Align Production Systems, Kollmorgen Partner to Advance Automated Guided Vehicles

Align Production Systems, a leading innovator in material handling systems, has announced a strategic partnership with Kollmorgen, which is known for its vehicle control products. The companies said the collaboration will "revolutionize" automated guided vehicles, or AGVs.

"Our partnership with Kollmorgen marks a pivotal moment in the AGV technology for heavy industry," stated Jason Stoecker, CEO of Align Production Systems (APS). "As a premier provider of heavy industrial solutions partnered with a pioneer in AGV technologies, APS will help lead heavy industry into the autonomous age."

St. Louis, Mo.-based Align Production Systems said it is committed to enhancing efficiency, safety, and productivity across all manufacturing industries. The company provides custom engineering services, industrial automation components, and AGV software.

APS looks to the future of AGVs

"AGV systems have become an integral part of smart manufacturing while keeping safety as a top concern, enabling businesses to optimize their operations, reduce human intervention, and significantly increase production," said Align Production Systems.

The partners said they will combine APS's expertise in designing AGVs with Kollmorgen's servo motors, drives, and automation control platforms for the next generation of the technology. They said their goal is "to redefine the standards of how large and heavy products are moved" in factories.

Align Production Systems and Kollmorgen said they are focusing on the following:

• Enhanced navigation: The partners plan to implement advanced navigation systems that allow AGVs to move more fluidly in complex environments with lidar sensors.
• Scalable solutions: They said they will create systems that can increase fleet size and weight capacities that can serve numerous industries.
• Optimized energy efficiency: Kollmorgen will apply its expertise to ensure that AGVs operate longer and more efficiently, reducing downtimes and boosting overall productivity.

Align Production Systems and Kollmorgen said they are "committed to pushing the boundaries of AGV vehicle technology to ensure the future of AGVs is beneficial to customers."

Kollmorgen provides robot drives

Kollmorgen said its motion systems and components offer performance, reliability, and ease of use. The Radford, Va.-based company said it has deployed and supported AGVs and mobile robots for more than 50 years with “the industry’s leading ecosystem of OEM and system integrator partners."

Last month, Kollmorgen announced ATEX certification and IECEx/cETLus listing for its explosion-proof Goldline EBH 480 Vac servo motor.

The company also added the 24A drive to its AKD2G servo drive series to deliver higher amperage, provide configurable options, and support high-performance robotics applications.

“The AKD2G 24A delivers higher amperage for more applications,” said James Davison, senior vice president/general manager at Kollmorgen. “This high level of flexibility and performance potential means customers aren’t forced to mix and match drives. Simply put, the expanded AKD2G servo drive family now gives customers more power and control with less complexity.”