Case Introduction
Building a safe and efficient material handling process
With the continuous development of intelligent manufacturing, the pharmaceutical industry has shown an increasing demand for new technologies and efficient operations. Robots are gradually being applied in the pharmaceutical industry, and corresponding automation equipment has been deployed in pharmaceutical logistics storage, sterile transportation, canning, and other processes. The application of unmanned forklifts has achieved controllability in warehouse distribution, reducing logistics costs.
Recently, Multiway Robotics partnered with a well-known pharmaceutical company in Shandong province to create an intelligent logistics system based on explosion-proof unmanned forklifts, combined with our customized WCS (Warehouse Control System). This collaboration aims to achieve automation in the pharmaceutical dispensing process, workshop logistics handling, and automatic integration of the material flow in the upper and lower processes. The intelligent logistics solution for this project includes the following:
In-depth research to develop targeted solutions
Based on the requirements of the project research, Multiway Robotics dispatched a pre-sales implementation team for in-depth research and communication, quickly completing the solution design to fully meet the customer's specific needs. The project details are as follows:
Project Scenario: Automation of unmanned pharmaceutical dispensing workshop logistics handling, automatic integration of material flow in the upper and lower processes
Material Handling: Medicine containers
Handling Process: Medicine powder unpacking station → Dispensing material feeding station → Cleaning area → Cleanroom
Project Challenges:
1. The dispensing workshop has strict dust explosion-proof requirements, with high safety requirements for logistics equipment.
2. Manual operations are prone to fatigue and can lead to mechanical collisions and sparks, posing safety hazards.
3. When connecting the medicine barrels, powder spillage must be avoided, and the equipment requires high positioning accuracy (±5mm).
4. The workshop space is limited, with multiple docking stations requiring high precision, resulting in intense operations.
5. The factory is located in the northern region, facing challenges in recruitment due to a labor shortage, and the working environment is not favorable, making personnel management difficult.
6. The traditional manual handling mode is no longer suitable for the intelligent linkage in fully automated production workshops.
7. The operation needs to run continuously for 24 hours, resulting in high labor costs.
Project Implementation:
1. Customization of a WCS system to achieve information exchange among equipment, elevators, automatic doors, and other devices.
2. Explosion-proof retrofit design for auto forklifts to meet the explosion-proof requirements of the pharmaceutical workshop, enabling automatic handling of production line loading and unloading.
Creating Value for the Customer: Achieving the "Four Transformations"
Customized WCS System for Automatic Scheduling and Handling
The pharmaceutical company's unmanned handling in the dispensing workshop involves passing through elevators and automatic doors, while also requiring automatic integration with the upstream and downstream processes. Conventional WCS systems are insufficient to meet this requirement. Therefore, Multiway Robotics, based on on-site measurements and the environment, develops a dedicated WCS system that automatically integrates with the material control production system, enabling unmanned scheduling and handling.
Explosion-proof retrofitting to meet explosion-proof safety requirements
The pharmaceutical industry places high demands on the explosion-proof safety of logistics equipment, especially in the dispensing workshop. Manual operations can lead to fatigue, and mechanical collisions can generate sparks, posing safety hazards. To address this, Multiway Robotics selects specialized unmanned forklifts for comprehensive explosion-proof retrofitting, ensuring compliance with the explosion-proof safety requirements of the pharmaceutical workshop.
Fully automated docking to reduce logistics costs
The handling process in the pharmaceutical company includes four stations: medicine powder unpacking station → dispensing material feeding station → cleaning area → cleanroom. Manual operations at these stations are cumbersome, and the working environment poses high risks to personnel. The operations need to run continuously for 24 hours. Considering the overall situation of the factory, Multiway Robotics utilizes explosion-proof unmanned forklifts to connect the four stations, enabling full automation of station docking and cargo handling. This improves warehouse logistics efficiency and significantly reduces labor costs.
Customized solution for narrow space and high-precision docking
Since the material being handled is medicine containers, it is crucial to avoid any spillage during docking. Additionally, the workshop space is limited, there are multiple docking stations with high precision requirements, and manual operations pose significant challenges. In response to this situation, Multiway Robotics selects explosion-proof auto forklifts and combines them with self-developed upper-level system. This ensures a positioning accuracy of ±5mm for the unmanned forklifts and combines features such as automatic obstacle avoidance, curved turning, and spot spinning to achieve high-precision docking in narrow spaces.
The improvement of logistics efficiency and the reduction of overall operational costs are crucial factors determining a company's competitiveness. Multiway Robotics utilizes unmanned forklifts as carriers and builds intelligent logistics infrastructure. Starting from the industry and considering the actual production and distribution logistics requirements of the customers, Multiway Robotics provides comprehensive, industry-leading, end-to-end intelligent logistics solutions. These solutions are designed to enhance the competitiveness of the customers by improving logistics efficiency and reducing operational costs in their specific field.
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Email: sales@mw-robot.com
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