Automated Guided Vehicles : En förstudie på Rusta AB:s centrallager

Sammanfattning: Abstract Course: Thesis in logistics for the MBA program, 4FE19E, VT18 Authors: Niklas Carlsson and Filip Norberg Supervisor: Hana Hulthén Examiner: Helena Forslund Title: Automated Guided Vehicles – A preliminary study on the central warehouse of Rusta AB. Background: Automated guided vehicles (AGV) is a driverless truck, programmed to automatically transport goods from point A to point B without human interaction. Rusta AB is in the middle of an expansion of its central warehouse, the warehouse today is 64000 m2 and when the development is completed it will be around 100000 m2. This will mean longer distances for Rusta’s truck drivers to transport pallets. Therefore, Rusta got interested in investigating automated guided vehicles, in which truck flows there are opportunities to implement them and if they can lead to a cost reduction and increased productivity. Purpose: The purpose of the study is to create a decision-making model that is based on the implementation of an AGV system as a complement to a traditional truck fleet, for companies to use. To determine in which flows in Rusta’s central warehouse that are best suited for an implementation and also what type of AGV that fits best within each flow. In order to be able to answer these questions, it is required that the decisionmaking model presented is carried out. The study is a preliminary study and should be used as part of the decision-making basis when Rusta make the decision to use a AGV system or not. Method: The study is a single case study where the authors have mainly used a qualitative method through the study. However, in the final chapter of the study, a quantitative method is used. The study contains both primary and secondary data. The empirical data has been collected through interviews, observations and measurements. The questions have been analysed on the basis of grounded theory, however, not all parts of the grounded theory are used as it does not fit the research design on which the study is based. v Conclusions: A decision-making model for the strategic decision to implement AGV contains crucial and influential qualitative and quantitative factors that a company should take into account before making a decision. Five possible flows were identified where there were conditions that suited the use of AGV and it was also determined that a low-lift AGV forklift with laser navigation should be used. The flows stood up to the demands that were made both on the basis of the decision-making model that was created and also to the specific needs of each flow. Thereafter the quantitative part of the decision-making model was based on the qualitative analyses. Here it became clear that by implementing AGV in the best suited flows, Rusta could get a significantly lower cost without getting lower capacity. Rusta was therefore recommended to implement AGV in three of the five possible flows. The recommended AGV type is a low-lift AGV like the Toyota Material handling LAE250 or Jungheinrich ERE-AGV. This would reduce costs by around 600,000 SEK per year compared to the conventional trucks used today. The large cost reduction is mostly due to the lower costs for the staff. Through this, Rusta achieves the objective of the investment, to lower costs of their operations in its central warehouse. Keywords: Automated guided vehicles, distribution warehouse, flow chart, decisionmaking model