Case Study: Denso — Platform Transport with the Smart Lift 500/1000 Under-Ride Robot

The Denso AGV implementation involved automating load transport with an under-ride robot from the Smart Lift family in its 500/1000 version. It is a scenario in which a low-profile robot drives under a platform or pallet on its own, lifts it and carries it along a repetitive route.

Background: automotive component production

Denso is one of the world’s largest suppliers of automotive components. In its plants, internal transport handles the flow of sub-assemblies between lines, buffers and picking areas. It is a series production environment in which repeatability and on-time delivery to workstations are preconditions for a smoothly running line.

The transport challenge

Repeatedly moving platforms and pallets along fixed routes is a task that requires no operator decisions — it is simply cyclical. When done manually, it ties people up in low value-added work and introduces variability into delivery times. The aim was to hand this traffic over to a robot that would handle it independently and predictably.

The Denso AGV implementation — the Smart Lift 500/1000 robot

A robot from the Smart Lift 500/1000 family was proposed — a low platform around 215–230 mm high that drives under the load, lifts it by 30–50 mm and transports it onwards. The load capacity reaches 1000 kg, and the dimensions of the robot and of the platform it carries are adapted to the customer’s process.

The robot works in a repetitive mission loop — from the call, through pick-up and transport, to unloading and returning to the charging station — with certified safety scanners and auto-charging as standard equipment.

• Smart Lift 500/1000 — a low under-ride robot for transporting platforms and pallets.
• Lifts the load by 30–50 mm, load capacity up to 1000 kg.
• Robot dimensions adapted to the load size and the customer’s process.
• A repetitive transport mission with auto-charging and safety scanners.

The full case study with data and video footage is coming soon to the Academy. You can find out more about under-ride robots in the AGV and AMR robots category.