AGVs and the Future of Printing
Overview The future of printing is quickly evolving, shifting toward an increasingly automated industry. The rise of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) playing a significant role in print production highlights this underlying trend. Seizing an opportunity to heighten productivity, investments and implementations of AGVs into the printing industry are increasing. 3Laws Robotics, in particular, offers innovative solutions to enhance the reliability and safety within AGV utilization.
AGVs and the Printing Industry The presence of AGVs in today's printing industry is increasing at a rapid pace. According to IDC's Worldwide Robotics and Drones Spending Guide, the spending on AGVs in the printing sector is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.5% over 2020-2025. The AGV market in the printing industry was valued at $1.5 billion in 2020. The growth of AGVs in printing is prevalent, clearly indicating the industry's transition to automation.
The Role of AGVs in Print Production AGVs play a crucial role in enhancing the efficiency and productivity of print production. They automate the material handling process, reducing labor costs and improving operational efficiency. Data reveals that AGVs can reduce labor costs by up to 70% and increase operational efficiency by 30%. With such a significant improvement, it's no wonder AGVs have been taking center stage in print production.
Advantages of AGVs over Traditional Conveyors AGVs offer an edge over traditional conveyors due to their flexibility and adaptability. Traditional conveyors have a fixed path, limiting their use in diverse operational settings. However, AGVs can be programmed to follow flexible routes, enabling them to adapt to changing operational requirements. The flexibility of AGVs leads to a 15% increase in overall productivity as compared to their traditional counterparts.
Key Takeaways - Investments and implementations of AGVs in the printing industry are growing at a rapid pace. - AGVs can reduce labor costs by up to 70% and increase operational efficiency by 30%. - Compared to traditional conveyors, the flexibility of AGVs leads to a 15% increase in overall productivity.
3Laws Robotics As the AGVs continue to evolve and play an essential role in the printing industry, companies like 3Laws Robotics strive to provide cutting-edge safety and reliability enhancements. 3Laws specializes in the complex challenge of certification, a critical pain point for robotics companies. Their robust software, 3Laws Supervisor, is designed to simplify this process, offering robust safety features and evidence of system robustness thereby potentially making the certification path easier.
3Laws leverages technology developed at Caltech to offer robust safety features- Control Barrier Functions (CBFs). They provide mathematically provable safety, enabling robots to work closer to their peak capabilities while maintaining safety.
In multiple use cases, 3Laws' technology has proven itself. In warehouse automation, they helped an autonomous forklift customer achieve a 40% efficiency gain with a 6-month payback period. In human-robot interaction, they enabled safe and uninterrupted operation of robots near humans. Their reactive collision avoidance capabilities help robots effectively navigate unpredictable surroundings.
Their software seeks to minimize downtime caused by unnecessary e-stops or collisions by providing real-time guardrails for autonomy stacks and allows robots to operate closer to their peak capabilities. It can work with a wide range of platforms, including mobile robots, cars, drones, and manipulators, and is compatible with popular robotics middleware such as ROS and ROS2.
In essence, 3Laws Robotics offers the next-generation safety solution for AGVs that extends beyond traditional e-stop methods, presenting a proactive safety approach that unlocks the full potential of robotics in various industries, including the rapidly growing printing sector.