Safe automation of automated guided vehicle systems

Rely on our solution for the automation of your automated guided vehicle (AGV), vehicle system (AGVS) or mobile platform (AMR) with a safe, complete solution - comprising sensor technology, control technology and security components. We can advise you, from safeguarding of your application with productive area monitoring through to the security solution, to prevent unauthorised access to the AGVS.

Take advantage of our experts’ know-how: from purchase to the development of system concepts in the design phase, through to commissioning of your mobile platform in accordance with ISO 3691-4, we offer the appropriate services and training.

For freely navigating mobile platforms, Pilz offers a comprehensive safety solution consisting of the safe small controller PNOZmulti 2, safety laser scanners PSENscan and various signal devices.

You can use the motion monitoring function block in the PNOZmulti Configurator for synchronisation monitoring of the axes on your platform. This program function compares the encoder values of the two axes, enabling conclusions to be drawn about the mobile platform’s direction of movement. With this information, the safe zone switching required in the standards can be implemented dynamically in the PSENscan in up to 70 zones. The zone sets created in the PSENscan Configurator are imported into the navigation computer of the automated guided vehicle system.

The safety laser scanner PSENscan enables safeguarding and productive area monitoring of automated guided vehicle systems. PSENscan detects objects in the vehicle's path and provides maximum safety even at high speeds, without compromising productivity. Up to 70 protected fields enable the protected field to be adjusted dynamically when cornering or driving around obstacles. Adjustment of the protected field is performed by directly analysing the encoder inputs in the laser scanner.

• More about the safety laser scanner PSENscan

The safety laser scanner PSENscan provides the distance data for localisation and navigation. The data can be used directly via the C++ Library or as ROS modules. Use it for your own SLAM algorithm (Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping). Maps of the environment are thus created for navigation, allowing the AGV system to avoid obstacles, for example. You benefit from a more dynamic and therefore safe implementation of mobile applications in production environments.

In the white paper on mobile robotics you'll find lots more information about using laser distance data for robot localisation.

• Download whitepaper for free pdf, 1.5 MB

The combination of safety laser scanner PSENscan, modular safety relay myPNOZ and the control and signal devices PITestop and PITsign provides a cost-optimised solution thanks to mutually compatible components. The SecurityBridge firewall ensures that no unauthorised person can access the mobile platform's internal IT network during operation. As well as safe automation, we also have a comprehensive package of services enabling us to help you with the safe operation of automated guided vehicle systems.

• To the appropriate service

• Complete one-stop safety solution saves time and costs
• Robust components lead to high availability
• Open interfaces for enhanced flexibility
• International conformity assessment, e.g. CE marking for the AGVS and for the entire application where necessary, as well as training and consulting
• Aligning the AGVS application with the requirements of ISO 3691-4