According to Ed Brown, founder of Topper Industrial, the new vision guided vehicles (VGVs) paired with industrial carts are ideal for large manufacturers to reduce labor costs. Cost per hour is often dependent on manufacturers’ location; the fully burdened pay will be between $40-55K per year, per worker. One vision guided vehicle (VGV) truck that can do the work of three workers. The total cost of ownership, with the automated solution, will not have much product or equipment damage because the human element is taken out of the equation; there are fewer repairs to an autonomous vehicle; humans run driving fork lifts run into things.
VGVs with cart solutions include excellent cost per hour, time to train and deploy, safety, efficiency/productivity, cost to scale, and total cost of ownership. This is all part of a Fork Truck Free initiative which improves throughput time by maintaining minimum inventory levels. VGV/Carts help to maintain minimum inventory levels by delivering products consistently and reliably.
Brown said this important combination supports pull-through production methods. Pull-through production is triggered by a customer order (as opposed to traditional push-through method, in which products are manufactured in long production runs and stored in anticipation of orders.) VGVs deliver the parts as needed, without utilizing expensive labor.
As a key function of lean manufacturing this pairing of VGVs/Carts enhances the use of work cells. An autonomous production line that can efficiently and continuously perform all required operations, where VGVs enhance the use of work cells as they deliver the right parts to the intended work cells.
About Topper Industrial
For more than twenty years, Topper Industrial, (www.ForkTruckFree.com) based just outside of Milwaukee, WI, has been a leader in the material handling equipment industry. The company’s product roster features industrial carts, conveyors, lifts, lifts & tilts, shipping racks, containers, casters, and cart components. From mother-daughter carts to quad steer carts to tilt carts and rotate carts, Topper’s material handling solutions make delivering material line side more effective through more efficient practices. Topper Industrial has a team of experienced professional experts able to assess and provide the right product for all material handling equipment requirements.
Topper Industrial is a proud member of MHI. The Topper Industrial client roster includes Anderson Windows, Detroit Diesel, Honda, Kia Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Aramark, Johnson Controls, Whirlpool, and Caterpillar.
Follow on Twitter @TopperInd. Call 800-529-0909
Media Contact
Company Name: Topper Industrial
Contact Person: Jillian Burrow, Marketing Manager
Email: pr@topperindustrial.com
Phone: 262-886-6931
Address:1729 NE Frontage Road
City: Sturtevant
State: Wisconsin
Country: United States
Website: www.topperindustrial.com