Many Scandinavian paper and boxboard manufacturers have been Solving’s customers for some decades and Solving installations can now be found all over the world. Stora Enso, Metsä Board, UPM and Cartulinas are a few examples of companies that currently benefit from Solving products to assist their production processes, ensuring high standards of safety, productivity and ergonomics. Most Solving installations nowadays are automated guided vehicles, AGVs, supporting the general trend towards increased automation in the paper industry worldwide.

An international customer case

One example of a customised Solving installation is a system incorporating seven AGVs to automate the handling process of boxboard sheet pallets.

The AGV system is used to pick up empty pallets from the storage area and take them to the sheet cutting machines. The AGVs then collect the loaded pallets and transport them to conveyors, which in turn forward them to a packaging line. To allow for fast and efficient aftersales support, systems for remote monitoring and fault finding can be incorporated in the AGV system.

Solving was the chosen supplier based on their previous experience in paper handling systems for the Finnish paper industry, and the installation was designed around specific customer requirements, such as improved safety, the need for higher productivity and less damage to the product. Efficiency was also improved with adjustable AGV forks, allowing sheet pallets of varying sizes to be handled in production.

Different loads require different solutions

Solving AGVs enable heavy industrial loads such as sheet pallets, paper reels and cores to be transported efficiently and safely. Although every customer’s project requires a unique approach to meet particular specifications and requirements, some typical applications for Solving AGVs in the paper industry can be identified.

Fitted with automatically adjustable forks, Solving AGVs for sheet pallets enable handling of all sizes of pallets. A self-adjusting upper load support holds the sheet stacks in place and thus prevents them from slipping during braking or cornering. For reel handling, different types of equipment can be applied depending on whether the reels are handled in horizontal or in vertical position.

AGVs for horizontal paper reel handling use infinitely variable forks and a built-in lifting device for picking up the reels directly off the floor, or from any desired height. If needed, integrated rotating devices for unwinding the reel can be incorporated. The load handling forks are adjustable to accommodate a variety of reel sizes, enabling the same AGV to be used at various stations in the production process.

For the vertical transport of paper reels, Solving AGVs are equipped with a gripping device including a lifting function to lift the paper reel from and to any desired height. The gripping device also reduces handling damage to a minimum. As with all Solving’s paper handling AGVs, safety is guaranteed by laser and electromechanical bumpers, emergency stop buttons and photocells.

Transporting paper cores can also be fully automated with AGVs customised for every installation’s special requirements. With built-in gripping devices cores can be picked up either from the end or the long side.  Adjustable in height, the devices provide easy access to paper cores at any desired height, which is important from an ergonomic perspective.

Common features of the Solving AGV

Customised driverless Solving AGVs are installed by paper manufacturers to carry out monotonous tasks with high transport availability. Operational times of up to 20 hours a day can be achieved using fast rechargeable batteries.

Operation is easily monitored from a control station whilst status and error messages are displayed clearly on a graphic display panel. Safety is ensured for personnel, products and other equipment in the area by laser and electromechanical bumpers, emergency stop buttons, photocells, audible signals and warning lights on the AGVs. Bluespots projecting a blue warning spot on the floor to warn pedestrians and forklift drivers of an approaching AGV also improve safety.

Various navigation methods such as laser, contour, magnetic spot and magnetic tape, or a combination of these, are selected depending on the customer’s requirements, frequency of transportation, existing facilities, factory layout, cost of installation and future expansion.

Future trends

A general trend in the market is that the demand for fine paper has decreased, whereas it is continuously expanding for boxboard and special paper. Online-shopping and a trend towards new packaging solutions to replace plastics is also a contributing factor.

With their extensive experience in the paper industry, Solving has exceptional expertise available to assist European manufacturers in the field of high-quality automated handling systems.