INSPIRING SUCCESS STORY

SEW-Eurodrive Singapore: Improving factory transport logistics

Key Highlights:

Parts delivery and cycle time cut by 45%
20% productivity growth in assembly area served by AGV
Project’s success spells new business opportunities for client

Enterprise profile

SEW-Eurodrive Singapore is part of SEW-Eurodrive Group, a global leader in drive technology solutions. These include gear motors, mechatronics, and other automation technologies and services used in a wide range of applications across industries, such as baggage handling in airports, conveyor and sorting systems for logistics companies, and drive engineering components in the construction sector. Set up in 1981, the Singapore subsidiary is among the Group's worldwide network of assembly centres and also markets customised products to clients in Asia Pacific.

_{Managing Director of SEW-Eurodrive Andreas Appel and his team worked with Singapore Polytechnic on an AGV (autonomous guided vehicle) solution.}

Problem statement

SEW-Eurodrive’s plant in Singapore sees large volumes of heavy components being transported manually between different workstations every day. Besides being time-consuming, the process is also taxing on workers who must manoeuvre the heavy components using pallet jacks. The company thus wanted an automated solution that could boost efficiency and cut manual labour without having to reconfigure its existing factory layout, which would incur high costs.

Working with Singapore Polytechnic’s School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE), it decided to deploy an autonomous guided vehicle (AGV), the company’s own product. This would minimise the need for human operators in moving products from station to station, freeing them up for other higher-value tasks.

Impact achieved

Under the supervision of senior lecturers Ong Hock San and Qua Pheng Thiam, student interns from EEE developed a smart workflow solution after extensive site surveys to map out optimal routes for the AGV. It would serve the “big unit” assembly area, where parts for larger gear motors are put together. The solution was first tested in the EEE lab before being deployed on the factory floor.

One of the biggest challenges was to ensure safety “in a workspace with unpredictable human interaction”, said Mr Andreas Appel, SEW-Eurodrive Singapore’s Managing Director. “We have to ensure that the AGV is running at a safe speed that allows it to stop when it detects a possible collision, but not too slow that it affects productivity,” he explained.

After fine-tuning by the students and SEW-Eurodrive’s engineers, the AGV was equipped with not only safety sensors but also warning signals such as lights and sounds to alert those working nearby to its proximity. With just one AGV deployed, the company is already reaping significant benefits. Its parts delivery and cycle time has been cut by 45 per cent, and productivity in the “big unit” assembly area has grown by 20 per cent.

“We hope to add more AGVs to shorten waiting times and ultimately achieve higher productivity,” said Mr Appel.

_{Mr Mike Poh, SEW-Eurodrive’s Assistant Manager of Operations (left), and Mr Lim Aik Ping, Senior Manager of Application Engineering, with the AGV.}

_{Mr Marcus Huang, SEW-Eurodrive’s Senior Engineer of Application Engineering, showing a Logistic Control Panel that monitors and manages AGV traffic and process flow.}

Most of the company’s AGVs are currently imported as turnkey products from Germany, where it is headquartered. With the project’s success, the management has decided to sell and support AGVs in Singapore as well. This would appeal to customers in the region and bring in new business opportunities in AGV solutions for the company.

“By using the AGV in our factory with an in-house team, we have been able to expedite the learning process and troubleshoot any issues without needing to always check with Germany,” Mr Appel explained. “Prospective customers are also assured that with local support and expertise, they will get a quick response from SEW-Eurodrive to ensure smooth operations.”

_{From left: Mr Shaikh Aqil Alkhatib, SEW-Eurodrive’s Senior Engineer, Domestic Sales; Singapore Polytechnic students Wang Weipeng and Sapphire Loh; and Mr Andreas Appel, Managing Director of SEW-Eurodrive, with the AGV that moves heavy loads between workstations.}

“By using the AGV in our factory with an in-house team, we have been able to expedite the learning process and troubleshoot any issues without needing to always check with Germany,” Mr Appel explained. “Prospective customers are also assured that with local support and expertise, they will get a quick response from SEW-Eurodrive to ensure smooth operations.”

EEE’s perspective

In total, 12 students from EEE have worked on the SEW-Eurodrive project in stints since it started in March 2021. A recent phase, which ended in February 2024, involved work such as implementing wireless charging and other support infrastructure for AGVs.

Through the internship, the students have gained valuable hands-on knowledge and expanded their learning beyond the classroom setting, said their supervisors. For example, some of the errors encountered during the testing phase were not covered by their coursework and could not be resolved using existing resources such as manuals, leading them to learn through trial and error.

Senior lecturer Chung Ock Jin, a specialist in Robotics, Automation & Control who oversaw the project, added: “This internship not only enables them to apply their SP-acquired knowledge but also serves as a platform for acquiring new skills in a diverse environment. It encourages resourcefulness and self-directed learning as interns actively seek effective solutions to challenges.”

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