Balancing the production, flexibility and minimized buffer stock were important issues when Valtra was choosing a more effective operating method for its assembly factory. Some 11 000 tailored tractors are manufactured each year, a majority of which are exported.

The AGV solution at Valtra includes several AGVs, Rocla AWTs and ATXs, warehouse management system and warehousing solutions. Rocla AWTs feature design covers according to Valtra’s corporate brand. The automated warehouse system brings the right axle components when needed to the tractor assembly lines. By concentrating on final assembly and essential components the work flow has increased remarkably in this assembly line. Thanks to this system personnel is free to move from routine transfers to more productive work.  In addition to its main task the AGV system is being programmed to feed also heavy components to the beginning of assembly line. In the future it is possible to expand the system to correspond with the changes in production.

AWT big part pick up
"Flexibility was the main reason for us why we chose the AGV solution instead of fixed conveyors", explains Mr. Sami Savolainen, Valtra’s Development Engineer.

Fully independent AGVs listen to warehouse management system
Rocla MetRO, a warehouse management system that was installed into existing production management system controls the movement of the AGVs. In daily work Rocla AGVs move totally independently. They read the work line and the shelf locations of the components from the warehouse management system and carry out their tasks in a programmed order.
  
"I like the simplicity of the system: there are no detectors or I/O ports, no cables buried to the floor and nobody asks the vehicle to do anything, it works on its own", explains Mr. Savolainen.

There are no special routes reserved for AGVs. They move in a same area where people are moving by feet or by scooters and operator-driven trucks are moving around. There are a few traffic lights in certain corners to notify people about the movements of an AGV.

AWT big part picking
Savolainen is also glad of the improved work safety generated by the AGVs. The safety devices detect its environment and ensure that AGV stops when faced with obstacles.

"We visited Rocla’s production before our decision was made. We were impressed by their strong organization and know-how. It is easy to trust a company that has long, solid history in the AGV business like Rocla", tells Mr. Savolainen.

New AGV application for picking: Rocla ATX
Valtra has also added the next automated application to its system, Rocla ATX. These vehicles have the information about the needed components for radiators and the worker will collect them from the shelves to a rack on the vehicle. Rocla MetRO, a warehouse management system, controls the lights flashing on the shelf to point which parts to collect. ATXs then bring all the parts into assembly station. This way the productivity of the assembly work is heavily increased. There are almost 80 different radiator combinations used in Valtra’s tractors, and getting the right parts for the model simultaneously into assembly saves a lot of assembler’s time. It also narrows down the possibility for errors.