Rethinking Material Handling in Manufacturing with Industrial Tugs

Tow tugs are often used alongside mother and daughter trolley configurations. Mother trolleys tow one or more daughter trolleys, creating a train system that improves operational efficiency. Electric tow tugs, as the name suggests, are then utilised to tow the train system.

Utilising material handling tugs alongside mother and daughter trolley systems enables manufacturers to achieve greater throughput, improved ergonomics, and enhanced efficiency across their operations.

Alongside towing trains of carts, material handling tugs can be implemented to move large and heavy loads like sub-assemblies and work-in-progress. Manufacturers trust powered tugs to mobilise high-value loads and deliver unrivalled precision and manoeuvrability. Example movements include:

• In the automotive industry this is often loads such as chassis, body-in-whites (BiW) or powertrain assemblies
• Within aerospace manufacturing, this often includes the movement of sensitive loads like aerostructures, composites and wings
• Heavy plant equipment manufacturers utilise electric tugs to mobilise loads such as chassis, sub-assemblies and booms

Across industrial manufacturing sectors such as automotive manufacturing, heavy plant assembly and aerospace, the timely delivery of components to the production bays and the assembly line is integral to maintaining throughput and reducing downtime. With no operator licence required, powered tugs allow a single operator to move components just-in-time, offering a more efficient solution for intralogistics and internal material flow.

As well as supporting processes like those outlined above, electric tuggers can also be used to power the production line. As a modular and more flexible solution, they offer a scalable alternative to fixed chain driven production lines or other traditional systems. Utilising material handling tugs to mobilise the production line enables manufacturers to benefit from greater flexibility, allowing them to scale up or down in line with output.