Easy-to-install it is intended to meet the needs of both indoor and outdoor automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and combines encoders and autonomous vehicle technology in a single smart device with a durable aluminium housing. SICK’s Flexi Mobile delivers impressive environment perception and safe motion monitoring for AGVs/AMRs in indoor and outdoor settings to optimise the productivity and safety of automated processes even in confined spaces.
As demand for autonomous mobile applications and more integrated automation equipment increases, new flexible safety solutions are required.
Flexi Mobile’s cabinet-free intelligent installation concept and autonomous vehicle capabilities provide greater freedom and a more cost-effective design, that enables quicker, space-saving integration into driverless trucks for up to two axes. It is possible to safely connect sensors in series without additional wiring via rectangular multi-pin connectors on wire harnesses, supporting cost-efficient series production of mobile machines, and making adding and removing individual safety devices simple.
Flexi Mobile is programmable using a total of 512 function blocks, including TUV-certified dedicated differential drive function blocks to accelerate the development of standard-compliant AGVs and AMRs.
Safe motion solutions are possible up to PLe/SIL 3, including almost all safe motion function blocks from the SICK Flexisoft controller, meeting required safety performance levels for dynamic mobile platforms. Safe kinematics increase productivity even in confined environments and Flexi Mobile facilitates omnidirectional drive concepts.
Comprehensive, process-oriented intuitive configuration of Flexi Mobile devices can be achieved using SICK’s free-to-use, drag-and-drop Safety Designer Software. Safety Designer makes it easy to configure, document and evaluate complete safety applications across a wide range of SICK safety components with just one tool.
Providing essential safety data, reports and continuous diagnostics, SICK Safety Designer reduces unplanned downtime and provides legal certainty in the form of reliable, detailed, standard-compliant safety documentation. It is even possible to virtually create applications before purchasing hardware at no cost.
The Flexi Mobile safety controller can be mounted on mobile vehicles in tough environments without a control cabinet. Its robust shock and vibration-resistant aluminium housing provides protection against environmental influences (IP66, IP67 & IP69K) ensuring excellent capabilities against dirt and ingress. The device has high passive cooling capacity and has been rigorously tested to resist high pressure, as well as surface temperatures ranging from -40C - +80 C.
Flexi Mobile also has a 4 m/s cycle time, is rated up to PLe/SIL3, features Modbus TCP fieldbus for diagnostics and can accommodate up to three Flexi Loop chains.
Its modular design means Flexi Mobile can be tailored to meet the needs of different autonomous mobile applications, with a variety of I/O expansion modules as well as Ethernet, Modbus TCP, SLMP, CAN and CANopen interfaces available.
The new SICK safety controller is suited to both indoor and outdoor off-highway autonomous vehicles (AMRs, AGVs, IMRs) and machinery, including indoor service robots, driverless trucks, service robots and transport vehicles.
Key applications range from off-road, logistics and agricultural uses to material handling, mining, logistics, municipal machinery, ports, airports and construction.
