Italian System Ceramics gives ceramics industry new production resources
The manufacturing of ceramic tiles is an old tradition, but today the ceramics industry is characterised by new concepts. Innovative production and handling solutions have resulted in a revival, new competitiveness, and improved profitability.
System Ceramics specialises in production solutions, the control and automation of internal material flows provides the ceramics industry with total solutions.
Customers are offered efficient handling systems which are often integrated with computerised production programs. This integration has been made possible with Danaher Motion’s Lazerway® technology.
AGVs controlled by the production flow
The new goods and materials handling technology is becoming useful in more and more industries. The processes in manufacturing industries are increasingly controlled by a master computer system.
When the flow logistics are integrated with the production process this leads to a complete and efficient production flow. This results in a large number of advantages:
- Manual handling is avoided
- The flow of materials becomes automated.
Each load is provided with an identity code which makes it possible to follow the production flow, conduct inspection, and produce statistics. This eliminates the risk of error, while providing documentation for complete flow audits which can be compiled and analysed.
Capacity utilisation increases.
Transport damage can be eliminated.
“Floating” storage
The storage of materials is made more efficient in that goods/pallets can be stored with flexible solutions - both in racks and directly on the floor area. This saves space.
The direct production profits are related to the operations of the company, but can be considerable.
AGV in follow-up processing. From final production to storage and distribution
System Ceramics has developed a program for ceramics production which handles the stages after the actual production.
There has always been a high manual work load at this stage. The AGVs now handle transports from palleting robots to shrink-film wrapping and packing, and serve the stations with pallets, packing materials and labels. This has automated the entire goods and material flows in the follow-up process.
Graphic monitoring
The central production control covers the entire production process. Each stage can be monitored and viewed in real time thanks to a complete graphic interface.
Remote Access enables production to be viewed on external computers. Upgrading, modifications, and a certain degree of servicing, can also be conducted at a distance.
Danaher Motion Lazerway is the prerequisite
System Ceramics has a close cooperation with Danaher Motion. The prerequisite to construct production integrated handling systems at this technological and total economic level is laser controlled AGV systems. The material and goods flows are conducted with freely roaming AGVs. Transports are not restricted to a certain order or blocked by queues in the transport routes, but are determined by the user.
System Ceramics has developed a special computer program “LGV Administrator” for handling services from the final production line to the palleting area. The program communicates with the central production program and with “Data Manager”, which handles material administration at the storage areas.