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Siemens Netherlands and VDL Automated Vehicles are launching the second generation of their automated logistics platform based on Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) for industrial companies with mixed traffic on their premises this autumn. To strengthen this intensive collaboration, Dirk De Bilde, CEO of Siemens Netherlands, Edwin Willems, Senior Vice President of VDL Groep, and Karel Smits, Business Unit Manager at VDL Automated Vehicles, signed a cooperation agreement at the Hannover Messe.
The specialized knowledge and experience of Siemens and VDL are combined to further develop the required infrastructures, such as energy and network, and a virtual simulation (the so-called digital twins) for the second generation of electric AGVs.
VDL has been building AGVs for years for use in port areas. They are deployed at the largest, most modern container terminals in the world. Since 2017, VDL has also focused on smaller AGVs for industrial companies with so-called ‘mixed traffic’ on their plant. This hybrid form of automated and non-automated transport is becoming increasingly relevant in the European market, due to the many application possibilities.
With the second generation of AGVs, VDL and Siemens are responding even better to current challenges faced by companies. One of these is the increasing tightness in the labour market and the shortage of drivers. The available drivers can handle more 'outbound' transport tasks, while an automatic vehicle – with a 95% availability – can carry out the trips on the site. This also results in higher process stability and continuity.
Electric vehicles also help companies to achieve their energy targets more easily, become more sustainable, and reduce their CO2 emissions. Additionally, the number of damages is lower, as shown by previous pilots.
The logistical concept has evolved from an automated transportation device to an integrated logistical solution, including charging stations and everything related.
Siemens provides the complete drive, automation, and digitalisation, from the electric motors to the visualisation software. Siemens software consists of tested, certified building blocks that can be used for various functionalities within the vehicle. Additionally, Siemens also supplies the security solutions required within an automated system.
The complete system is first built in a virtual environment. Then, within this ‘digital twin’, the logistical process is simulated. This allows for simulating people walking around in the environment, increasing the vehicle's speed to achieve certain performance, or adding charging stations.
Dirk De Bilde, CEO Siemens Netherlands: ‘We are pleased that today we have reinforced our intensive collaboration with our partner VDL. The combination of our respective expertise and the platform approach – ecosystem thinking – can further accelerate innovations in automated transport for industrial applications, reducing the timeframe by half.’
Karel Smits, business unit manager VDL Automated Vehicles: ‘The state-of-the-art technology of this second-generation AGVs helps industrial companies to make the logistics on their plant more sustainable, efficient, safer, and more reliable. We look forward to further developing this technology in close collaboration with Siemens in the coming years for a successful, broad application across numerous sectors.’
For more information about the collaboration between Siemens Netherlands and VDL Automated Vehicles, read here the full interview with Karel Smits, Business Unit Manager, and John Thelen, Account Manager, both working at VDL Automated Vehicles and Herm Brunott, Siemens Account Manager.
Communications Director and spokesperson for VDL Groep
E: m.timmers@vdl.nl
Tel: +31 6 14767066
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