forklifts|materials handling|order picking Archives

STILL reveals more iGo neo innovations

Posted on 9 December, 2021 by David Priestman

STILL GmbH, the Hamburg-based provider of intralogistics solutions, was the first manufacturer to launch iGo neo in 2016, a technology that turns series-produced intralogistics trucks into independent assistants for their operators. The technology enables perfect interaction between man and machine. Now STILL is launching a series of further innovations for the OPX iGo neo horizontal order picker that result in even more autonomy and therefore additional safety and cost-effectiveness in the warehouse.

The OPX iGo neo horizontal order picker is a vehicle that autonomously follows the operator at every step during order picking. It reacts to its operator and the environment. It therefore provides ergonomic order picking that is unique in the market. The innovative technology ensures that the order picker is always ideally positioned in relation to the operator and that the operator does not have to walk unnecessarily, which in itself leads to increased efficiency.

Safety is also high on STILL’s agenda, especially for autonomous vehicles. The OPX iGo neo, for instance, has a unique safety concept. The horizontal order picker recognises and reacts situationally not only to people but also to dynamic and static objects. It independently detects and avoids non-critical obstacles and stops gently in front of critical barriers.

Collision avoidance in manual operation

Since November this year, the STILL Easy Protect collision protection system has been providing additional safety, even in manual operation. The assistance system is available for all OPX iGo neo models: “If the operator is on a collision course during manual operation, the truck detects this and brakes automatically depending on the distance of the obstacle,” explained Thede Baumann, Product Manager for the iGo neo.

When developing this assistance system, one of the key objectives was to keep the restrictions on driving as low as possible. “To achieve this,” said Volker Viereck, Head of intelligent autonomous software development at KION mobile automation, “the driving manoeuvre requested by the operator is constantly assessed and intervention only takes place if the operator is explicitly on a collision course”. This means that the closer the vehicle gets to an obstacle, the more the specified speed is reduced to avoid a collision.

“However, if the operator reacts to the obstacle by adjusting the steering angle, thus avoiding it,” continued the robotics development manager, “the vehicle automatically accelerates again to the driving speed desired by the operator.”

In addition, Easy Protect evaluates the distance at which the operator wants to pass an obstacle. This leads to a possible speed reduction of the vehicle depending on this distance.

“Easy Protect is comparable to the lane departure warning system in cars,” said Baumann. The great difference to the automotive industry, however, is that the operator is supported very discreetly by the assistance system. In a nutshell, the corrections made by the vehicle are minimal and very gentle, but nevertheless accurate to the centimetre.

The level of intervention of STILL’s new assistance system, which can also be retrofitted to trucks already on the market, can be selected by the operator and adjusted if necessary. Three modes are available for this: early intervention, standard intervention and late intervention.

“With this assistance system, the iGo neo was especially able to play to its strengths,” Viereck continued, “because the sensor technology for this was already available in the vehicle.” The new feature does not require any hardware upgrades and can be made available to all existing customers via a vehicle software update. This underlines STILL’s strategy of allowing the OPX iGo neo to benefit from new optimisations or even new features even after it has been delivered. If desired, the robotic vehicle can be kept permanently up-to-date.

3D collision protection

The 3D collision protection, which will be added to STILL’s OPX iGo neo from next year, uses a 3D camera to reliably detect obstacles in front of the truck – both in manual and autonomous operation. “The camera is positioned above the pedestrian protection system,” explained Viereck. “This means that its field of vision covers the entire height of the front of the vehicle, which was also an explicit request from our customers.”

In addition to increased safety, the 3D collision protection also leads to higher working efficiency, for example when using several scissor lift trucks. Until now, larger safety distances were necessary in practice because the raised forks of the vehicle in front cannot be detected by sensors.

“Since this restriction is resolved by Easy Protect 3D, vehicles can close in more closely,” said Baumann. This in turn reduces walking distances and increases productivity. This assistance system by STILL, which is unique on the market so far, can also be retrofitted for existing order pickers.

New industrial pallet version

As of now, a new vehicle version of STILL’s OPX iGo neo horizontal order picker is also available. The industrial pallet version enables the transport of load carriers up to a width of 1,000mm in autonomous assistance mode. Previously, this was only possible for a pallet width of 800mm.

This option increases the range of applications for the OPX iGo neo even more. It expands perspectives not only for industrial pallets but also for special load carriers with a width of up to 1,000mm. The integrated pedestrian protection system safeguards the enlarged vehicle and load width accordingly. In addition, the intelligent vehicle knows its own dimensions and operates accordingly. An adaptation of the desired distances is not necessary, this is done by the neo itself. The new industrial pallet version from STILL is available for all models.

“Since each country has different requirements for the use of autonomous vehicles, a number of system enhancements have been made,” explained Viereck. Due to this system expansion to adapt to the legal requirements of the different regions, the OPX iGo neo can now be offered throughout EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) as well as in other regions, such as the USA, Australia or New Zealand. The success of the STILL horizontal order picker is therefore not limited to core Europe – the truck is now in demand worldwide.

STILL offers top performance for order picking

Posted on 14 October, 202129 July, 2025 by David Priestman

Is order picking always the same? Not at all. Hardly any other field of activity in intralogistics is as diverse as goods picking. The range of applications is wide and requires appropriate technologies. STILL – one of the leading suppliers of intralogistics solutions and a successful market player for more than 100 years – says it can provide the right order picking vehicle for any customer requirement.

The requirements in order picking are diverse and so are the users’ needs for information. Is the picking to be done on the lowest shelf level or is it necessary to pick vertically – and if so, at what heights? In which industry will the picking be carried out? Which goods need to be picked – and are they rather large and bulky or small and heavy?

Also important: What kind of warehouse is it? Does the vehicle have to be designed to manoeuvre mainly in narrow spaces? Is it to be used in narrow aisles or is a combined use in narrow and wide aisles intended? And last but not least: what degree of automation is necessary and/or desired? There is a great variety of possible options, and STILL’s responses to customer requirements are comprehensive. The Hamburg-based company has the right vehicle for any application in its range.

“As different as the application profiles and thus the vehicles may be, certain requirements must be met in any case,” says Janos Poppe, product trainer for horizontal order pickers at STILL.

“Regardless of whether it is a classic order picker or a vehicle designed for narrow aisles: High reliability, energy-efficient use, easy battery handling and fatigue-free operation must be guaranteed. In addition, efficient work and high handling performance with our state-of-the-art vehicles are of course the focus of customer requirements,” adds Christian Ehlers, product trainer for vertical order pickers at STILL.

Just how varied intralogistics tasks are can be seen by looking at the different industries. In the automotive industry, mechanical engineering and the food industry in particular, but also in other trades and services, right through to retail, there is much more to it than ‘light’ order picking.

Aiming high in a confined space

If pallets need to be picked at very high levels or entire pallets stored and retrieved, this is where the MX-X from STILL comes into its own. With this truck, which is operated in narrow aisles, pallets can be picked at heights of more than 17.5m. Depending on the vehicle configuration, the MX-X can reach speeds of up to 14km/h with mechanical guidance and 10km/h with inductive guidance.

“With these travel speeds, the MX-X delivers maximum handling performance in any narrow aisle,” adds Ehlers. Lifting speeds of up to 0.6m/s and lowering speeds of 0.45m/s allow the MX-X to quickly store and retrieve pallets – or pick onto them – at any height. The tilt barriers enable a short distance between the driver and the pallet and thus fast and ergonomic order picking. “This means the vehicle delivers top performance in the tightest of spaces when picking at great heights,” says Ehlers.

Despite the great heights, the operator can work without worries. The design of the main and auxiliary lift provides impressive stability at any storage height. In addition, the MX-X is equipped with Active Floor Compensation (AFC). The AFC feature ensures that any unevenness in the ground between the left and right lanes is compensated for. With this assistance system AFC, STILL offers a real alternative to the costly reconditioning of the warehouse floor. In addition, the driver no longer feels the unevenness and thus always feels safe on the MX-X even at a height of 18m.

Master picking applications in wide and narrow aisles with ease

“Every order picking task should be easy to manage,” emphasises Ehlers. This is also what the EK-X series stands for. The EK-X up to 1,000kg, for example – just like its big brother, the EK-X up to 1,200kg – can be used flexibly and reliably in both wide and narrow aisles due to its compact and variable vehicle dimensions. It is used in a wide range of industries and applications. These include mechanical engineering companies, logistics service providers and central warehouses of large trading companies.

Thanks to its powerful, reliable and low-maintenance three-phase engines (with 24V as well as 48V battery), the vertical order picker reaches travel speeds of up to 11km/h and is able to transport loads weighing up to 1,000kg. The maximum reach height of the EK-X up to 1,000kg is 7.8m. “With the EK-X 10, the EK-X up to 1,000kg and the EK-X up to 1,200kg, our order-picking portfolio from STILL optimally covers customer requirements from the lowest level to the very highest heights,” says Ehlers.

The highlights of the EK-X series include innovative features such as Curve Speed Control or the OptiSpeed system. In addition, it is possible to use lithium-ion-based energy storage systems on the EK-X up to 1,000kg and 1,200kg. In connection with this technology, the opportunity charging option is also available. This connects the charger directly to the battery and thus enables fast, simple and uncomplicated intermediate charging. For customers who opt for a lead-acid battery in combination with “Li-ion ready”, it is also possible to prepare the vehicle for future opportunity charging.

Great focus on ergonomics and safety

When designing the EK-X up to 1,000kg, STILL’s developers placed great emphasis on ergonomics and safety. Thanks to the low cab floor height of just 200mm, the driver can reach the cab safely and without difficulty. The shock-absorbing cab floor takes the strain off the operator and a large-area presence switch allows a variable and comfortable standing position. On the vehicle, the operator not only has everything under control as well as a wide range of equipment options, but also optionally a driver’s cab that is 70mm deeper, which provides more freedom of movement.

Easy picking of heavy and bulky goods

For picking heavy and bulky goods on the EK-X up to 1,000kg, the truck has optionally been equipped with a walk-on pallet. “This makes it easy to pick heavy and bulky goods and contributes further to occupational health and safety,” explains Ehlers. A high level of safety is ensured by a contact switch and automatic locking of the pallet.

“Safety is the first priority, especially at great heights,” emphasises Ehlers. Thus, the EK-X up to 1,000kg has a sensor-controlled two-hand operation that guarantees accident-free operation, especially in narrow aisles. To ensure that the vehicle stays on track in narrow aisles, it is optionally equipped with mechanical or inductive guidance. “These and many more features stand for maximum user safety of our entire EK-X series,” says Christian Ehlers.

All-round talent especially for ground-level applications

For order picking tasks at ground level, STILL also has the right trucks in their product range. “The ideal trucks for order picking tasks at ground level are the horizontal order pickers in the OPX series by STILL,” explains Poppe. This is an all-rounder that can travel at speeds of up to 14km/h in the warehouse and has been specially designed for classic horizontal order picking.

“Nevertheless, the variety offered by this vehicle series is incredibly large,” says Poppe. It ranges from a simple vehicle with a load capacity of up to 1,200kg to load capacities of up to 2,500kg. Depending on the equipment, two pallets can also be transported and picked at the same time – also at an ergonomic working height of the forks to protect the backs of the employees during picking.

Picking in the second level

While the horizontal order pickers of the OPX series are mainly designed for picking in the ground level and the operator picks the pallet from the side of the vehicle, the vertical order pickers of the OXV series are also designed for picking work in the second level. The vehicle is equipped with a platform lift as standard, which enables the operator to pick directly onto the pallet when the platform is raised. “Unlike the OPX, which is designed for several pallets, the OXV transports exactly one pallet,” explains Poppe.

The vehicle, which travels up to 10km/h, can transport pallets weighing 700 or 1,000kg. Like the vehicles of the OPX series, it impresses with a high level of driving comfort and intuitive operator guidance. Simultaneous steering, lifting and driving is a breeze with the STILL Easy Drive steering wheel.

“In combination with the OPX and the EK-X order pickers designed for higher operations, the trucks of the OXV series perfectly round off the STILL portfolio in the order picker sector,” says Poppe.

Automation and autonomy in order picking

A few years ago, STILL also took a big step towards automation and autonomy – also with regard to order picking. Since 2016, the Hamburg-based company has been offering its customers not only the fully automated MX-X but also the autonomous version of the horizontal order picker, the OPX iGo neo. With the help of state-of-the-art sensor technology, the vehicle recognises its operator as well as its surroundings. By means of a multi-level safety concept including a pedestrian protection system, the OPX iGo neo protects people, warehouse equipment and goods. Based on the generated data and defined algorithms, the vehicle makes decisions: obstacles are avoided or the vehicle stops completely if the available space is too small to avoid the obstacles.

The OPX iGo neo significantly increases picking performance and reduces picking errors. On the one hand, because the autonomous helper takes over driving and steering during order picking and the operator can thus concentrate fully on the work. On the other hand, because up to 75% of the strenuous and time-consuming getting up and off the vehicle is eliminated and the walking distances with loads are greatly reduced.

Looking at STILL’s broad portfolio, Ehlers sums up: “It is STILL’s mission to offer every customer the right vehicle for any picking application.”

New order picker for medium rack heights

Posted on 7 October, 2021 by David Priestman

With the Linde V modular B vertical order picker, Linde Material Handling (MH) is launching a new high-performance, robust turret truck. The “man-up” vehicle expands the intralogistics specialist’s product range for wide and narrow aisle warehouses, thus offering distribution centre operators and manufacturing companies an even greater choice of customized solutions.

Many warehouse operators solve the need for additional storage space by adding more racking and expanding racks upwards by one or two levels. As a result, the demands on the vehicles used for picking are growing in parallel: Picking heights can exceed 7m, which means the vehicles must have a stable chassis as well as provide an ergonomic and safe working environment so that operators can fully concentrate on the picking process.

“Picking is the value-adding activity in a warehouse and therefore at the core of the business,” Matthias Holzwarth, Product Manager VNA Trucks, puts it in a nutshell. “With the new Linde V modular B turret truck, we offer our customers a powerful yet cost-effective solution for precisely these requirements.”

With a load capacity of 1,000kg and a reach height of up to 7.83m, the vehicles meet customer needs such as those found in online retail, small parts logistics in distribution centres and factory supermarkets. At their core, they are based on the larger V modular series, with the “B” in the model name standing for “Best Value” and indicating that the vehicle comes equipped solely with features necessary for this picking height.

Convincing set-up

The trucks’ maximum driving speed of 11km/h means movement is rapid. Comfort is provided by the spacious cab, which is decoupled from the chassis and thus cushioned from vibrations. A soft mat absorbs vibrations when the mast is raised during travel, and operators find secure footing on the firm surface at the edge of the cab floor while order picking.

The low railing of the driver’s cab allows for easy, reliable picking of goods from the rack, and the optional outward tilt function allows for the extra few centimetres of movement that are often needed for better access in the racking.

The mast design provides excellent visibility of the surroundings, and the electric steering makes it easy to manoeuvre with precision. Thanks to the modular vehicle concept, the vertical order pickers can be individually adapted to specific customer requirements. Depending on the power requirements, for example, a 24v and a 48v motor are available.

The Linde V modular B is also equipped with various safety features. For example, the vehicle can only be moved when the driver touches the sensors on the control unit with both hands while standing on the dead man’s switch in the foot well. The electrically monitored side barriers must be closed for operation at platform heights of 1.2m and above.

To prevent collisions with ceilings and walls, travel speeds and lifting heights can be individually adjusted by the service engineer to suit the respective conditions on site. For narrow aisle applications, scanners are available in the drive and load direction, which detect people and obstacles in the vicinity. The personnel protection system also actively intervenes in the vehicle’s drive mode in the event of an emergency, thus preventing collisions.