typical of new CASSIOLI PC controlled carts, improves computing and communication speed with the “ground control” PC, increasing cart reliability.

Integration. CASSIOLI AGV - LGV - AGC carts can be fully integrated with any other handling device: palletisers, robotized areas, end-of-line machines and automated warehouses. Cart supervisor modules may be interfaces to any upper-level corporate information system (SAP, department, etc.).

Maintenance. The new system structure of CASSIOLI AGV vehicles, by means of a remote Internet connections, consents not only AGV – LGV diagnostics but also debugging the embedded AGV software. An added safety measure to avoid ever having to interrupt regular working activities in customer plants.