Self-driving Robots Support Audi Hungaria’s Production

Audi Hungaria started series production of its Premium Platform Electric (PPE) drive last November. A fleet of 30 robots delivers the components to three production lines for the transmission component machining, stator assembly and powertrain assembly areas, all under close supervision, the Győr-based automotive company revealed in a statement on Wednesday.

The deployment of the self-driving robots (automated guided vehicle, or AGV) for the PPE production line started in 2021, with functionality testing of the machines to check that sensors are working and that they stop at the right distance in the event of a detected obstacle. This was followed by further tests ranging from software testing to a connectivity test.

The big milestone was the trial run, where the company’s staff modeled the production lines’ needs before the performance test and availability test needed to start series production.

In total, Audi Hungaria staff tested the performance and utilization of the robots for around three years before the project went live.

The robots currently deliver parts to the PPE engine production line, covering a total of 131 kilometers in a day.

The software to monitor the robot fleet was made possible thanks to new ideas and solutions brought in by the company’s staff. The software is able to track and analyse what is happening, for instance to check the utilization and availability of the robot fleet and the charge of the robots’ lithium-ion batteries. It also allows the evaluation of production days or shifts.

Via audi.hu; Featured image: Facebook/Audi Hungaria Győr