Plastics Today magazine contributing editor Norbert Sparrow reported that the vehicles from OTTO Motors contribute to GE Healthcare’s lean manufacturing strategy and support its mission of providing hospitals and medical centers with repairs.
“We needed to find an on-demand solution for moving materials throughout the facility. OTTO is a perfect solution because it gets materials where they need to be, when they need to be there,” says Patricio Espinosa, Director, Americas Repair Operations at GE Healthcare. “The system can make a decision to turn and take different routes, which was essential for us. Our process changes every day depending on what parts come in for repair, but OTTO can accommodate all of them.”
“OTTO makes our jobs easier,” says Joe Germait, Manufacturing Technician at GE Healthcare. “Space is a shortage in our work areas, so it’s helpful that we can call OTTO on demand and have it come pick up our parts. The pick-up times are really quick, and it allows us to switch to the next part more quickly. Occasionally we meet up with OTTO in the aisle ways and it goes right around us.”
OTTO is a self-driving vehicle designed exclusively for material transport in industrial environments. The vehicles combine the reliability of an AGV, efficiency of a conveyor and flexibility of human decision-making by using sensors and artificial intelligence. The OTTO offers flexible automation and does not require fixed infrastructure (no beacons, magnetic tape or pre-defined laser paths). The vehicle comes in two form factors: the OTTO 1500 and OTTO 100. Both can drive over 4 miles per hour and they can be outfitted with different attachments to fit the needs of the facility and the payload. The OTTO platform provides obstacle detection and avoidance, and moves through facilities in the most efficient manner to reach the destination point. Each vehicle can operate 24/7 by using opportunity charging technology to autonomously visit its charger for frequent, rapid charges between missions.
The OTTO self-driving vehicles will be showcased at industry's most important event, Drive Manufacturing Summit, Oct 2-4, 2017. This unconventional conference will bring 350+ industry leaders together to network, inform and determine how change can be integrated back into their facilities.
Plastics Today is a leading publication for the plastics professional community.
About Drive Manufacturing Summit
Drive Manufacturing Summit is the definitive event for future-focused manufacturing leaders. This unconventional conference is designed to improve facility operations and manufacturing strategies across North America, while addressing ways to overcome key challenges facing industry today. The summit will offer three tracks of immersive learning and offer active discussions for future planning. Drive Manufacturing Summit is held October 2-4, 2017, at the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee, WI. Visit www.drivemfgsummit.com.
About OTTO Motors
OTTO™ Motors designs, manufactures and operates self-driving vehicles to automate material movement inside busy factories and warehouses. Using self-driving technology much like the Google Car, the easy-to-use OTTO vehicles move inventory in a safe and flexible manner throughout the indoor supply chain. Customers include Fortune 100 brands like General Electric, John Deere, and Toyota. For more information, visit www.ottomotors.com. Follow OTTO Motors on Twitter at @OTTOMotors.
Media Contact
Company Name: OTTO Motors, a division of Clearpath Robotics Inc.
Contact Person: Meghan Hennessey
Email:Send Email
Phone: 519-513-2416 x833
Address:97 Randall Dr. Unit 2
City: Waterloo
State: Ontario, N2V 1C5
Country: Canada
Website: www.ottomotors.com
