“David and Goliath” work together in the warehouse

STILL will be presenting its new ACH series to the general public for the first time at the LogiMAT trade fair in Stuttgart from May 31 to June 2, 2022, in hall 10, stand B41/B51.

In a realistic application scenario, the Hamburg-based intralogistics specialist will be demonstrating how the versatile and flexible automated mobile robots (AMR) can work in symbiosis with automated vertical conveyors such as reach trucks or narrow-aisle trucks. The result: a new form of modern division of labour that will raise transport processes in warehouses or production to a completely new level.

During the international exhibition, STILL will be demonstrating processes that take place in this way or very similarly every day in almost every warehouse or production hall: The retrieval of semi-finished products from the high-bay warehouse, their transport for further processing, their subsequent return to the high-bay warehouse and the final storage of the finished products. All processes that used to be very time-consuming and/or labour-intensive in the past can now be made much more cost-effective and efficient thanks to the optimised workflows.

“We achieve this process optimisation through a new form of division of labour in which each machine takes on exactly the tasks for which it has been optimised. The automated vertical conveyor stores or retrieves goods in the high-bay warehouse and our new automated mobile robots handle the horizontal transport. Thanks to their very compact dimensions, they are much more manoeuvrable in the warehouse or on the production floor and can therefore easily reach almost any position in production – right up to the production worker on the production line,” explains Torsten Wiecker, Vice President Brand Management STILL EMEA.

New ACH series

STILL launched its new AMR trucks in January 2022 in three versions. The ACH 06 model, with a load capacity of 600 kg and dimensions of 956x730x240mm, is particularly suitable for the automated transport of lighter goods. It can pick up or place goods up to an underride height of 270mm. When loaded, the small runabout reaches a travel speed of 1.5m/s.

The medium-sized version, the ACH 10, measures 1182x832x260mm and can transport loads of 1,000kg. If you need to transport even heavier loads automatically, you can go for the ACH 15.

The most powerful of the three models also measures 1182x832x260mm and is designed for loads up to 1,500kg. The pick-up and drop-off height of both the ACH 10 and the ACH 15 is 290mm. When loaded, the two larger variants reach a speed of up to 1.2m/s. The available loading area for the ACH 06 is 900x900mm. The other two models feature a loading platform with a surface area of 1200x1200mm.

All three models are powered by a Li-ion battery. This can be charged very conveniently via the charging station that is part of the system. The vehicles automatically dock onto the station as needed.

Numerous application possibilities

These features make the STILL AMR systems the ideal solution for the automated horizontal transport of goods. Thanks to state-of-the-art sensor technology, the innovative ACH series moves independently, proactively and safely in the warehouse – even in mixed operation with people and other industrial trucks.

The vehicles transport a great variety of load carriers on their platforms and can be adapted to a wide range of transfer points. Depending on the requirements, the AMR works independently or via a connection to the different software systems of the operators.

AMR vehicles also stand out when it comes to environmental protection. Due to their significantly lower dead weight compared to classic automated warehouse solutions, their energy consumption is noticeably reduced. In addition, their acquisition, operating and maintenance costs are very low. Therefore, they can be integrated into existing environments and systems very cost-effectively.

In combination with the good scalability and their high safety standard, the ACH series offers an attractive entry into automation for many industries, e.g. in parts supply for production, the automotive industry, logistics, medical manufacturing, the production of clothing or electronics or e-commerce.