Chery Automotive installs more than 100 ForwardX mobile robots in its ‘Super Factory’
Chery Super Factory, a state-of-the-art automobile manufacturing plant located in Qingdao, China, has partnered with ForwardX Robotics, a leading provider of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), to implement a groundbreaking smart automotive manufacturing solution.
The collaboration aims to streamline operations, improve efficiency, and enhance automation in the assembly workshop of the factory.
Established in 2023, Chery Super Factory is a cutting-edge automobile manufacturing plant with a focus on integrating advanced technologies and realizing digital transformation.
With an annual production capacity of 300,000 vehicles and 200,000 KD units, the factory aims to be at the forefront of business integration, smart supply chain management, and a robust logistics ecosystem.
Chery is a pioneer in the industry, being one of the first to adopt vision-based AMRs for automated material movement in the assembly workshop.
In this first stage of deployment, more than 100 AMRs have been integrated with the factory’s Logistics Execution Systems (LES) software to enable unmanned material movement across various assembly lines.
In the post-installation line, ForwardX’s Flex 300-L AMRs transport materials from the staging area to designated workstations after barcode verification. The AMRs dock with the racks and utilize their advanced vision systems to execute secure material transportation.
In the interior line and door line processes, ForwadX’s Lynx U1000 autonomous tugger AMRs integrate into the SPS system and transport materials from the staging area to the line-side workstations.
The AMRs navigate to the material staging area with empty racks, and pickers use light indicators as guidance for picking and matching. Once the AMR reaches the unloading point on the line side, the full racks are automatically unloaded.
After completing the material delivery, the AMRs independently mount empty racks at the rack collection point and return.
In the chassis line process, Chery Super Factory prioritizes sustainability by reusing old racks and employing ForwardX’s Apex 2000 autonomous forklifts in specific processes, promoting an eco-friendly approach and reducing waste.
Since implementing ForwardX Robotics’ smart automotive manufacturing solution, the Chery Super Factory has successfully lowered the logistics cost per vehicle by an impressive 10 percent.
Moreover, the system keeps the line-side over-supply rate below 15 percent and the assembly error rate of less than two per-thousand vehicles.
By effectively managing inventory levels and eliminating assembly errors, the new distribution process minimizes the possibility of production line disruptions, resulting in a 200 percent increase in efficiency and a significant reduction in operational costs
By leveraging ForwardX Robotics’ innovative solutions, Chery accelerates its transformation into a global technology company, remaining committed to its goal of creating an intelligent, automated, digitized, and smart logistics factory.