SWAC - as many industrial readers will know - has been a specialist supplier in the field of HMIs, Panels, and Push Button Controls, featuring many unique and patented solutions since its founding in the early 1980's. Since then SWAC is a global Tier-1 supplier to the German Automotive industry, such as BMW, VW-AUDI-Seat-Skoda Group, Mercedes and Opel.
Owner and founder Stefan Schmitt Walter is still at the helm of the company and his unique insight and contacts in the field of automation led him 8 years ago to enable his controls architecture to be used for controlling an automated guided vehicle.
SWAC supplied the initial controls product through the Grenzebach Automation division based in Karlsruhe.
Ultimately this led to SWAC supplying the complete mechatronic assembly, enabling greater efficiency and unique features for guidance, position, course change and production actions normally associated with much higher cost systems to be implemented.
SWAC has long been a believer in the open source network and using Linux OS in their embedded systems enables a highly visual touch screen control panel to be implemented on the AUTOTROLLI AGVs.
The simplicity of use and programming has led to great customer satisfaction, allowing the customer to truly control and manage the AUTOTROLLI in use or to set-up a course in no-time, compared to competitors.
SWAC AutoTrolli PAC or TRAC 2 tonne carrying or towing capacity
SWAC eventually also supplied the complete AUTOTROLLI, marketed by Grenzebach Automation as the "CARRY INDUSTRIAL" (picture above). This product found its way into use in hospitals as a track unit for pulling lightweight wheeled trolleys as well as into industrial complexes, such as the truck plant of DAF Industrial Vehicles in Holland.
Along the development highway, SWAC also quickly developed an AUTOTROLLI MOBWS (Mobile Work Station) for a specialist vehicle manufacturer in Ulm, Germany, as well as an AUTOTROLLI PMU (PickMeUp) for moving a wheeled Euro-pallet. Details are to be found on the new website.
Many unique features such as "TROLLI TO TROLLI" radio communication an industry first, 4WD / 4WS, forward and reverse capabilities are all available together with different guidance and safety systems according to industrial standards.