Even while transporting heavy 5 ton loads, the Rocla AGV trucks are perfectly balanced. This is due to the center of mass which is located very low. Click for larger view.

Paper rolls weighing up to 5000 kilos are transported effectively with Rocla's Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) at Sappi Alfeld GmbH's paper mill in Germany. The AGV system with three vehicles was introduced in Alfeld Mill in year 2011.

Transporting the paper rolls is a very sensitive job. The rolls are defected easily. That is why Sappi Alfeld chose the Rocla AGVs and the MetRo warehouse management system. The AGV system is cost effective and the investment pays itself back in a few years.

The AGV trucks move silently in the Sappi premises. The mill warehouse hall has dim lighting, because the trucks do not need light. The director of the Finishing Department Manfred Rohling is satisfied about the transporting capacity and effectiveness of the Rocla AGV vehicles. The AGVs work all the time without coffee pauses. If the AGVs are not transporting paper rolls they work on warehouse optimizing by organizing paper rolls intelligently according to the order of production.

Rocla's automated guided trucks are effective workers and bring back the investment in a few years. Click for larger view.

Sappi Alfeld GmbH Paper Mill produces many kinds of special paper, from 17 grams to 400 grams. The paper is produced with 5 paper machines from local materials in 3 shifts with 900 employees. Alfeld Mill by the Leine-river south form Hannover has a proud 350 years tradition in the paper branch.

Sappi GmbH works on three continents producing paper and pulp. Sappi produces 6 million tons of paper per year. In pulp production Sappi is the largest in the world with 3,5 millon tons. Sappi has 13.700 employees in 20 countries.

Effective and safe

"Unmanned AGV trucks actually move slower than traditional trucks", Manfred Rohling says. "But because they are working all the time without any breaks, they are more effective on the whole than traditional trucks with a driver. We have had these AGVs at work a little over two years and we have not lost one paper roll. With the traditional trucks the rolls are damaged often."

The AGVs are also safe. "We have not had any accidents with the automatic AGVs", Mr. Rohling says.

He steps in front of the AGV, which is passing by, and shows how the truck is scanning the surroundings and recognizes all the hindrances on it's way. The AGV stops only 5 centimeters from the foot of Mr. Rohling. After a short moment it starts again and continues its path as soon as the hindrance is removed.

"The laser guided AGVs are dynamically moving vehicles. The routes are not exactly programmed and marked. The trucks can choose their route. If there is another truck on the route, the AGV can be guided through an alternative route given by the traffic management system smooth and fluently", Mr. Rohling explains.

Transporting orders from any device in the Wi-Fi network

The programming of the AGV System at the Sappi Alfeld GmbH Mill was done in consideration of the production data and the given infrastructures. Rocla Solutions warehouse management system (WMS) MetRo takes care of the transport orders and allocation of the paper reels within the warehouse. The WMS receives the production data from the Mill System in advance, which enables it to create the most efficient warehouse strategy for the upcoming production.

The WMS manage the warehouse completely independent. However it is also possible to order a specific transportation job for the AGV from any computer or other device connected in the mill Wi-Fi network. Each order is placed in the order buffer and will be executed according to the FIFO principle but it is also possible to assign priorities if an order is to be executed immediately, E.G.: For Quality control purpose. In normal transportation mode the AGVs can priorities an order independently, if they recognize that they are passing by it on the way to another location.

Supervisor Steffen Böttcher shows in the team room screen, where the paper rolls are located and how the trucks are working between them. On another screen the transportation order buffer and their priorities can be seen.

Minimal service needs

Sappi Alfeld GmbH tries to take care of the Rocla automated guided trucks by itself. There have been hardly any defects until now outside of the normal periodical maintenance needs.
"Sometimes there are cases when we have to contact the Rocla service team. If the problem cannot be solved remotely, the Rocla specialist flies in to Alfeld. But we are trying to learn more and more about taking care of our AGVs ourselves", Manfred Rohling says.
The batteries of the Rocla AGVs used in Sappi Alfeld weigh over 1000 kilos and their power is sufficient for 12 hours of heavy work. The batteries are charged in the charging station and have to be changed manually. The current batteries have been in full use for over two years and they can still be fully charged and work well.

The director of the Finishing Department Manfred Rohling is satisfied with the transporting capacity and effectiveness of the Rocla AGVs. Click for larger view.

At the moment the Sappi Alfeld paper mill has three vehicles. The AGVs helps Sappi to balance the production pikes. "The vehicles are not in too heavy use, this way they have a longer life", Manfred Rohling says. "We have long term plans here."

For more information on Rocla's comprehensive AGV solutions please visit www.rocla-agv.com

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