KAUP attachments are no longer just 'the helping hands for your forklift truck'. They can also be ‘the helping hands of your automated guided vehicle' and thus significantly increase the efficiency and versatility of innovative automated guided vehicles (AGVs). It doesn't matter which manufacturer supplies the vehicles or whether conventional or innovative electric attachments are used.
Fork Positioner, Telescopic Fork, Bale Clamp and Appliance Clamp: These attachments are familiar to many industrial trucks. They are not yet widely used in driverless transport systems. However, they are being used more and more frequently in such systems, as the integration of these and other KAUP attachments into AGVs is easy to realize. This is made possible by the machine manufacturer's solution competence and its wide product range, which includes both standard solutions and customized systems.
The Polystyrene Clamp 2.5T15IN-414-1 transports blocks of the named material.
Customized solutions for every challenge
What exactly does KAUP offer for driverless systems? Attachments with two different drives. On the one hand, conventional, hydraulically operated attachments. They function in the AGV without any major modifications. This means that they are driven by hydraulic cylinders and motors in the same way as on conventional industrial trucks. On the other hand: electric driven attachments. These have been less common up to now, although industrial trucks of all kinds are increasingly being powered by electricity. KAUP wants to change this with its eop attachments and has therefore electrified the most important functions of its attachments. A range of electrically powered attachments such as integrated Sideshifters, Fork Positioners, Rotators and Double Pallet Handlers are therefore now part of the KAUP product range.
KAUP Bale Clamp with ek robotics "compact move"
There are many arguments in favour of using electric attachments. The most obvious one: The eop series, which have names such as 1.7T151INE, 1T351E or 2T409E, do not require any hydraulics and therefore no more oil. The associated oil and the corresponding complex hoses and pre-piping can be dispensed with. The only thing required is a connection to a power source. A further example is the gain in cleanliness for applications in the chemical or food industry. The second point is the energy efficiency of the drive. All electric KAUP attachments require only a fraction of the energy of their hydraulic counterparts, even though they are based on the same basic components.
Integrated Fork Positioner 2T160BIE with support arms in special design.
The electric attachments from the eop series, which are driven by actuators and electric motors, are particularly suitable for AGVs. However, such driven eop series are particularly suitable for driverless transport systems. This is where the obvious advantages of this new type of attachment really come into their own. They can be easily integrated into automated systems and existing control systems using common interfaces and have a high level of repeat accuracy.
As you would expect from KAUP, all electrically driven attachments can be customized. The focus here is on significantly increasing productivity and improving safety. It would be also possible to precisely monitor processes such as position, torque or energy consumption. Further data analysis, such as the monitoring of transport weights and load patterns or the monitoring of operating hours and faults, extends the options. Numerous measures to increase safety are possible. For example, the positions of forks etc. can be programmed, individual functions monitored, or certain movements can be linked to the lifting height.
The 1T413 Bale Clamps are used by a well-known tobacco manufacturer for handling cartons of raw tobacco.
Attachments for AGVs
Hydraulically operated and electrically driven attachments have one thing in common: Almost all customized adaptations can be made to them. From sensors and scanners to light barriers and individual interfaces: Many things are possible and have already been implemented. For example, a hydraulic Tilting Paper Roll Clamp: Fitted with sensors to monitor the rotation value and the opening range of the arms. Or a (tobacco) Bale Clamp including draw-wire sensors to monitor the opening range and the position of the Sideshifter. Also worth mentioning are the Polystyrene Clamp and Fork Positioner with Telescopic Forks. Because KAUP attachments are also ‘the helping hands of your automated guided vehicle’.
Familiar from forklift trucks but can also be integrated into AGVs: Fork Positioner with Telescopic Forks.