Många förändringar sker idag inom industrin och särskilt med tanke på omställning till industri 4.0. Dana Incorporated har genom Högskolan Väst efterfrågat en studie om automatiserade transporter i deras planerade fabrik i Åmål. Fabriken ska ligga i yttersta framkant gällande automation och effektivitet med industri 4.0 som mål. För att hitta rätt system behandlar denna rapport flera viktiga aspekter som behöver tas i beaktning vid övergång eller nyetablering av AGV/AMR truckar och robotar. Studier, intervjuer och fakta används i rapporten för att hitta rätt system i en föränderlig miljö där flexibilitet efterfrågas. Förstudierna om godsets förpackning, AGV/AMR-systemets modell och flexibilitet visar sig vara ytterst viktiga faktorer i studien. Det är stor skillnad mellan olika AGV/AMR-system i både pris och utförande, vilket gör att stora kostnader går att spara vid grundlig undersökning. Ju mer arbete och tid som läggs i förstudierna desto mer underlättar implementering och sparar på investeringskostnaden. Studien visar att ju längre tid det tar att implementera, blir kostnaden högre på grund av att företaget samtidigt belastas med operatörskostnader. Längre implementeringstid ger högre kostnad men innebär ett lägre risktagande. Att hitta den perfekta balansen mellan dessa två faktorer är svårt och tidskrävande. Det är ändå viktigt att ha vetskap om att både en för djärv och en för långsam satsning resulterar i onödiga kostnader. Strukturen och flexibilitet är andra delar som påverkar val av system. Inget AGV/AMR-system kan idag ha samma flexibilitet som en mänsklig truckförare. Organisationen måste därför struktureras till den flexibilitetsgrad som det tänkta systemet kan hantera. Vilken grad av vinst och resultat som ges genom det tänkta AGV/AMR-systemet grundas mycket genom kunskap om AGV/AMR-systemen som skulle passa företaget innan val av produkt. / Many changes are taking place today in the industry and especially with a view to conversion to industry 4.0. Through University West, Dana Incorporated has requested a study on automated transports in their planned factory in Åmål. The factory will be at the forefront of automation and efficiency with industry 4.0 as its goal. To find the right system, this report addresses several important aspects that need to be taken into account when transitioning or establishing new AGV / AMR trucks and robots. Studies, interviews and facts are used in the report to find the right system in a changing environment where flexibility is required. The feasibility studies on the packaging of the goods, the model and flexibility of the AGV / AMR system prove to be extremely important factors in the study. There is a big difference between different AGV / AMR systems in both price and design, which means that large costs can be saved during a thorough examination. The more work and time that is put into the feasibility studies, the easier it is to implement and save on the investment cost. The study shows that the longer the time implementation requires, the higher the cost due to contemporary operator costs. Longer implementation time results in higher costs but means lower risk-taking. Finding the perfect balance between these two factors is hard and time consuming. It´s still a good knowledge to know that both a too bold and a too slow investment results in unnecessary costs. The structure and flexibility are other parts that influence the choice of system. No AGV / AMR system today can have the same flexibility as a human truck driver. The organization must therefore be structured to the flexibility that is possible to handle for the selected system. The degree of profit and results given through the intended AGV / AMR system is largely based on knowledge before choosing a product.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to identify the current transport flow for circuit board racks and to investigate the potential implementation of an automated solution for the transportation of circuit board racks in order to increase efficiency in the flow. The research questions answered during this study were: What does the transport flow for circuit board racks look like today?  What could an automated transport flow for circuit board racks look like?  Is an automated transport flow for circuit board racks a sufficient solution to improve efficiency in the flow? Theoretical framework: The study applied several different theories, with waste being a central part. This, in combination with bottleneck identification, mapping, and automation, has been theories used to study the flow and find improvements. Method: A case study was conducted to analyze the transport flow of circuit board racks and identify potential improvements. The method included a literature review, observations, interviews, brainstorming, Value Stream Mapping, and spaghetti diagrams to collect and analyze data from different perspectives. Results: With a combination of theories and empirical data, an analysis of the current transport flow for the circuit board racks could be made. Furthermore, bottlenecks and waste were identified, and automated transport solutions linked to AMR systems were found as a potential solution for a more efficient transport flow. The result showed that an AMR system is the most advantageous solution. However, the study showed that the automated solution was not sufficient without eliminating the bottlenecks in order to generate maximum efficiency in the automated transport flow. Implications: This study has the implication of highlighting the challenges and opportunities of a more efficient transport flow using AMR systems. This includes an improved working environment, reduced work-related injuries, increased production efficiency by eliminating bottlenecks, and waiting times.