According to Dematic, AGVs are capable of lifting loads of up to 1,500 kg to a height of four metres. Powered by maintenance-free batteries, they can drive themselves onto charging floor plates when inactive.

The AGVs can withstand the challenging environment posed by warehouses while providing a 360° safety field of protection.

It features three obstruction sensors designed to identify any unexpected object within the scanner’s horizontal sensing plane.

Each obstruction sensor has two sensor fields: a protection and warning field.

When an obstacle is detected in the warning field, which is longer and wider than the protection field, the vehicle will slow down to below normal walking pace.

When an object is detected in the protection field, the safety PLC will trigger an emergency stop within the AGV and it will remain stopped until the obstruction is cleared.

The AGVs also have four emergency-stop buttons, with one in each corner of the AGVs. Once pushed, they trigger an emergency stop in the vehicle until it is released manually, and the reset button is pressed.

Vinpac chose AGVs because it is capable of working 24/7 every day of the year. The machine’s efficiency and accuracy reduce workplace accidents, providing improvement in occupational health and safety standards.

“The safety of our team is paramount, so the deployment of these AGVs will help to enhance the working environment for our valued team members and will deliver the best level of service possible to our customers,” said Vinpac International group operations manager Andrew Holdback.

“The Vinpac AGV system will transfer finished goods from production lines to conveyors and manage the empty pallet stacks to/from the palletisers and de-stackers,” explained Dematic general manager for AGVs Tony Raggio.

Founded in 1975 to provide contract bottling services to customers in the Australian wine industry and beyond, Vinpac bottles over 10 million nine-litre cases annually and distributes to over 500 customers. It operates out of the Barossa and McLaren Vale wine regions in South Australia.