Innovative AGV automates tomato transport for Tomeco
Our customer Tomeco, an association of tomato growers who market their products exclusively through Coöperatie Hoogstraten, faced a logistical challenge. The tomatoes that are processed in the sorting and packaging warehouse have to cover a distance of 235 meters to the warehouse of Coöperatie Hoogstraten. Previously, the tomatoes were transported by a forklift that pulled a specially designed cart along this route. However, this repetitive work was not ideal for the forklift drivers, who were better employed on other tasks.
The ‘Automato’ of Tomeco
To address this challenge, AVT Europe NV developed the Automato (or Automaatje in Dutch), a customized AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) or self-driving logistics robot that can transport up to 8 pallets of tomatoes at a time. The Automato docks itself at the sorting line, charging itself while the pallets are loaded. It then drives the AGV to the vegetable warehouse of Coöperatie Hoogstraten, where it unloads itself and returns to repeat the process. Loading and unloading is thus fully automatic using roller conveyors in customized loading docks.
“The Automato does not drive faster than a forklift, but it can transport more pallets and it does so completely autonomously. This leads to huge savings in energy, time and staff. Moreover, the risk of accidents and damage is much lower,” emphasizes Jens Deckers, Sales Manager Transport Solutions.
The AGV navigates fully autonomously and follows a predetermined route from point A to point B. On busy days, this round trip is performed some 20 times a day, guaranteeing constant transport for the tomatoes.
Outdoor AGV
Developing an AGV that can withstand outdoor weather conditions was a challenging task. A robust design was essential to ensure durability. Components were carefully selected to withstand exposure to sun and rain. In addition, a rain sensor adjusts the vehicle’s driving style to prevent skidding on wet surfaces. The sturdy construction ensures the safety of both the AGV and the precious tomatoes.
The Automato project was also selected by Siemens for the “Best Application Contest 2023,” an award through which it aims to highlight innovative digitization and automation applications. Although we unfortunately did not win the top prize, the Automato still achieved a nice second place.
