Where Are tugger machine Used and What Tasks Do They Perform?
Industrial Applications of Tugger Machines
Manufacturing Facilities
Tugger machines are practically a standard in manufacturing facilities, where they greatly facilitate the workers’ efficiency while reducing the manual workloads. In plants, tuggers are mainly used for transporting loads, materials, and all kinds of products across the entire plant floor. Usually, these paths are specially determined throughout the facility, connecting the production lines with the storage, and the loading dock areas. In an average manufacturing facility, it is not rare to see tugger machines towing loads up to 10,000 pounds. This way, they can handle bulkier and heavier loads than a single human would do by hand.
Warehousing and Distribution Centers
In warehousing and distribution environments, tuggers are vital in the order-picking process and inventory management. Unlike in fully automated facilities, the manual operation of tuggers makes it much easier to adjust to spontaneous warehouse layout changing and unexpected inventory positions.This way, the order fulfillment process is facilitated, and the required time for traveling between picking locations is minimized.
Automotive Assembly Lines
In automotive assembly lines, tuggers greatly facilitate the just-in-time arrival of automotive parts, engines, chassis parts, or smaller assemblies to the workers on the line. By using tuggers to move, the parts are always in the vicinity of the worker requiring them, no extensive warehouse space is required along the line length, and the manual handling and management of parts are minimized in the benefit of a much lower risk of damaging the materials. In this case, tuggers are made to easily maneuver along the confined space and crowded floors of assembly lines.
Tasks Performed by Tugger Machines in Different Industries
Material Transport and Handling
Tugger machines are irreplaceable when it comes to materials transport by most industrials. The machines are used by operators for dragging numerous carts with raw materials, parts, or other product components. For instance, in big retail distribution centers, one tugger machine may carry palates with goods from the warehouse space to the loading docks. It is definitely not possible for an operator to make the way on foot due to the long distance and low speed of the walk.
Assembly Line Feeding
Manufacturing is another sector where tugger machines appear to be widely used. In the automotive and electrics industries, especially, they are used for providing the assembly lines with the necessary components. The feeding process is usually organized by schedule, so the parts are placed on the special type of carts in a central depot and delivered to the assembly points. This approach allows minimizing the amount of tools kept at the line and makes the process follow lean manufacturing principles.
Comparison with Other Material Handling Equipment
Tugger Machines vs. Forklifts
Tugger machines and forklifts are equally essential in material handling, yet they perform different tasks owing to their designs and capabilities.As tuggers are relatively lower machines with less than 5 inches of ground clearance, they are more suitable for the horizontal transportation not interfering with the level changes. In the busy and confined work areas, this particular benefit is critical and allows tuggers to be used more frequently.
Integration with Automated Systems
Being mainly manually directed and operated, tugger machines can work in alignment with the automated systems within the facility and are often used in conjunction with automatic inventory management systems. In such cases, operators are directed in real time regarding the transported materials and their destinations, which enhances efficiency and minimizes the amount of time wasted. While automatic systems have the significant advantages of timely and error-free precision in work, they can be complemented by tugger machines and the other similar equipment, which serve the more changeable and flexible domains difficult to automate completely.
Comparison | Tugger Machines | Other Equipment |
---|---|---|
Flexibility | High flexibility in routes and operations. | Fixed paths or limited by operational constraints. |
Cost Efficiency | Lower operational and maintenance costs. | Higher due to complex systems or lifting capabilities. |
Operational Range | Wide operational range, suitable for various environments. | Often restricted to specific tasks or environments. |
Integration | Easily integrates with both manual and automated systems. | May require extensive modifications for integration. |
Volume Handling | Capable of handling large volumes efficiently. | Varies, often focused on specific types of handling. |