Automatic guided carts are simple automatic guided vehicles used for material handling and transportation purposes. AGCs are highly suited for moving products on an assembly line, or transporting goods and components around a manufacturing facility without the need for human direction or control, since the vehicles are run by battery or remote and driven by pre-routed systems.
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Originally designed for industrial purposes, automated guided vehicles such as automatic guided carts are now used in industries such as mail and newspaper, automotive, aerospace, beverage and food processing, packaging and more. As far as AGV systems go, automatic guided carts are a cost-effective option. They are an effective material transportation method and the system is flexible enough to be adjusted to almost any manufacturing needs. Guidance systems include fixed path guidance using wire, magnetic tape or colored tape. This is a relatively inexpensive and simple method of establishing a cart transportation route. The tape can easily be lifted off the floor and repositioned if necessary to adapt to new requirements. Other systems included laser directional capabilities, computer programmed carts and inertial guidance vehicles using transponders. Some AGC manufacturers are able to produce multi-sensor systems that use a combination of guidance methods to ensure the most effective process. The type of system used will depend on the application and its requirements.
The carts are typically battery operated and are tend to be smaller than traditional automatic guided vehicles, however they are still able to perform many of the same tasks. Automatic guided carts provide continuous repetitive movement in an operating system, greatly increasing its efficiency and output. They can be used for everything from small loads to heavy and cumbersome pallet loads. The carts can be connected in a line, forming a conveyor that can vary in length on demand according to processing needs. They are an ideal solution to conventional conveyor systems which are designed and built in a permanent length. Furthermore, carts provide an easily repairable conveyor-like system as movement will not have to stop entirely if one cart fails to work. It will simply need to be removed from the line of carts and repaired. The carts can also be fitted with a number of optional attachments such as scissor lifts, shelving, rollers and the potential to raise the drive unit for manual powering by factory personnel if desired. The flexibility of automatic guided carts is one of the biggest advantages to using this system in a manufacturing facility or in a processing plant. It can be adjusted to almost any material handling needs at cost-effective prices.
