Alcon is a global company specializing in the development, manufacture and distribution of eye care products, including contact lenses, ophthalmic surgical systems, surgical instruments and pharmaceutical products. The site in Großwallstadt is one of the most important competence and technology centers within the Alcon Group.
Contact lens manufacturing takes place at the plant there in state-of-the-art ISO 6 clean rooms. Nine automated production lines ensure the highest hygiene and quality standards. All rooms are equipped with raised floors, which not only enable optimal use of space but also allow the integration of automated processes.
Plant modernization enables further automation
This is exactly what the recent €400 million modernization of the plant was all about: production processes were further automated, which once again significantly increased efficiency: The previously manual transport of carrier shells of contact lenses from the material station to the production facilities is now fully automated thanks to the SAFELOG AGV S3 automated guided vehicles (AGVs).
The AGVs independently drive the loaded trolleys to the plants and return as required. In doing so, they cover distances of up to 300 meters along the production lines in the clean room.
The following points should be taken into account when considering the desired charging infrastructure: The AGVs should be able to be charged "in process" without having to travel to separate charging stations. For this purpose, the charging infrastructure had to adapt to the local conditions. The integration of the WCPS charging infrastructure into the existing raised floor structure of the building offered the solution to these challenges.
PohlCon's raised floor system is an efficient infrastructure solution that enables in-process charging thanks to Wiferion's integrated charging coil. This not only ensures a safe and robust energy supply for the AGVs, but also prevents tripping hazards and fits perfectly into the production flow.
Find more information in our Case study.
WCPS ALCON Case study 
