Day: 5 October 2020

A new robotic palletising solution which combines flexibility and ease of set-up with greater throughput for rapid return on investment, has been introduced by collaborative robot (cobot) application specialist Robotiq.

The Robotiq Palletising Solution has been specifically developed to meet the needs of companies providing essential goods in lower throughput applications with frequent changes of task and box or pallet size.

Around 30% faster than other cobot palletisers currently on the market, the new system is designed for applications of up to 13 boxes/ minute. Installable in less than a day thanks to its single, integrated application software, this solution can be set-up for a new SKU in as little as five minutes.

In addition, this application-focused technology comprises fully connected, plug and play hardware and software with pre-selected functions for rapid and simple deployment with UR10.

“We were very impressed when testing this Application Kit. The synchronised motion makes it a very unique product in the cobot space,” said Early Ewing, Head of UR+ Ecosystem at Universal Robots.

The palletising application can be set up in just three simple steps on the visual robot control device, with automatic trajectory planning and collision detection, and no need for a PC or external programming. Once programmed, simple one-click activation gets operations under way immediately.

The system delivers optimised, synchronised motion control of both the cobot and 7th axis, with seamless movements ensuring a maximised cobot life cycle. Its compact footprint means it fits easily within any existing floor layout, with no need to reconfigure production.

Each system consists of a vertical axis, a robot base, an application software and a vacuum gripper. In details: vertical 7th axis and control box containing PLC, drive, motor and safety relay; Robotiq’s vacuum gripper AirPick, bracket and suction cups; pallet and box sensors; cable management system; URCaps nodes for palletiser and axis control; and two status lights.

The technology has undergone extensive and robust field testing, receiving strong endorsements from leading robotics experts. Among them is Bryant Henderson, senior robotics engineer at Advanced Control Solutions, who commented: “Overall I was extremely impressed with the system. The hardware seems tested and robust, and the user interface is extremely easy to use.”

Nicolas Lauzier, senior product owner at Robotiq, explained: “The need to automate the palletising process – already a key consideration in many facilities due to the health & safety implications of repetitive and physically demanding manual palletising on human operatives – has only been intensified by the recent Covid-19 pandemic.

“However, many other cobot palletising solutions on the market have a large footprint, are comparatively high in cost and require substantial expertise in automation, while the time needed for programming can be significant. There are also challenges around the flexibility of these systems for different applications – for example, handling smaller boxes or using pallets of different sizes – and their speed, which rarely exceeds 10 boxes/ minute. The issue is often further complicated by the use of components from multiple providers, leading to compatibility issues.

“The new Palletising Solution by Robotiq is addressing all of these issues at once, providing a flexible and rapid solution particularly suited to the food & beverage, consumer product and pharmaceutical sectors – or any other sector requiring rapid throughput and SKU changeover.”

Additional customer value is provided through risk assessment recommendations comprising an e-learning module on safety and a dedicated section on safety in the instruction manual. It is also compatible with third party safety systems such as safety interlocks, light curtains and area scanners.

At every stage of the pandemic a single, consistent safety message has endured: the need for physical distancing. And if that’s true for person to person interaction, it is even more applicable where forklift operations where pedestrians are involved.

In an ideal world, the two should never occupy the same space but this is the real world – one where working areas are often restricted and deadlines are tight. Mitsubishi developed its new Safety Zone system.

Specifically designed to maintain a safe distance around a forklift, Safety Zone projects bright red beams onto the ground all around the perimeter of the truck creating a vivid ‘no-go’ area. Pedestrians instinctively avoid entering this exclusion zone, keeping them at a safe distance at all times. Unlike auditory warnings, which can be lost in noisy environments or if colleagues are wearing ear defenders, the Safety Zone delivers a clear, visual and unambiguous warning of a truck’s presence — making it particularly valuable at the ends of aisles and at blind corners.

Mitsubishi Safety Zone protects staff against injuries and infection. Best of all, it can be fitted to all new forklift trucks and be retrofitted to existing equipment, making it a remarkably quick, effective and low-cost safety feature.

According to Stewart Gosling of Red Diamond Distribution, the UK distributor for Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks: “This pedestrian safety alert system uses LEDs to cast bright, bold red lines on the floor behind and to the sides of the truck. These clearly show — at a glance — the distance that must be kept by pedestrians in order to work safely when forklifts are in the vicinity. That visual clue can prove particularly crucial on a busy site.

“The great news is that safety is now as simple as switching on a light.”

At every stage of the pandemic a single, consistent safety message has endured: the need for physical distancing. And if that’s true for person to person interaction, it is even more applicable where forklift operations where pedestrians are involved.

In an ideal world, the two should never occupy the same space but this is the real world – one where working areas are often restricted and deadlines are tight. Mitsubishi developed its new Safety Zone system.

Specifically designed to maintain a safe distance around a forklift, Safety Zone projects bright red beams onto the ground all around the perimeter of the truck creating a vivid ‘no-go’ area. Pedestrians instinctively avoid entering this exclusion zone, keeping them at a safe distance at all times. Unlike auditory warnings, which can be lost in noisy environments or if colleagues are wearing ear defenders, the Safety Zone delivers a clear, visual and unambiguous warning of a truck’s presence — making it particularly valuable at the ends of aisles and at blind corners.

Mitsubishi Safety Zone protects staff against injuries and infection. Best of all, it can be fitted to all new forklift trucks and be retrofitted to existing equipment, making it a remarkably quick, effective and low-cost safety feature.

According to Stewart Gosling of Red Diamond Distribution, the UK distributor for Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks: “This pedestrian safety alert system uses LEDs to cast bright, bold red lines on the floor behind and to the sides of the truck. These clearly show — at a glance — the distance that must be kept by pedestrians in order to work safely when forklifts are in the vicinity. That visual clue can prove particularly crucial on a busy site.

“The great news is that safety is now as simple as switching on a light.”

Crown, one of the world’s largest material-handling companies, has expanded its product offering to provide customers with an extensive range of warehouse solutions, helping them improve throughput, enhance efficiency and reduce costs.

Offered by Crown in other countries and now available for UK customers, Crown Warehouse Solutions is a comprehensive one-stop package incorporating the full range of material handling product and services, as well as help for customers to design, plan and equip their warehouses for optimal performance. The value-enhanced solution includes racking, pedestrian barriers, flooring, line marking, signage, labeling and a lot more.

Crown Warehouse Solutions offer many advantages to the customer, providing them with easy access to an extensive range of experts spanning all aspects of material handling, right from the dock door to the warehouse floor. This means the company can offer tailored solutions focused on a facility’s specific requirements – regardless of sector. Specialist designers plan the bespoke solution to provide optimal workflow and productivity, with minimal disruption to the customer’s operation during installation. Crown Warehouse Solutions include service spanning all phases of a project from delivery and installation through to ongoing support. Dealing with a single source rather than multiple suppliers ensures a consistent customer experience throughout the project.

The customised turnkey solutions enable customers to remain focused on their business objectives. Capacity constraints within the modern warehouse are a key consideration; Crown’s experienced designers draw on an extensive range of products to create the ideal storage solution, including also the integration of the proper lift truck fleet. Simon Barkworth, Managing Director, Crown Lift Trucks UK, said: “Crown is best known for its reliable lift trucks and professional customer service. We wanted to bring these qualities to the new Crown Warehouse Solutions offer, and this is what we have achieved. By carefully sourcing from trusted suppliers, we can now offer a comprehensive warehouse solutions package. Our experts can design, install and implement a tailored package specific to a customer’s requirements and all backed by Crown’s strong commitment to quality, reliability and price.”

Leading parcel delivery firm DPD has announced plans to deliver to 25 of the largest towns and cities in the UK with zero and low-emission delivery means by 2025. The move is part of a Europe-wide drive by DPD group involving 225 urban areas in 20 countries and is based on a delivery model trialled in many cities, including London. DPD has re-thought the way it operates last mile delivery by implementing micro and urban depots as well as other appropriate alternative delivery solutions.

The programme announced today represents the acceleration of a pan-European ambition based on the know-how and expertise gained from the first cities where these initiatives were implemented. In total, it will mean more than 260 million parcels or 17% of the Group’s volumes delivered by zero or low-emission vehicles by the end of 2025, with CO2 emissions decreasing by 89% and pollutants by 80%, compared to 2020 in the targeted towns and cities.

To achieve the ambition of 225 green cities, DPDgroup will deploy 7,000 new alternative vehicles, 3,600 charging points and 80 new urban depots across Europe. These initiatives represent an investment of €200 million in total by 2025. New alternative fleets will be composed of various vehicles, depending on the town or city centre, delivery needs and regulation constraints. In the UK, DPD already has over 700 EVs including MAN eTGE, Nissan eNV-200 and 7.5t Fuso eCanters and has recently announced trials with LEVC and Volta Trucks.

Dwain McDonald, DPD’s CEO commented, “This is a hugely significant announcement from DPDgroup and we are very proud to be playing such a key role here. We’ve led the way on EVs in the UK parcel market, first with our all-electric micro depots in London and then with the scale of our nationwide investment. We already have over 700 EVs in the UK and they are in every depot. This is the next stage of our plan, to deliver totally green in 25 of the largest towns and cities in the country, drastically reducing our emissions in the places with the highest populations. We are very conscious of our responsibility to the planet and its people, and we aim to be the most sustainable delivery company in the UK and Europe. We were among the first to put our hands up and acknowledge our part in climate change issues and since then we have put our hand in our pocket and started investing in the solution. We know from what we have done in central London that this model works, and we know that shippers and shoppers both love seeing parcels delivered green. So, we have made significant progress already. It is great now to be able to share our longer-term vision and we look forward to turning these 25 towns and cities green.”