Always thinking one step ahead and offering flexibility - that is the credo of FFT, a leading global provider of automated manufacturing solutions. To achieve this, the plant manufacturer relies on collaboration between humans and robots and on digital networking. As automated guided vehicles are also frequently required in FFT's projects, the company began to manufacture these itself and sell them as independent products. Franke bearing assemblies are installed in the FFTigv AGILITY product variant.

FFT is a supplier of complex production systems and a manufacturer of its own system components for joining, folding and separating, for image-supported processes, and for handling and transport tasks. As a system provider, however, FFT is not limited to its own products. For example, FFT purchases robots and many other components from other manufacturers.

Franke is the inventor and manufacturer of wire race bearings. Wire race bearings can be integrated directly into the enclosing structure. Franke bearing assemblies can be customized to the customer's requirements. They are available in any size, with individual bores and toothing and in numerous materials such as aluminium, stainless steel, carbon or as a 3D-printed housing.

Automated guided vehicles as a separate product category

In order to link several system components together logistically, FFT requires, among other things, automated guided vehicles (AGVs). These can be fully automated on one hand, and can be used very flexibly on the other. Even if production processes and transport routes change, the self-propelled vehicles can be adapted to the new situation with relatively little effort.

Such self-propelled vehicles were required for FFT's plant projects in China and Vietnam in 2021. "As FFT, we jointly decided to develop and manufacture these ourselves in order to subsequently turn them into a separate product category," reports Account Manager Christian Schuster, who is responsible for sales of driverless transport systems. Already installed in 2021: bearing assemblies from Franke.