IDC Corporation produces a line of Automated Guided Carts (AGCs) for various industrial applications, including standard product line carts and custom-designed systems tailored to specific customer needs.
The various models are built on a common control architecture that support various mechanical configurations, and support operations ranging from simple delivery loops to sophisticated multi-destination routes with “Dispatch” bits that allow the units to dynamically navigate at run-time based on simple user destination selections.
A Step Program central concept allows systems to be field-programmed by customers, or by factory Application Support teams. Each Step allows control of distance, speed, direction, sound, collision avoidance and intersection management, and can manage and/or monitor general-purpose 24 Volt DC I/O points. Simple applications use just a few steps in sequence to achieve their function; advanced applications can take advantage of many steps, and branch to different steps when certain I/O or Dispatch conditions occur, providing run-time routing variations.
Exclusive Cart-to-Cart radio communication feature allows intersection management in many cases even without a Master Control panel, by prioritizing steps where paths cross or where queues are needed. Simple Radio I/O units can be used to interface between the AGCs and customer automation. Full-fledged Master Cart Control panels are also available and can be built upon various industrial-grade PLC controls to interface with customer plant information and automation systems.
All units include built-in AC-powered battery chargers, with options available for automatic charging at drive-up charge stations.