Wiegand-Glas, a company with 450 years of glassmaking tradition, is a leading provider glass and PET packaging solutions. Wiegand-Glas offers products and services relating to glass production, processing, logistics, energy and recycling at eight locations in Europe. In order to optimize intralogistics, the company relies on automated guided vehicles (AGVs), which have been used for more than two decades in cooperation with the Hamburg-based AGV manufacturer and integrator ek robotics. Most recently, in June 2020, the third AGV system within the group of companies went into operation - its location: Schleusingen in Thuringia. 

Automated transport processes for efficient 

Customized glass containers are produced around the clock at the Schleusingen site. Every day, up to 3.5 million glass containers are produced on seven production lines, which are transported through various production stages via a high-speed conveyor system. At the "cold end" of the production chain, the containers are palletized, shrink-wrapped and transported to height-adjustable transfer positions. From this point, the AGV takes over the material flow. As Björn Bayer from the project team for quality control and glass inspection at Wiegand-Glas explains: "The automated guided vehicles are responsible for all transport tasks, from the shrinking systems to the warehouse. This automation solution was a conscious decision to optimize the efficiency of the site and secure the processes in the long term."

Customized AGV solution for the packaging industry

The driverless transport vehicles used in Schleusingen are from the CUSTOM MOVE series from ek robotics.  These vehicles are specially designed for the requirements of the packaging and beverage industry. They have a high degree of maneuverability, which is supported by a 6-wheel chassis and the option of 90° transverse travel at the stations. The vehicles are equipped with chain conveyors and hold-down devices to safely transport loads up to 2.8 m high. With a total weight of up to 6,700 kg, the 13 transport robots carry out over 120 transport jobs every hour. The sometimes cramped conditions on the 650 m long track place additional demands on the system.

Networking of logistics areas and  technologies 

The transport vehicles serve 50 stations along the production chain without needing information about the exact type of load. They are controlled centrally via a control system that informs the vehicles of the pick-up and drop-off locations. Communication between the AGVs and the conveyor systems at the transfer stations is ensured via infrared data light barriers, which ensure that both conveyor systems start and stop at the same time.

Planning reliability through 

Before implementing the transportation solution, a comprehensive material flow simulation was carried out. This analysis made it possible to identify bottlenecks, calculate throughput values and determine the optimum number of vehicles. The suitability of the route for the vehicles, particularly in narrow places, was also tested and ensured in advance.

Long-term operation and cooperation

The plant in Schleusingen has been running to Wiegand-Glas' satisfaction for four years. Thanks to training at the ek Academy, employees are able to make adjustments to the layout of the system independently. Björn Bayer emphasizes: "The system runs without additional personnel costs and meets our expectations. The project was successful and we see potential for further automation projects."

Conclusion: Optimized intralogistics for long-term success

The Wiegand-Glas plant in Schleusingen shows how a sophisticated AGV solution can make intralogistics processes efficient. Automation leads to optimized transport processes, better planning and a reduction in manual activities. AGVs offer a powerful and flexible solution for companies that want to overcome similar challenges in the area of internal logistics.