Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) are at the heart of modern material flows. To ensure their performance over decades, it takes more than just regular maintenance: data-driven transparency, continuous analysis, and targeted modernisation are becoming decisive factors for success.
ek robotics — a NEURA brand is one of the most experienced manufacturers and suppliers of transport robotics and offers a modular service portfolio with a focus on performance analyses, practical workshops, and targeted retrofits. Current projects in the confectionery, packaging, and pharmaceutical industries demonstrate the added value of data-driven optimisation. With Analysis as a Service (AaaS), ek robotics has developed a service model that makes actual system performance visible, identifies optimisation potential, and significantly extends the service life of automated fleets. “We often see that systems run stably but do not reach their full potential in daily use,” explains Marcel Rowe, system analyst at ek robotics. “With AaaS, we make actual performance measurable based on real operating data, not assumptions.”
The approach combines operational data analysis, practical consulting, and technical modernisation. Bottlenecks, downtime, or inefficient driving patterns become visible and can be specifically remedied, from organisational adjustments to hardware upgrades. In practice, this has led to higher throughput, more stable processes, and significantly fewer manual interventions for customers in the sporting goods and confectionery industries. A central component are performance workshops, in which concrete measures such as layout optimisations or new traffic control concepts are derived from the analysis results. “Regular analyses and workshops are the most effective lever for securing runtime and ROI in the long term,” emphasises Ronald Kretschmer, Chief Sales Officer at ek robotics.
The modernisation of existing fleets also plays a key role. As part of the refit programme, electronic and mechanical components are replaced and brought up to date. An example from the pharmaceutical industry shows that after more than 18 years of three-shift operation, a plant was comprehensively modernised and expanded by seven vehicles. The result: state-of-the-art technology, increased safety, and many more years of operation.
With over 400 active systems and more than 3,000 vehicles worldwide, ek robotics supports its customers throughout the entire life cycle – from planning and commissioning to modernisation after 20 or 30 years. “An AGV is not a one-time investment, but a permanent infrastructure,” says Marcel Rowe. “Our Analysis-as-a-Service approach ensures that systems remain efficient and future-proof in the long term.”
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