It’s long been said children’s minds are the future. Little Inventors is a creative and educational organization that inspires imagination and takes this concept seriously. Born from creative minds in the United Kingdom Little Inventors creates free resources for institutions, teachers, and parents to encourage children to think up and draw innovative inventions. From these ideas, they promote challenges, events, and workshops. In addition to encouraging promising young inventors, they encourage skilled experts and makers, like Fori Automation, to work with local children to turn their ideas into reality. Making the fantastical practical.
Sa'Niya's original idea for the project.
This year MISD the Macomb County chapter of Little Inventors brought some of these great inventions to reality, with students from around southeast Michigan. Fori jumped at the opportunity to work on a design by New Baltimore student Sa’Niya. Sa’Niya’s brilliant idea tackles the problem of trash and asks people to take a harder look at what they are throwing away. Her design is called the Trash Monitor. The concept helps people discern if what they are throwing away is trash or if it can be reused or have another purpose.
To start this project the Fori team dove into the world of recycling. As an automation company, we had an idea of how we would bring Sa’Niya’s Trash Monitor invention off the page, but we needed to learn more about recycling and the materials the project would filter.
Many products and items that we throw away can easily have a second, third, or fourth life and we were excited to conceptualize this design which helps people identify items that are not – at first glance - trash.
After completing our recycling research, we moved on to sourcing the parts we would need for the Trash Monitor and creating the design. We had to find a trash receptacle we could modify and sensors to detect various items of materials that are commonly thrown away.
Sa’Niya’s idea for the trash monitor is when someone drops what they think is a piece of trash into the Trash Monitor receptacle, the sensors in the bin detect if the item is trash or if it can be reused or is a recyclable material. If the item can be recycled or reused it moves onto the conveyor and back to the user. If the item is truly trash it stays in the bin. Additionally, if an item is recyclable, a Trash Monitor alerts the user with a buzzing noise and the recycling symbol lights up bright green.
Many of the parts on the project such as the project logo, recycling logo, and conveyor could be 3D printed in our shop, here in Shelby Twp., Michigan. One of our mechanical engineers who specializes in 3D printing, created a design concept for the overall project using CAD software and designed the conveyor model as well.
Another final aspect of the Trash Monitor is the information panel on the front of the bin. A screen is attached to the receptible, this informational screen helps the user learn more about waste, recycling, and how we can all make small changes for a better community and world in relation to what we throw away.
Several Fori teams, including mechanical engineering, controls engineering, marketing, human resources, and the manufacturing shop came together to work on this project. Everyone involved truly enjoyed the opportunity to exercise their creative muscles and bring Sa’Niya's sensational invention to life.
In the images, you can see the final CAD design for the project along with one of our engineers wiring a board for the receptacle sensors. One of the reasons we liked this design was its practicality and how we can see it used today in many applications from a school hallway to an office complex or a bustling city center.
The 3D concept for the Trash Monitor project.
With the Trash Monitor complete, we were proud to showcase Sa’Niya’s design at the Macomb County Little Inventors banquet, along with other student inventors and makers. This project was truly an inspiration to Fori and our team. We hope all the Little Inventors continue to use their minds and imagination to create amazing inventions for a brighter and greener future.
In the dynamic landscape of corporate growth and business acquisitions, it is not uncommon to witness extraordinary alliances that bring together companies with complementary strengths and shared values. One such remarkable collaboration was seen when Lincoln Electric, a leader in welding technology, acquired Fori Automation, an automated manufacturing specialist with product offerings spanning automated material handling, assembly and automation systems, welding systems, and end-of-line testing.
This acquisition not only earned Lincoln Electric the coveted All-Star Deal of the Year Award by the Detroit Chapter for Corporate Growth (ACG Detroit), but it also solidified both organizations' reputations as inventive companies with similar cultures.
For years, Lincoln Electric has embodied the principles of hard work, innovation, and distinction, which have made it a revered name in the welding industry. Similarly, Fori Automation has established itself as a leader in automated manufacturing, maintaining a reputation for quality, reliability, and a strong commitment to its employees and community. The acquisition brought together two companies with parallel cultures, ensuring seamless integration and a shared vision for the future.
Leaders in their Respective Fields
Lincoln Electric's expertise in welding technology has propelled them to the forefront of the industry. Their commitment to producing high-quality welding equipment has made them a trusted partner for professionals around the world. Meanwhile, Fori Automation's specialization in automated manufacturing has allowed them to carve a niche as leaders in automation manufacturing and Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs). Their advanced technologies and integrated systems have enabled efficient production processes for numerous industries.
Scope and Scale
The acquisition of Fori Automation by Lincoln Electric has significantly expanded the range and abilities of both companies. With the addition of Fori Automation, Lincoln Electric expands its automation integration offerings, and Fori Automation is now a part of the impressive network of Lincoln Electric Automation. Boasting a network of 32 facilities dedicated to automation, this expanded reach allows them to provide unparalleled service and support to their customers globally. Furthermore, the Lincoln Electric automation workforce includes over 2,000 employees, including Fori, who are skilled in the art of automation and dedicated to pushing the boundaries of industry standards.
Operational Competencies and Integrated Technology
Lincoln Electric and Fori Automation share a common commitment to operational competency and the integration of cutting-edge technology. Lincoln Electric's emphasis on continuous improvement, lean manufacturing practices, and operational excellence aligns perfectly with Fori Automation's dedication to providing efficient automated manufacturing solutions. The acquisition has allowed Lincoln Electric to leverage Fori Automation's expertise and technological advancements to further enhance its own product offerings.
A Global Force in Automation
With the acquisition of Fori Automation, Lincoln Electric has reinforced itself as a global force in automation. Their expanded facilities and skilled workforce enable them to deliver comprehensive solutions to customers across the globe. From installation to service, Lincoln Electric's commitment to the seamless integration of Fori Automation's capabilities positions them at the forefront of the automation industry.
This All-Star deal of the year has undoubtedly been a game-changer for both companies. Beyond the recognition of winning the award, this collaboration unites two companies with similar cultures and shared values. As Lincoln Electric continues to expand its global footprint, its enhanced capabilities in automation and dedication to operational excellence, and commitment to employee well-being ensure a promising future for Lincoln Electric, Fori Automation, and their customers.
This week as part ofNational EngineersWeekwe celebrated our makers, designers, developers, and tinkerers. Like every one of our integral teams at Fori, we wouldn't get far without our engineers and the important work they do.
When asked about their backgrounds, projects, and overall thoughts on engineering this is what some of them had to say.
"A unique part of being an engineer at Fori is the creative problem-solving used to update customer manufacturing operations. In recent operations we have been altering our designs to up-and-coming Models of EV automobiles, embarking us on a new era of automobiles and engineering. This is an exciting time with so much changing in the auto industry." - Jacob Landenberger, Mechanical Engineer
"What I love most about being an engineer at Fori Automation is the constant exposure to new projects, ideas, and technology. A recent project I was involved in here at Fori was designing a new torque tube that is mostly comprised of 3D-printed parts. I enjoyed getting to learn about additive manufacturing and seeing what role it can play in the future of automation and manufacturing. It’s rewarding to get to work for a company that is always trying to improve using the latest technology." - Jordan Zak, Mechanical Engineer
"The most exciting part of being an engineer at Fori Automation is the opportunity to work on so many unique projects. In the Sales Department, there are always new opportunities to learn, new jobs to work on, and the need of trying to come up with new ideas or ways of meeting our customer’s needs. Every day there are new applications and challenges with those applications that keep my job interesting. It is always a great feeling coming up with a new idea/concept design, proposing it to the customer, and them liking it enough to write a purchase order for Fori to complete the job." - Ryan York, Fori Automation Estimator/Process Engineer
In addition to testimonials, we were able to sit down with Cristiano Sarmento our Lead Controls R&D Engineer, and Martin Erni our Sales Director. We learned more about them, their backgrounds, and some of the projects they have worked on at Fori, providing solutions for customers through engineering.
Looking toward the future companies face many challenges, domestically and globally, and engineers will be needed to solve more and more complex problems. At Fori, we are grateful for our team of innovative engineers who consistently rise up and meet these challenges. To all young and upcoming engineers, “Sometimes it is the people who no one imagines anything of, who do the things that no one can imagine.” - Alan Turning. Happy National Engineers Week!
It’s not often you find someone like Mike Beck. A 25-year veteran of a manufacturing business, many of those years spent steering the ship as the GM, Vice President, and President of Fori Automation.
To quote Fori’s current President Paul Meloche,“Mike is a true leader. His integrity, open-minded demeanor, humble attitude, and commitment to well-being of Fori’s employees and customers was unparalleled. He’s also an incredible problem solver; I still believe he has a “sixth-sense” that allows him to predict issues before they happen. I was blessed to have him as my mentor for the past 20 years.”
Mike was born on the South Side of Chicago, after a few moves throughout the Midwest Mike’s family settled on Michigan’s west side, the best side one could argue. He received a Mechanical Engineering degree and shortly after that an MBA. A job with Detroit Diesel brought him to Metro-Detroit where he moved from engineering into manufacturing and saw projects come to life on the floor.
After nearly seven years with Detroit Diesel Mike was recruited into Chrysler for a joint venture power train program between Chrysler and BMW. With this new opportunity came new connections, one of those connections was Heinz Becker. Heinz an experienced manager working at Chrysler knew that Mike was potentially moving to Brazil as part of this joint venture, to start up a new engine factory. Before Mike headed south of the equator Heinz stepped in and introduced him to a gentleman named Arthur Koerner. Art as Mike would come to know him was the candid owner of Fori Automation, along with his son Bernd Koerner.
At the time, Arthur and Bernd were contemplating next steps and looking for someone to help run their growing business. When he met with Arthur and Bernd there were a lot of direct questions, which was Arthur’s style, followed by a couple of Warsteiner beers and a “When can you start?” Also, Arthur’s style. Mike told the Koerners he would think about it, as it was a career-altering decision.
“After two days, I accepted the offer.” And so, he was off to Fori Automation. Mike was hired at Fori as the Manufacturing Manager for the first year before he transitioned into the GM position. “I thought that was pretty exciting I didn’t have to move around the world to be in a General Manager leadership role.”
Big company politics didn’t interest Mike and the advantages of a smaller company where you can sit down with the owner and/or a few key people and agree if something makes sense appealed to him. “You have to live with your decisions, and you can’t blame anyone else, but you also have the ability to make a difference. You’re not part of a committee, there are not 20 people in the room. We didn’t always make the right decisions, but we learned from it.”
Mike’s first day at Fori he walked into the front office, no one at Fori knew or was expecting him except for Arthur. Arthur asked if he was ready to get started. “I am,” said Mike. So, Arthur asked the office admin to page all employees to the center of the building. “I walked with Arthur, and we get to the center of the manufacturing floor and he says, “I’d like to introduce you all to Mike Beck, he’s going to be the new Manufacturing Manager, Mike tell them what you’re going to do.”
“As a young guy, I was taken aback. I said some general words and realized quickly that was Arthur’s philosophy: sink or swim.” After that first day, Mike started to learn all about Fori and this business of customization in automation. "Arthur was a no-nonsense mentor and I respected him as he was the true entrepreneur that started the company," says Mike. There were roughly 110 employees at that time in 1998 and Fori was starting to go global.
Over several years Fori expanded into more regions. For Mike, it was gratifying to have been a part of hiring the general managers and teams in each new region. Supporting these regions and being a part of the international development and expansion was very exciting.
Along with the company's growth came a mission and vision to diversify. Diversify Fori’s global footprint, and its product portfolio with the introduction of new technology and its base of customers. Mike cites the ownership’s commitment and the strong engineering team that supported the diversification plan as the main reasons Fori thrived over the years and minimized some of the downturn cycles in the manufacturing industry; such as the recession in 2008 and the bankruptcy of some of the large automotive customers.
About six years after Mike started with Fori Arthur Koerner stepped back from the business and Bernd Koerner took over as the CEO. Mike describes these years as exhilarating but challenging. “I had a strong working relationship with Bernd and together we traveled often in the early years to support the international growth.” The business grew to more than 680 employees and advanced its global footprint to a total of seven international locations beyond its headquarters in Shelby Township, Michigan.
Speaking of his two-plus decades with Fori, Mike fondly remembers the challenges and the Fori team coming together to overcome them. “When we had some jobs that didn’t go as planned and had to jump on a plane or in a car whether it was to Auburn, Indiana, Kitchener, Ontario, or overseas, we would go into the field and spend days or weeks getting something back on track…I don’t miss the pressure or stress but the excitement of the team pulling it off and walking out of there knowing we were able to get it right is memorable.”
“Good companies have good people. I’m grateful people trusted that the ownership and the leadership team always had the employee’s and customers’ best interests in mind. As a machine tool company, you often get peaks and valleys, but Fori was always secure. We consistently experienced growth which was exciting. The global growth was quite an accomplishment for an organization of our size to create a global footprint and build stand-alone organizations in seven different regions was something. It was clearly a testament to the ownership’s commitment and the dedication of the international leadership and employees.” Says Mike.
Mike is confident Fori will continue to grow and succeed under the new ownership of Lincoln Electric and the leadership of Fori’s former Vice President and now President Paul Meloche. Paul has worked with Mike for nearly two decades as part of the Fori management team.
Speaking about his future, Mike said, “I’m ready to slow down for now. We have the right people in place, and I feel good about the hands that are taking over. I plan to spend time with family, maybe learn the guitar, spend time traveling; wake up in the morning look outside and have a cup of coffee without having to read a hundred emails or troubleshoot any issues. I feel that the timing and the way things landed this is the right time.”
Thank you, Mike, for helping take Fori to a level of distinction and credibility that can only be achieved through exceptional leadership. Thank you for fostering the right people and right customer relationships along the way. You truly helped shape Fori’s present and future. Enjoy your much-deserved retirement and as the saying goes, this isn’t farewell, it’s simply see you later.
Fori Automation de Mexico facility was completed in 2019 and offers more than 90,000 square feet of manufacturing and office space.
The new facility was built to support the continued growth of Fori Automation de Mexico. Fori Mexico has been an intricate part of the continued growth of Fori Automation globally. The new facility will enable Fori Mexico to take on larger projects and support our domestic and global customer base. Below is an interactive tour and company overview for Fori Automation de Mexico.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JscRbXVu7L8
Fori Mexico currently has over 50 employees and a plan is in place to hire over 20 more within the next three years. Pictures of the new facility and start of the project can be found below. The new facility is located in Coahuila, Mexico.
Fori Automation de Mexico HeadquartersRobotic Welding System for Automotive Frame Assembly
Fori Automation is proud to announce that we have been selected as a Top System Integrator Giant for 2020.
Fori Automation has been selected as a Top 5 System Integrator Giant for 2020. The selection of System Integrator Giants is based on each respective companies revenue that is attributed to system integration. For more information on System Integrator Giants, please visit the Control Engineering webpage.
The System Integrator Giants announcement can be found here.
Fori Automation privately held and U.S. owned and operated since 1984, specializes in the custom design, build and integration of automated material handling, assembly, testing and welding systems for the automotive and non-automotive industries.
Our equipment and systems include:
Fori has supplied equipment across the globe for a variety of Automotive & Non-Automotive OEMs and Tier 1's. Customer verticals served include the Aerospace, Automotive, Defense, Nuclear, Recreational Vehicle and Construction industries. With over 30 years of experience and seven locations across four continents, Fori is positioned to support its customers around the globe.
For more information on Fori Automation, please visit our website.
Crain's Detroit Business has listed Fori as number 25 on their Fast 50 list for 2019. This list is compiled to highlight the fastest growing companies in Southeast Michigan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3MGrg7W9hA
25. Fori Automation Inc.
Revenue 2015: $164,000,000 | Revenue 2018: $240,000,000
Three-year percentage change: 46
What it does: Design and build of automated material handling, assembly, testing and welding systems for the automotive, aerospace, agriculture, recreational vehicle and alternative energy industries.
How it grew: Diversification strategies that include investing in new product development for assembly, testing, welding and material handling systems. The company began focusing on automotive opportunities outside of its traditional assembly equipment in 2008, including welding systems, material handling systems and automation systems for both global automotive car manufacturers and tier one suppliers. Fori has also expanded into aerospace, military, recreation vehicle, construction and agriculture, heavy metals and alternative energy industries. The company also expanded globally, with design and build facilities in China, Korea, India, Germany, Brazil, Mexico and Spain.
To check out the rest of the list, visit Crain's website. To find out more about how Fori has expanded to meet your automation needs, please visit our website.
Fori Mexico was involved in the relocation of an existing hot stamping line during production from Detroit, MI to Ramos, Mexico.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3MGrg7W9hA
Timing for this project was critical, because it was going to take place during production. The customer was required to build a bank of stampings for production while the equipment was being relocated.
The existing hot stamping line in Detroit was a singular process. The customer requested that a new process in Mexico be a parallel process to improve the output of the system. Fori was responsible for engineering the new process. Fori developed the new system layout and completed all the robotic simulations with offline programming to verify the performance of the new parallel process system. The customer requested that Fori use as much existing capital as possible to help control costs, therefore anything that was not available for reuse had to be built by Fori, including the controls of the new system.
[gallery ids="1108,1107" type="square" columns="2"]
Once the engineering was completed and signed off, Fori Mexico managed the installation, integration, and run off of the new parallel process. Fori USA was responsible for project management, engineering, and quotation.
For more information about Fori Automation's products, please visit our website.
Fori Mexico recently broke ground on a new headquarters that provides over 70,000 square feet of production space. The new facility includes manufacturing and office space to support the continued growth of Fori Automation.
The new facility was built to support the continued growth of Fori Mexico. Over the past 3 years Fori has experienced a substantial amount of growth within its Fori Mexico division.
Fori Automation broke ground on the new Fori Mexico facility in January of 2019.
Fori Mexico currently has over 50 employees and a plan is in place to hire over 20 more within the next three years. Pictures of the new facility and start of the project can be found below. The new facility is located in Coahuila, Mexico.
The new facility will support the continued growth of Fori Mexico.
Fori Automation is a global designer and builder of Material Handling, Assembly, Testing and Welding Systems. For more information on Fori Automation's products and locations, please visit our website.
Fori Automation is proud to announce that we have been selected as a Top System Integrator Giant for 2019.
Fori Automation has been selected as a Top 5 System Integrator Giant for 2019. The selection of System Integrator Giants is based on each respective companies revenue that is attributed to system integration. For more information on System Integrator Giants, please visit the Control Engineering webpage.
The System Integrator Giants announcement can be found here.
Fori Automation privately held and U.S. owned and operated since 1984, specializes in the custom design, build and integration of automated material handling, assembly, testing and welding systems for the automotive and non-automotive industries.
Our equipment and systems include:
Automotive Robotic Welding System for SUV & Truck Frame
Fori has supplied equipment across the globe for a variety of Automotive & Non-Automotive OEMs and Tier 1's. Customer verticals served include the Aerospace, Automotive, Defense, Nuclear, Recreational Vehicle and Construction industries. With over 30 years of experience and seven locations across four continents, Fori is positioned to support its customers around the globe.
For more information on Fori Automation, please visit our website.
Fori Automation Flex Floor Product Line for Flexible Assembly and Material Handling Systems.
Fori Automation, a global leader in the design, build and integration of material handling, assembly, testing and welding systems has further expanded its assembly and material handling product lines. Fori has added a new material handling platform to its ever growing product line to help facilitate material flow through today's manufacturing facilities.
The Fori Flex Floor product line is a flexible material handling and assembly system that is designed to fit around the customer process and product, whereas many of the other material handling products on the market require the customer process and product to fit around the material handling system. The Flex Floor platform includes a variety of vehicles based on the same architecture that have varying levels of capability depending on the end users specific needs.
The Fori Flex Floor utilizes a heavy duty extrusion style frame that enables the footprint of each style vehicle to be modified to fit the product being assembled or the materials being moved. The Flex Floor platform utilizes commercially available drive wheels, casters, batteries, controls components and guidance. The Flex Floor platform is based on a Siemens Safety PLC based architecture, providing the end user an open architecture. Many of the other products on the market include a “black box”, requiring the user to enlist support from the equipment supplier. Each assembly and material handling system can be supplied with a Fori Vehicle Management System (VMS), enabling the system to be fully autonomous, only requiring input for scheduling of moves either from the user or from the plant production system, the Fori VMS takes care of the rest. The Flex Floor vehicles are outfitted with the latest safety components available on the market. At a minimum the vehicles are supplied with perimeter Safety Scanners, Indicator Lights, Alarms and E-stops. The Safety Scanners provide collision avoidance for the end user to ensure safety for the operator and that no damage occurs to the product or part. Additionally, each vehicle is designed to be user friendly and virtually maintenance free for the end user.
Example of Fori Flex Floor - Rail Guided Cart (RGC) utilized for a Corner Module Assembly LineFlex Floor – RGC: Flex Floor Rail Guided Carts (RGCs) are a direct replacement for traditional, monument based conveyor systems that are typically utilized in assembly processes. Fori RGCs utilize a low profile, floor mounted rail for tracking and a single, suspended drive wheel to propel the vehicle through the assembly process.
Flex Floor 1.0: Flex Floor 1.0 is a cost effective, scalable Automated Guided Cart (AGC) that is used for a variety of applications, including assembly and material transport. The vehicle includes a single drive wheel, perfect for loop style assembly and material handling systems.
Flex Floor 2.0: Flex Floor 2.0 is based on the same platform as the Flex Floor 1.0, but provides more capability by utilizing dual drive wheels. The results are a vehicle with double the capacity and Omni-directional capability. The vehicle is capable of spinning on its center and moving laterally, resulting improved layout flexibility and the capability to transport larger assemblies, such as large truck frames.
Flex Floor 2.0T: Flex Floor 2.0T is a Tunnel style AGC that utilizes the same architecture as the Flex Floor 2.0, but also includes (2) electric hitch pins that are utilized for transportation of companion carts. These companion carts are utilized for material transport and can include a variety of attachments, including roller conveyor, lift tables and powered trunnions.
Fori Automation, Inc. privately held and U.S. owned and operated since 1984, specializes in the custom design, build and integration of automated material handling, assembly, testing and welding systems for the automotive and non-automotive industries. With over 30 years of experience and seven locations across four continents, we are positioned to support our customers around the globe.
Fori Automation recently expanded its Global Headquarters with the addition of a new 50,000 square foot facility. The new facility includes manufacturing and office space to support the continued growth of Fori Automation.
The new facility was built to support the Welding Business Unit and its customers. Over the past 3 years Fori has experienced a substantial amount of growth within its Robotic Welding Business Unit. The Welding Business Unit focuses on Automated MIG, Projection and Spot Welding for the Automotive Industry.
Fori Welding Business Unit Team
Thanks to the addition of 55 new employees during 2017 and the added manufacturing space we will be able to better support our global customers. With the addition of 55 new hires in 2017, Fori USA now has over 260 employees at its Global Headquarters and over 650 globally. Fori is continuing to add members to the team in order to support the growth of the organization, to view open positions click here.
Robotic Welding System for a Large Truck Frame
The new facility is located across the street from Fori Automation's Global Headquarters in Shelby Township, MI.
Fori Automation's New 50,000 Square Foot Robotic Welding Facility
Fori Automation is a global designer and builder of Material Handling, Assembly, Testing and Welding Systems. For more information on Fori Automation's products and locations, please visit our website.
Fori China, founded in late 2007 recently celebrated their 10 year reunion.
Fori Automation is proud to announce the 10 year anniversary of Fori China located in Beijing, China. Fori China’s turnkey design and build capabilities have been instrumental in supporting Fori Automation’s customers in Asia and around the world.
The five original Fori China employees receive recognition for their 10 years of service.
With over 250 employees, Fori China has proven themselves to be a prominent turnkey design and build system integrator. Fori China specializes in End of Line Testing equipment, Chassis Marriage Systems and Assembly Systems for the Automotive Industry.
Fori Automation is a global designer and builder of Material Handling, Assembly, Testing and Welding Systems. Headquartered in Shelby Township, MI.
For more information on the full product portfolio and global locations, please visit our website.
Fori Automation is proud to announce that we have been selected as a Top System Integrator Giant for 2018.
Fori Automation has been selected as a Top 5 System Integrator Giant for 2018. The selection of System Integrator Giants is based on each respective companies revenue that is attributed to system integration. For more information on System Integrator Giants, please visit the Control Engineering webpage.
The System Integrator Giants announcement can be found here.
Fori Automation privately held and U.S. owned and operated since 1984, specializes in the custom design, build and integration of automated material handling, assembly, testing and welding systems for the automotive and non-automotive industries.
Our equipment and systems include:
Fori Rail Guided Cart (RGC) Module Assembly System with Module Aligner
Fori has supplied equipment across the globe for a variety of Automotive & Non-Automotive OEMs and Tier 1's. Customer verticals served include the Aerospace, Automotive, Defense, Nuclear, Recreational Vehicle and Construction industries. With over 30 years of experience and seven locations across four continents, Fori is positioned to support its customers around the globe.
For more information on Fori Automation, please visit our website.
Fori Germany recently hosted a customer open house exhibition. The visitors were able to see Fori Germany latest and greatest products which were highlighted by two new styles of automated guided carts for the automotive industry.
Fori Automation's German Headquarters recently hosted an in-house exhibition to feature some of their latest and greatest products.
Products and projects presented included Automated Guided Carts (AGCs) for Automotive applications such as body shops and front end pre-assembly, as well as rear axle adjustment stations for axle alignment.
Fori AGCs for Automotive Module Assembly Systems
Pictured above is an example of an AGC utilized for module assembly within the automotive industry. The vehicle will transport the work piece carriers in the front end pre-assembly line. The assembly system was comprised of over (30) vehicles.
Low Profile AGC for Automotive Body Shop Applications
Fori Germany also developed a low profile AGC that is capable of lifting over 500 kg. and providing a total lift stroke of 350 mm for transport of car frames through a body shop. The system utilized the latest lithium ion battery technology and an optical guidance system which increased flexibility for the end user.
Fori Germany Headquarters in Merzig, Germany
The open house exhibition was a great success for Fori Germany. Over the last year Fori Germany has supplied a number of innovative products. For more information on Fori Automation's global locations and our products, please visit our website.
The System Integrator Giants announcement can be found 
The existing hot stamping line in Detroit was a singular process. The customer requested that a new process in Mexico be a parallel process to improve the output of the system. Fori was responsible for engineering the new process. Fori developed the new system layout and completed all the robotic simulations with offline programming to verify the performance of the new parallel process system. The customer requested that Fori use as much existing capital as possible to help control costs, therefore anything that was not available for reuse had to be built by Fori, including the controls of the new system.
[gallery ids="1108,1107" type="square" columns="2"]
Once the engineering was completed and signed off, Fori Mexico managed the installation, integration, and run off of the new parallel process. 
The Fori Flex Floor utilizes a heavy duty extrusion style frame that enables the footprint of each style vehicle to be modified to fit the product being assembled or the materials being moved. The Flex Floor platform utilizes commercially available drive wheels, casters, batteries, controls components and guidance. The Flex Floor platform is based on a Siemens Safety PLC based architecture, providing the end user an open architecture. Many of the other products on the market include a “black box”, requiring the user to enlist support from the equipment supplier. Each assembly and material handling system can be supplied with a Fori Vehicle Management System (VMS), enabling the system to be fully autonomous, only requiring input for scheduling of moves either from the user or from the plant production system, the Fori VMS takes care of the rest. The Flex Floor vehicles are outfitted with the latest safety components available on the market. At a minimum the vehicles are supplied with perimeter Safety Scanners, Indicator Lights, Alarms and E-stops. The Safety Scanners provide collision avoidance for the end user to ensure safety for the operator and that no damage occurs to the product or part. Additionally, each vehicle is designed to be user friendly and virtually maintenance free for the end user.
Flex Floor 1.0: Flex Floor 1.0 is a cost effective, scalable Automated Guided Cart (AGC) that is used for a variety of applications, including assembly and material transport. The vehicle includes a single drive wheel, perfect for loop style assembly and material handling systems.
Flex Floor 2.0: Flex Floor 2.0 is based on the same platform as the Flex Floor 1.0, but provides more capability by utilizing dual drive wheels. The results are a vehicle with double the capacity and Omni-directional capability. The vehicle is capable of spinning on its center and moving laterally, resulting improved layout flexibility and the capability to transport larger assemblies, such as large truck frames.
Flex Floor 2.0T: Flex Floor 2.0T is a Tunnel style AGC that utilizes the same architecture as the Flex Floor 2.0, but also includes (2) electric hitch pins that are utilized for transportation of companion carts. These companion carts are utilized for material transport and can include a variety of attachments, including roller conveyor, lift tables and powered trunnions.
