Simple and robust
ANT® uses natural structures in the environment as its reference for localization, therefore no infrastructure is required. There is no need for inductive wires, magnets, or reflectors for triangulation. ANT® is, however, able to use simple reflectors, either in combination with natural structures, or alone, to provide the best possible solution for your setup.
Quick to install
ANT® driven vehicles are quickly installed with the ANT® lab tool suite. Modifications are even simpler. As a result, setups are simple and economical to both install and maintain, whether a single automated guided vehicle or a large fleet of AGVs.
Industrial
ANT® combines information from industrial encoders and laser scanners to reach an accuracy of ±1 cm and ±1°. Best of all, ANT® uses the data from the safety laser scanners available on your vehicle.
Handles obstacles
ANT® autonomously handles obstacles by either moving around them (obstacle avoidance), or adapting the speed of your AGV to avoid emergency situations (path following).
Comparison with traditional AGV/mobile robot guidance systems
Compare ANT solutions
ANT lite+
Localization, control & mission management for your vehicle
ANT® lite+ is a compact solution based on our years of experience automating industrial vehicles. It provides an autonomous ‘natural feature navigation’ system for compact vehicles, calculating its position, driving the vehicle, interfacing with the vehicle’s safety sensors and handling mission management (i.e. start here, go there, wait for the door to be opened etc.).
The product provides the most standard and reliable interfaces combined with a set of I/Os to enable the automation of typical forklifts and AGVs.
Ideal use: AGVs and automated forklifts
Features & Benefits
Our features
- Complete navigation solution
- Simple and robust localization
- Optimal control of the vehicle
- Embedded management of simple missions
- No inductive wires, magnets, triangulation reflectors
- Use of safety laser scanners
- Compatible with ANT® server
Your benefits
- Ideal for simple AGVs and automated forklifts
- Proven in different markets around the world
- Quick installation and modification
- Easy industrial integration
- Compatible with hybrid manual/automatic use
- Economical from single vehicle to large fleet
- Integrated mission management
Specifications
| Functionality | ||
| Functionality | localization, control, missioning lite | |
| Compatible vehicles | ||
| Kinematics | differential drive, tricycle, car-like, omni-directional | |
| Maximal speed | up to 2.0 m/s | |
| Localization | ||
| Accuracy | ± 1 cm and ± 1° | |
| Localization rate | 5 Hz | |
| Control | ||
| Obstacle avoidance rate | 10 Hz | |
| Path following rate | 10 Hz | |
| Interfaces | ||
| Safety laser scanners | HOKUYO UAM-05LP, LEUZE RLS4XX, OMRON OS32C-DM, SICK microScan3, SICK S300/S3000 Expert | |
| Non-safety laser scanners | P+F OMD30M-R2000, P+F OMD30M-R2000 HD, SICK LMS10x/LMS141, SICK LMS151, SICK LMS5xx, SICK TiM571 | |
| Motor drives | CANopen, EtherNet/IP | |
| User-configurable I/Os | 8 digitals inputs/ 6 digital outputs | |
| Hardware | ||
| Embedded computer | industrial PowerPC | |
| Operating voltage | 24 VDC (20 VDC…30VDC) | |
| Power consumption | <20 W | |
| Operating temperature | 0°C to 60°C | |
| Storage temperature | -25°C to 85°C | |
| Relative humidity | 5% to 95% (non-condensing) | |
| IP rating | IP20 | |
| Dimensions | 182 x 60 x 190 mm (WxHxL) | |
| Weight | 1.1 kg | |
ANT® localization+
Localization & emulation of line-following for your vehicle
ANT® localization+ was born as a retrofit solution for line-following AGVs. It offers localization based on features (lines and reflectors) with the emulation of line-following directly replacing the real antenna used by inductive wires, magnetic tapes, etc.
This results in a line-following AGV, which behaves as usual, but without requiring any lines on the floor. In the same way, ANT® localization+ provides virtual tags, which allows the line-following AGV to be seamlessly installed.
Ideal use: retrofit of line-following AGVs
Features & Benefits
Our features
- Emulation of line-following and tags
- Simple and robust localization
- No inductive wires, magnets, triangulation reflectors
- Use of safety laser scanners
Your benefits
- Ideal for the replacement or retrofitting of line-following technologies
- Proven in different markets around the world
- Quick installation and modification
- Easy industrial integration
- Compatible with hybrid manual/automatic use
- Economical from single vehicle to large fleet
Specifications
| Functionality | ||
| Functionality | localization, emulation of line-following | |
| Compatible vehicles | ||
| Kinematics | differential drive, tricycle, car-like, omni-directional | |
| Maximal speed | up to 5.0 m/s | |
| Localization | ||
| Localization accuracy | ± 1 cm and ± 1° | |
| Localization rate | up to 20 Hz | |
| Control | ||
| Obstacle avoidance rate | – | |
| Path following rate | 10 Hz (emulation) | |
| Interfaces | ||
| Safety laser scanners | HOKUYO UAM-05LP, LEUZE RLS4XX, OMRON OS32C-DM, SICK microScan3, SICK S300/S3000 Expert | |
| Non-safety laser scanners | P+F OMD30M-R2000, P+F OMD30M-R2000 HD, SICK LMS10x/LMS141, SICK LMS151, SICK LMS5xx, SICK TiM571 | |
| Motor drives | – | |
| User-configurable I/OS | – | |
| Hardware | ||
| Embedded computer | industrial PowerPC | |
| Operating voltage | 24 VDC (20 VDC…30VDC) | |
| Power consumption | <20 W | |
| Operating temperature | 0°C to 60°C | |
| Storage temperature | -25°C to 85°C | |
| Relative humidity | 5% to 95% (non-condensing) | |
| IP rating | IP30 | |
| Dimensions | 134 x 26 x 160 mm (WxHxL) | |
| Weight | 0.6 kg | |
ANT® localization
Localization for your vehicle
ANT® localization is designed for AGV suppliers who have their own control system. It makes localization information, based on features (lines and reflectors), available to vehicle makers who simply need to know the position of the vehicle.
The product simply returns the position coordinates of the vehicle to the main controller, providing natural feature navigation in the simplest way.
Ideal use: AGV suppliers with their own control system
Features & Benefits
Our features
- Simple and robust localization
- No inductive wires, magnets, triangulation reflectors
- Use of safety laser scanners
Your benefits
- Ideal for AGV suppliers who have their own control
- Proven in different markets around the world
- Quick installation and modification
- Easy industrial integration
- Compatible with hybrid manual/automatic use
- Economical from single vehicle to large fleet
Specifications
| Functionality | ||
| Functionality | localization only | |
| Compatible vehicles | ||
| Kinematics | differential drive, tricycle, car-like, omni-directional | |
| Maximal speed | up to 5.0 m/s | |
| Localization | ||
| Accuracy | ± 1 cm and ± 1° | |
| Localization rate | up to 20 Hz | |
| Control | ||
| Obstacle avoidance rate | – | |
| Path following rate | – | |
| Interfaces | ||
| Safety laser scanners | HOKUYO UAM-05LP, LEUZE RLS4XX, OMRON OS32C-DM, SICK microScan3, SICK S300/S3000 Expert | |
| Non-safety laser scanners | P+F OMD30M-R2000, P+F OMD30M-R2000 HD, SICK LMS10x/LMS141, SICK LMS151, SICK LMS5xx, SICK TiM571 | |
| Motor drives | – | |
| User-configurable I/OS | – | |
| Hardware | ||
| Embedded computer | industrial PowerPC | |
| Operating voltage | 24 VDC (20 VDC…30VDC) | |
| Power consumption | <20 W | |
| Operating temperature | 0°C to 60°C | |
| Storage temperature | -25°C to 85°C | |
| Relative humidity | 5% to 95% (non-condensing) | |
| IP rating | IP30 | |
| Dimensions | 134 x 26 x 160 mm (WxHxL) | |
| Weight | 0.6 kg | |
ANT® server & ANT® monitor
Fleet management
The ANT® server includes BlueBotics’ scheduler and traffic manager, the interface to the customer’s equipment, and the operator interface. The scheduler decides which vehicle has to execute a certain mission. The traffic manager takes advantage of the characteristics of ANT® to make the whole configuration process straightforward. Indeed, the graph defined for navigation is used to automatically generate the traffic rules.
The ANT® server allows users to visualize their fleet, while the ANT® monitor application is compatible with numerous platforms and devices. Additionally, the server allows the user to simulate a setup, which is very helpful to dimensioning a fleet of vehicles.
Features
Our features
- Intelligent scheduling of missions
- Deadlock-free traffic control
- Battery charge management
- Interface to the environment and equipment
- Simulation of vehicles and missions
- Handling configuration of different vehicle types
- Monitoring of the complete system on PC, tablet, phone
ANT® lab
Configuration interface
ANT® lab is a completely integrated solution that supports the installation of BlueBotics products. The process of configuring vehicles, mapping the environment, creating routes, handling traffic, and monitoring operations is simple, making the lives of integrators and end-users even easier.
Features
Our features
- Configuration & calibration of vehicles
- Mapping of the environment
- Drawing of routes
- Definition of the actions and missions
- Interfacing of devices and equipment
- Monitoring
Success stories
AGV Scandinavia, 2016
Objective
Automation of a standard forklift.
Challenges
- Integration of ANT® lite+ into a standard manual forklift
- Integration of the AGV solution into an existing and running production site
So why ANT?
- ANT® lite+ provides a full navigation solution with standard interfaces at a competitive price. Together with the ANT® server, it provides a complete solution for the installation of an AGV system.
- After the integration into the standard forklift, the installation at the customer site was then extremely easy and allowed AGV Scandinavia to position itself as a key player in the Scandinavian region.
Stöcklin – Eagle-ANT, 2014
Objective
Design and commercialize a simple and extremely competitive autonomous guided vehicle (AGV).
Challenges
- Integrate ANT lite+ into a simple vehicle
- Implement point-to-point functionality
- Enable complete traffic management
So why ANT?
- Stöcklin was convinced by the characteristics of ANT lite+, which combines the power of ANT with a simple package resulting in a competitive setup.
- All ANT products take advantage of ANT lab tools, which allow for an extremely simple and fast installation.
- Stöcklin then designed a vehicle based upon the same philosophy: simple to operate and extremely competitive on the market.
Kokeisl – KPR Forklift, 2011
Objective
Transportation of pallets from palletizer to stock conveyor.
Challenges
- Narrow corridors and station entrances
- One vehicle to cover 2,800 sq.m
So why ANT?
- The AGV, equipped with ANT®, was purchased after a three-day demo. Installation as part of one day and two days operation demonstrated the performance of the system.
- Installing reflectors, inductive lines or magnets on the 70 x 40 m surface area, which was to be covered by a single vehicle, was not cost-efficient. ANT® required no additional infrastructure to allow the project to be realized within a tight budget.
Esatroll – Paquito Forklift, 2009
Objective
Transportation of pallets from palletizer to stock buffer.
Challenges
- Very narrow racks to be driven in
- 250 pick and place positions
- One vehicle to cover 7,500 sq.m
So why ANT?
- Localization based on laser triangulation was impossible in the narrow racks. ANT®’s environment-based localization allowed traveling through the long and narrow racks with high precision.
- Installing inductive lines or magnets on the 200 x 50 m surface area, to be covered by a single vehicle, was not cost-efficient. ANT® however required no additional infrastructure, allowing the project to be realized within a tight budget.