Germany, November 2016 – LASE Industrielle Lasertechnik GmbH, one of the leading companies for laser-based sensor systems in the field of industrial applications, has launched LaseAVP – automatic vehicle positioning for AGVs. Next to its positioning systems for trucks and straddle carriers this new product completes the portfolio of applications for positioning tasks under STS-Cranes. Thus LASE can offer the right solution for every horizontal transportation vehicle now.

By the development of this new positioning system for AGVs, LASE intendeds to continue its mission for safer and more efficient container operations in ports and terminals. The application for Automated Guided Vehicles can handle the positioning of AGVs in up to three lanes (sequentially). A 3D laser scanner from the LASE 3000D-C2-11x Series is mounted at the portal girder centrally above the lanes and shall detect an AGV in a specific lane. Consequently it receives the position information by the crane PLC in order to calculate the distance to the crane centre. For this task the application has to determine the centre position as well as the skew of a free slot on an AGV for deposit tasks and of the container for pick up operations.

In for example a semi-automatic environment, an AGV receives a position where it has to drive to carry or fetch a container. This position is very rough and quite inaccurate beneath the respective crane, but firstly the AGV drives to this demanded position. After arriving, the crane PLC triggers the LASE system for a calculation of the position and the skew of a free slot or container on the AGV. In this case the 3D laser scanner performs a 3D scan (see image) over the respective lane. The collected data is sent back to the PLC, which can align the crane and the spreader to the AGV position correctly now.

The application is able to position AGVs for all common container types, e.g. 20ft, 40ft and 45ft and is also applicable for single or double spreader operations. The LaseAVP (Automatic Positioning Vehicle) measurement system is primarily designed for STS-Crane operations and serves both to increase the safety and an efficient workflow in container handling while loading and unloading operations. All in all the launch of LaseAVP covers all modes horizontal container transport in ports and terminals by this further laser-based positioning system now and also builds an interface to the vertical operations.