Scientists at South Ural State University (SUSU) have developed a concept for implementing autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) for refractory industry enterprises. The new system is designed to replace manual labor in transporting heavy loads, reduce injury rates in production, and minimize losses from defects.
As TASS reported in the university's press service, the research was conducted at one of the specialized enterprises. The main task is to adapt complex robotics to extreme workshop conditions: high dustiness, temperature fluctuations, and the need for constant transportation of bricks and bulk materials.
Requirements for industrial robots
Unlike classic automated guided vehicles (AGVs), which move along fixed routes, AMR robots navigate independently in space. To change their path, it is enough to update the digital map in the system, without rebuilding the actual workshop. SUSU scientists have formulated strict technical requirements for such machines:
- Load capacity: up to 1.5 tons.
- Dust and moisture protection level: no lower than IP54 standard.
- Positioning accuracy: up to 10 mm.
- Battery life: at least 8 hours without recharging.
Economics and project prospects
According to researchers' calculations, a fleet of six autonomous platforms will be required for uninterrupted delivery of pallets from the pressing shop to the drying chambers.
The basic payback period for such a solution is estimated at nine years. However, due to the release of employees, reduction of equipment downtime, and careful transportation that eliminates chips on products, this period can be reduced to six to seven years.
In the future, university specialists plan to create a full-fledged digital twin of the "Magnezit" group's production. A virtual 3D model of the enterprise will allow testing logistics hypotheses and optimizing equipment routes in a digital environment, without interrupting the real production process.
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