Improving safety and navigation of LGVs in production logistics: the benefits of a trusted partnership

Mar 13, 2023

From Italy to the four corners of the world: the product is packed, packaged, handled in the most careful, efficient and safe way. Let's talk about OCME. The heart of the manufacturing district in northeastern Italy is home to a model company, among the largest packaging manufacturers globally, which also owes the success of its LGV (= laser guided vehicles) solutions to a long-standing partnership with SICK.

Safety and navigation for LGVs in production logistics

LGVs are very safe technologies compared to solutions such as manual forklifts

Safety and navigation for LGVs in production logistics

For 20 years, OCME has been providing its customers with the widest range of solutions suitable for product packaging, from filling of viscous fluids, packing, palletizing, to LGVs for internal logistics. In fact, for production logistics OCME develops handling technologies and, in particular, laser-guided vehicles that are key to optimize integrated logistics management and control.

"We are quite unique in this because we are a medium-sized company but nonetheless we are able to make tailor-made solutions for our customers" – explains Roberto Schenetti, Sales Manager AGV of OCME "So every time we face something new, such as a different need from our customers, we are able to respond." The flagship of OCME's portfolio is the AURIGA range, LGVs that are highly reliable and, at the same time, capable of high operational flexibility and designed for quick and easy implementation.

The flagship of OCME's portfolio is the highly reliable and flexible AURIGA range.

Partnering with SICK, the difference that matters in the market

While top-quality products make a difference, the market today is still hyper-complex and unpredictable. How do you meet the challenges of such a volatile scenario? Being able to count on the right partners makes all the difference.

Roberto Schenetti (right), Sales Manager AGV at OCME, in conversation with Giorgia Gandolfi.

Schenetti emphasizes: "Our partnership with SICK was the result of a rather long process. We did a thorough analysis of our market, and the result was that SICK offered us a real partnership, which is much more valuable than a simple technology provider." This is demonstrated by the 20-year partnership between SICK and OCME, a relationship that has grown stronger over the years despite ever-changing challenges. "Over the last two decades, SICK has been able to provide us with the right sensor solutions to develop new types of LGVs so that we can meet the changing demands of the market."

The future? Safety first with safety laser scanner microScan3

And speaking of evolution, in what direction are you looking in the future? Although LGVs are already very safe technologies, for example when compared to solutions such as manual forklifts, OCME and SICK aim to work to develop systems that exponentially increase the safety of production logistics vehicles. OCME Sales Manager says: "The future is very difficult to predict, but what I see is a continuous improvement in the safety standards of our vehicles." Even in the years to come, safety comes first.

Safety laser scanners

The rugged safety laser scanner – extremely intelligent

microScan3

Will continue to have top priority in the coming years - safety for people and vehicles.

At the heart of this project is a "made in SICK" best-in-class solution: the rugged microScan3 safety laser scanner which, when installed on OCME's vehicles, allows a virtual area around the LGV to be created so that objects and people within the perimeter can be identified and their safety ensured. In the event of an interaction, the sensor communicates with the car and orders it to slow down or stop. "In this way, we are sure that the vehicle will not damage anything or anybody" Schenetti explains.

The heart of the project - the robust microScan3 safety laser scanner.

A win-win model for manufacturing logistics innovation

Trust, continuous improvement and technological innovation are the basis of a winning partnership. OCME and SICK are an ideal model of how a solid relationship between business partners is a win-win even in an industry that is under great pressure, as production logistics is today.