12 via a user interface. The robots then pick up empty trolleys at the line and transfer them to defined handover positions in the warehouse. Finally, they bring full trolleys back to the lineside areas. The system is designed for a cycle time that allows transport every 50 seconds, ensuring a consistent, demand-driven supply to the production lines. When no orders are available, the robots automatically use charging stations to ensure their availability via „opportunity charging“. One special feature is the communication between the mobile robots and cobots used in backrest assembly. When a cobot reports its material requirements to the transport robot fleet, a mobile robot brings a full material trolley from the warehouse to the production line. There, it positions the trolley at the cobot‘s workstation and the seat backs are transferred by gravity using Karakuri technology to a material depot from which the cobot helps itself. The empty trolley is immediately returned to the warehouse. Layout optimization instead of pure automation A key to the project‘s success was the consistent redesign of the layout and traffic management, not only automation. Transfer and parking positions were relocated, directions of travel were adjusted, and stations were rotated to reduce maneuvering times. Additional bypass routes defuse intersections and prevent deadlocks. Critical traffic areas were analyzed early on and incorporated directly into the system design, which was validated by static calculations and simulations. Robust technology for everyday production Mobile robots handle trolleys carrying seat components weighing up to 500 Continuous Material Flow instead of Manual Transport: Adient has automated its plant in Torslanda, Sweden, with mobile robots By Alexander Strunz, Manager PR & Communications, SAFELOG Adient, one of the world‘s leading manufacturers of automotive seats with approximately 65,000 employees at around 200 production sites in 29 countries, has successfully automated intralogistics at its plant in Torslanda, Sweden. With this automation, Adient has permanently eliminated a major bottleneck in seat production. Together with SAFELOG, a mobile robot system was implemented that fully automates material transport between the warehouse and the production line and now ensures a stable, continuous flow of materials. Manual logistics as a limiting factor Before the project began, material carts and trolleys were moved using forklifts and industrial trucks. This approach was labor-intensive, costly, and highly susceptible to fluctuations. During peak loads, there were regular waiting times, interruptions, and a lack of synchronization between the warehouse and the production line. Under these conditions, ensuring a continuous flow of materials was impossible, which proved to be an increasingly critical factor given the growing variety of variants and cycle time requirements. Mobile robot fleet as the backbone of line supply Today‘s solution is based on mobile robots that completely take over the transport of trolleys. Transport orders are triggered Mobile Robots moving trolleys at Adient, Torslanda, Sweden. Images: © SAFELOG
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