Automotive Industry 4.0: Our new project with RESRG Automotive in Hungary

The automotive industry is characterized by intense pressure to innovate and a constant pursuit of efficiency. One example of this progress is our current automation project with RESRG Automotive at its plant in Újhartján, Hungary. RESRG produces bumpers, rear spoilers, side skirts and other add-on parts for the automotive industry at this location. The aim of the project is to fully automate internal transport between the injection molding production facility and the storage area. 

Initial situation: The basis for automation  

Until now, almost all transport within the plant was carried out using manual forklifts. The tasks ranged from injection molding production to the warehouse, which not only made internal material flow time-consuming and error-prone, but also required considerable human resources and offered potential for efficiency gains. The aim of our project was to automate the transport process between injection molding production and the warehouse, thereby creating seamless integration into the existing workflow. 

Project schedule: 

• Injection molding production: Up to 16 injection molding machines with parking spaces for load carriers that are filled manually. 

• Transport requirements: Full containers are to be transported to the transfer zone in the warehouse by autonomous mobile forklifts from 4am Robotics (AFi-M). At the same time, additional AFi-M forklifts return empty containers to the injection molding production area.
• Further material flow: From the transfer zone onwards, the containers continue to be transported by manually operated forklifts. 

These transports are managed using the RESRG warehouse management system (LAWI/TWIN), which coordinates both the container storage locations and the transport orders at the sources (the container collection points) and sinks (the destinations). 

Challenges: Container handling with diverse requirements

A key feature of this project is its complexity. Two challenges are central: 

1. Variety of container types:
   With twelve different container types, varying greatly in size, container handling poses significant challenges: 

• The widest container is almost three times as wide as the narrowest one.
• The deepest container is almost three times as deep as the shortest one. 

This is where 4am Robotics' technology really comes into its own. Thanks to the reliable container detection system on our autonomous stackers, they can adapt their protective fields individually to the dimensions of the containers. This not only ensures smooth transport and more efficient route planning, but also guarantees safety during operation. 

2. High number of sources and sinks:
   Another challenging aspect is the very high number of over 400 sources and sinks. This large number of collection points requires highly dynamic and precise logistics management, which we achieve with our innovative software and hardware integration. The fleet of 13 AFi-M vehicles is seamlessly integrated into the complex route network of around 500 meters and ensures optimal processing of up to 145 transport orders per hour. 
   

Technical details at a glance: 

• Fleet size: 13 AFi-M based on the Linde L 16 AC.
• Fork configurations: Two variants – 1,300 mm and 1,900 mm long.
• Performance: Up to 173 km of fleet performance in one working day.
• Missions: Max. 145 transport orders per hour in the final stage of development. 

This solution not only enables automated transport between the machines and the transfer zone, but also offers a high degree of reliability and flexibility. 

A look into the future 

With this project, we are demonstrating how customized automation solutions can optimize complex manufacturing and logistics processes. The combination of sophisticated container recognition, intelligent route planning, and integration into existing warehouse management systems forms the basis for future-proof production at RESRG. 

By using our AMRs, RESRG Automotive achieves: 

• Cost savings through reduced forklift fleets and lower personnel requirements.
• Efficiency gains through optimized transport processes and reduced downtime.
• Safety through precise sensor technology and customized protective field adjustment. 
  
  

We are delighted that Peter Stoiber from Digitale Faszination supported us in this project as an expert in mobile robotics, automation, and digitalization, and we are proud to accompany our customers on their journey to Industry 4.0 with innovative solutions.