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Tag: Materials Handling

Combilift launches two new models

Posted on by David Priestman

Irish forklift manufacturer Combilift has added two more products to its now extensive range. The Combi-FSE (pictured) – an electric  four wheeled, two directional sideloader in both 5,000kg or 6,000kg lift capacity is joined by a new Swap Body Transporter – the Combi-SBT.

The Combi-FSE  electric sideloader

As part Combilift’s drive to help customers achieve their aims of more sustainable operations, over 60% of the company’s output is now electric. Recent models such as the Combi-XLE and now the Combi-FSE focus on heavier duty application for industry sectors such as timber, steel, tubes & pipes and builders merchants.  Thanks to Combilift’s immense engineering and design experience, the Combi-FSE delivers on all aspects of reliability, durability, powerful performance and ease of maintenance, combined of course with the quiet and emission free electric operation that more and more customers are demanding.

The patented traction system in this new product plays a major part in ensuring the optimum performance of the Combi-FSE in all weather conditions. Sensors in the front steering axle linked to the innovative Electronic Traction Control system enable the two independent 15kW drive motors on the rear axle to be controlled individually, with the speed of each wheel governed by the steer angle of the front wheels to provide improved steering control for the operator, better truck turning radius and reduced tyre wear.

This new technology, when combined with regenerative braking (which recaptures the truck’s kinetic energy during deceleration and can be used to recharge the batteries to extend battery life), makes for Combilift’s most advanced steering system on its four wheeled trucks to date.

The generous glazing of the cab, particularly the roof to floor windscreen, allows the operator to have an excellent field of vison of the load, the machine and the surroundings. Considerable engineering development to ensure optimum visibility for the driver saw the perfection of the under-deck battery system, with the power pack strategically placed at the rear of the truck between the drive motors – giving a clear line of sight to the rear and when reversing, and guaranteeing the best operator visibility of any comparable truck. This position also enables safe and easy battery removal from the low-level rear of the truck.

Maintenance time has been kept to a minimum due to key service features such as its quick interchangeable battery for shift work, centralised grease points on the front and rear of the load platform and removable panels for easy access to the motor.

Combilift CEO Martin McVicar commented: “We introduced our first 4-wheel sideloader around 10 years ago after initial requests from companies in the timber sector, and it has since become pretty much a standard solution for those who run intensive schedules which clock up many operational hours. The technological advancements in battery technology since then means that it was a natural progression to develop this electric model, which will help customers to drastically reduce their carbon footprint.”

Swap Body Transporter – the Combi-SBT

Combilift has collaborated with some of its customers in the concrete sector to come up with a newly developed product for the improved handling of what can be a problematic material to lift and move around. The attributes of this new model will also greatly benefit companies in other industries who deal with extremely oversized, heavy or bulky loads. Since Combilift was established 24 years ago it has always taken customer feedback on board when designing new products, and this has been a key component of the unparalleled growth of the company which now exports to over 85 countries.

The Combilift Swap Body Transporter – Combi-SBT – can transport of a wide variety of swap body containers ranging from standard container swap bodies to concrete wall panel swap bodies from production to storage. With a maximum lift capacity of 50,000kg, the machine is available with diesel or LPG power options. It has a 3-wheel design with 6 wheels for lower ground pressure. Its rear wheels are hydrostatically driven and are steered from the front, ensuring excellent manoeuvrability.

A pair of lifting platforms on the machine bed support the load during transportation. In-cab control of these ensures that the operator is in a safe, secure position when the load is being lifted and lowered. The platforms can also be lifted and lowered independently, enabling the machine to lift swap bodies that are not on level ground. The front platform is fitted with guides to suit standard ISO corner castings, with the rear platform having no guides. Having guides only on the front allows effortless loading of the swap body as the operator needs to align only two guides, which when in the correct position, guarantees the rear platform will also be in the correct lifting position.

In terms of safety and visibility the Combi-SBT offers numerous advantages compared to a shunt truck and trailer where you are driving “blind” with the load behind the driver. The cab is mounted at 90° on the machine and off-centre to the load which offers full 360° visibility and line of sight to all areas of the machine. With the addition of mirrors and a rear-view camera there are no blind spots, making the positioning the Combi-SBT under the swap body quick and easy as well as safer for the operator and surrounding personnel. The operator can also complete a full cycle without having to exit the ergonomically designed low level cabin.

The development of the Combi-SBT was, in part, customer-led, as is the case for many of Combilift’s new products. A major manufacturer of precast concrete had designed its facility for high levels of production, but the amount of finished concrete being stored around the factory floor was slowing down production and reducing the safe workable area. They contacted Combilift to see if the company could come up with a solution for quicker removal of products that could lift the concrete from underneath and operate in narrow confines and the Combi-SBT was the result.

Cycle times between casting have been reduced and workflow has increased to 50-70 batches per day at 24t each. The previous truck and trailer combination took two men about 15 minutes per load, whereas this is now a one-person job that takes as little as two minutes with the Combi-SBT which can be reversed under the swap body and quickly lift the product from ground to travel position. The three-wheel design also enables easy operation on areas with compacted gravel where a perfectly level surface cannot be guaranteed.

McVicar comments: “Combilift product development has always been solution-based and customer-led, and this new model is a prime example of successful collaboration between our customers who are experts in their field, and our engineers who have a wealth of experience. This results in machines that are not only 100% fit for specific customer requirements, but which often end up being used for other applications, for the benefit of customers in other industry sectors.

 

“Industry-first” finance schemes for vertical storage systems

Posted on by David Priestman

Vertical storage lift company Randex is introducing rental and leasing schemes for its range of ‘Compact’ vertical storage systems: both include full technical support and maintenance for the life of any agreement. Under the scheme a lease can be converted into full ownership at any time after 24 months, converting the Compact system into an asset, while rental is available from as little as three months to handle seasonal spikes in demand.

“Randex’ new rental and leasing schemes make our range of Compact vertical storage systems accessible for almost any organisation. They are ideal for manufacturing and other supply chain businesses with a short-term need, or companies wanting to reduce their capital expenditure,” says Randex director James Roberts.

Randex is claiming an industry first for its new rental and leasing schemes.

The latest version of Randex’ Compact system, built using its industry-benchmark automated vertical storage technology includes a modern human-machine interface (HMI) touchscreen that is highly intuitive and can significantly increase operator speeds according to early feedback from Randex users.

Compact vertical storage lifts save up to 90% of floor space compared to standard shelving and pallet racking say Randex. They can manage loads of up to 100 tonnes and allow warehouse operatives to complete up to four times more picks than in a conventional warehouse environment, with goods automatically presented to the picker.

Compact vertical storage lifts can now be integrated with over 20 leading enterprise systems including IBM Maximo, SAP, JDA, Red Prairie and Blue Yonder.

Randex Ltd is the sole UK distributor for Compact Vertical Storage Lifts, manufactured in Sweden by Weland Solutions, a member of the privately owned, global group Weland AB. Randex customers include Bombardier, DHL, Fujifilm, Howdens, Hutchison Ports, Jaguar Land Rover, Ministry of Defence, P&G, Pfizer, Rolls Royce and Specsavers.

 

Dematic offers inspection by drone

Posted on by David Priestman

Dematic now offers an innovative service for the entire inspection of intralogistics systems. Customers can conduct regular security checks and visual inspections with the help of drones. With Dematic Drone Inspection Services, monitoring and checking large automation systems, including automated storage and retrieval machines as well as equipment, stored goods and buildings, will be quicker and safer, reducing the need for service technicians operating complex safety equipment at high altitudes, all without loss of quality.

“Safety in the workplace always has the highest priority,” says René Sickler, Senior Director Value Added Services Dematic EMEA. “It’s why every safety-relevant system and component must be regularly inspected and checked for any flaws. With our Dematic Drone Inspection Services solution, facilities will be shut down for shorter, planned periods of time and started up again more quickly in a very safe environment for service employees.”

To efficiently implement this innovative approach across brands, the Central Technology & Innovation group at parent company KION GROUP AG handled the project management. Notes Sickler: “By combining our capabilities with KION, we quickly conquered the technical, organisational and regulatory challenges and created a new type of service which provides customers with real added value.” Dematic’s drone inspection services have been approved by the German Federal Aviation Office and the solution is currently available in Central Europe. Future plans call for rolling out the services internationally.

Avoiding long service downtimes

Currently, service technicians have performed visual inspections primarily using extensive amounts of safety equipment at significant heights. It requires complex precautions – sometimes even scaffolding – and can result in long downtimes as well as high costs. However, Dematic Drone Inspection Services can greatly reduce both of these issues.

The time required for a Dematic drone inspection is about 30 percent of the time needed to complete a manual inspection. The risk of an accident has largely been eliminated. Other service areas where drones are useful include interim inspections, monitoring congestion situations, facility management and analysis of emergencies such as accidents.

Equipped with high-resolution cameras and LED lights, the drones are controlled by trained, licensed Dematic service employees. The images and videos captured during the flight can be analysed both in real time and at a later date. Thanks to the quiet flight behaviour and the high image resolution, even the smallest details, such as test stickers on a column head, can be recorded and analysed. Another advantage for particularly difficult cases, offsite specialists can perform an evaluation remotely. Images can be used to create long-term documentation over a system’s entire service life.

The images are processed following strict adherence to data and privacy protection laws and regulations by blurring or eliminating respective objects within the photos. Access to data storage is also restricted and only possible with clear non-disclosure agreements in place.

“The use of Dematic Drone Inspection Services gives customers a tangible competitive advantage,” explains Sickler. Dematic is currently planning a global market launch for the innovative service technology and is exploring additional applications. In the future, the Dematic solution might conduct evaluations and record image and video material based on decisions informed by artificial intelligence and machine learning.

 

Yale showcases ‘Technology that moves’

Posted on by David Priestman

Yale Europe Materials Handling made what it describes as a triumphant return to LogiMAT under the theme of ‘Technology that moves’. At the event, which was held at the Stuttgart Messe on 31 May – 2 June, visitors witnessed first-hand a variety of game-changing materials handling solutions on the Yale stand.

Yale, which has undergone a business transformation, brought its refreshed and recharged solutions to the international intralogistics event. Experts were on hand to explain how its technology is moving with the times and offering customers new materials handling solutions that meet changing industry demands. The latest Yale products combine technology and design to provide a customised solution to each and every customer.

“It was a real pleasure to be back at LogiMAT this year and have the opportunity to reunite with customers, dealers, partners and new visitors under one roof,” said Timo Antony, Area Business Director Central Europe at Yale. “There was a great atmosphere at the event, especially as Yale has undergone a hugely exciting business transformation including a new website and sales process designed to address customer needs with a focus on industries and solutions. We showcased our latest solution, the new Series N, which will offer a whole new way of configuring materials handling solutions and help keep businesses moving, even under constantly changing circumstances.”

Visitors at LogiMAT got to see the newest fleet on the block, the Yale Series N, in its very first public outing following its launch in May. The new product offers customers an easily configurable truck to match their unique requirements, raising the bar for success while offering operator comfort, safety and efficiency.

Yale’s lithium-ion battery partner, Sunlight Group, was also on hand at LogiMAT to meet visitors and showcase a warehouse reach truck powered by one of its lithium-ion solutions. The MR16 Reach Truck can lift up to 10.7 metres and has a maximum load capacity of 1,600kg. The robust mast design provides high residual capacities and stable load handling, which can enable faster put away and retrieval times. The reach truck has a spacious operator compartment and can manoeuvre in tight spaces, making it ideal for warehousing applications that need to maximise on storage space.

Yale recently strengthened its relationship with the Sunlight Group, having previously used its lead-acid batteries as an option for its product range. Yale now also offers the company’s lithium-ion batteries.

“It was a real joy to be joined by our new lithium-ion battery partner, Sunlight Group, at LogiMAT,” said Antony. “It’s one of the world’s top manufacturers of energy storage solutions, and we’ve long utilised their battery solutions in our products. We’ve expanded our partnership and we look forward to continue working with them to provide our customers with the very best power solutions to keep them moving.

“LogiMAT is just one chapter of an exciting period at Yale. It was the perfect opportunity to meet with our dealers, our customers old and new. There is more to come from Yale in the near future to better serve our dealers and customers and work with them to drive all our businesses forward. This is an exciting time for Yale as we embark on this shared journey with our trusted partners.”

Narrow margins deliver big returns

Posted on by David Priestman

VNA systems deliver many benefits, but warehouse designers risk compromising safety and productivity if they place too much emphasis on simply achieving the narrowest aisleways, says John Maguire, managing director of Narrow Aisle Ltd.

With the fallout from the pandemic and Brexit continuing to impact on manufacturing and retail supply chains, UK warehouse space remains in short supply. In fact, the problem has become so acute in some places that one leading industrial property consultancy has forecast that parts of Britain could completely run out of empty storage facilities within the next 12 months.

So, warehouse managers and intralogistics professionals are under huge cost pressure to utilise every square foot of space available to them in the most effective way. At many sites this means reconfiguring the layout of the existing storage system around the narrowest aisleways.

With typical VNA – very narrow aisle – applications aisle widths can be reduced to between 1,600 and 1,800mm, which allow e-Fulfilment customer orders to be picked at ground level shelves and locations. Compared to traditional ‘wide aisles’ zone picking, which usually need around 3,000mm to allow two ‘low-level order pickers’ to pass one another, the space saving potential of VNA systems to e-Commerce companies is immediately obvious.

And, of course, better space utilisation means increased storage capacity – which, in turn, equals reduced storage costs per square foot. In some cases, it might also mean that additional storage space (if, indeed, any can be found) is not required or a costly extension to the existing warehouse (if you have room and can obtain planning permission) is avoided.

But before you begin ripping out your racking and narrowing your aisleways, be aware that VNA solutions in e-commerce applications have different requirements to traditional wide aisle zone picking systems and there a number of important factors to consider before concluding that VNA is the way ahead for your business.

For example, because older ‘guided’ VNA stacking aisles are only slightly wider than the materials handling equipment that serves them, a guidance system – wire or rail – will usually be required to ensure that lift trucks do not collide with the racking. These can be costly to install.

Another consideration is training of your forklift operators. Operating guided VNA machinery requires additional training to conventional reach or counterbalanced trucks and, at a time when qualified forklift operators are hard to find, if your lift truck drivers struggle with the demands of guided VNA materials handling equipment technology, it could be a problem.

With the type of specialist materials handling equipment often specified to operate within very narrow aisles – such as man-up Combi trucks and man-down VNA trucks – it is essential to assess the different technologies and their suitability to your operation’s unique needs before investing.

For example, because man-up Combi VNA trucks are physically big pieces of kit, storage schemes have to incorporate large transfer gangways at both ends of each aisle to allow these long trucks to switch aisles. This often means that the space savings achieved by reducing the aisle widths can be lost.

In addition, there are efficiency issues associated with the physical picking process when a Combi truck is used: quite simply, reaching out from a fixed cab to a pick carton placed on a pallet some distance away and then travelling between picking locations are neither ergonomic or throughput efficient.

In a lot of very narrow aisle applications, high lift Flexi Truck articulated forklift trucks have replaced VNA man-up machines. Flexi Truck articulated trucks have the same fixed space mast frame carriage technology as high lift Combi VNA and this – combined with operator vision system technology that enables a crystal clear picture of the highest pallets to be transmitted to the operator’s in-cab screen – enables pallets to be picked and put-away up to over 14 metres high using a Flexi Truck.

Flexi Trucks have other advantages over traditional VNA machinery too, not the least of which is the ability to operate safely and efficiently without wire or rail guidance systems. The Flexi Truck retains a fork tilt function and therefore does not require costly ‘super flat’ concrete floor specification.

It is technically feasible for Flexi Trucks to pick up and turn pallets in as narrow as 1,600mm wide aisles, the absence of guidance systems means that aisle widths ensure more clearance on either side. In applications where a high throughput and ground level order picking is required, it is possible to give a little extra aisle clearance to improve efficiency. Where 1,200mm deep Euro/ISO pallets are being stored, the optimum aisle width for a Flexi Truck is 2,000mm, which provides excellent operational clearance for stacking and picking functions.

So, while wire and rail-guided VNA forklifts can work in aisles as narrow as 1,600mm, with minimum clearance, the extra width required by Flexi Trucks is more than compensated for by the extra flexibility that the absence of guidance systems delivers while the fact that the Flexi Truck operator remains at ground level at all times means it is possible for pedestrian picking staff to carry out ground and low level picking operations within the aisle.

New VNA systems deliver many storage cost benefits, but warehouse designers risk compromising safety and productivity if they place too much emphasis on simply achieving the narrowest aisleways.

 

 

inVia Robotics wins innovation award

Posted on by David Priestman

inVia Robotics – a leader in eCommerce fulfilment automation systems – has been awarded this year’s Best Practices Technology Innovation Leadership Award in the North American goods-to-person robotics market by Frost & Sullivan, a leading third-party research and consulting firm.

inVia’s true robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) model beat out category competitors as it provides retailers and 3PLs with a flexible, cost-effective solution that dramatically increases productivity in existing facilities. The RaaS system allows customers to pay for productivity of inVia robots and software versus competitors who lease or sell robots. The subscription service covers all system updates and includes 24/7 monitoring and support through inVia’s Robotics Operation Center (ROC).

A team of robotics experts is dedicated to each customer to oversee fulfilment operations and troubleshoot any problems, often fixing them before they are even visible. This model democratises automation, making it available as an operating expense to businesses of all sizes, versus traditional equipment that was capital-intensive and expensive.

“We’re honoured to receive this recognition and award for our technology that is solving the pressing issues facing warehouse employees and businesses on a daily basis,” says Lior Elazary, CEO and Co-Founder of inVia. “We recognise that eCommerce demand is continuing to rise and warehouse workers are still facing immense pressures to fulfil orders quickly. Our mission is deeply rooted in creating an environment where people can do fulfilling work and in order for us to ensure this happens, we are committed to improving the technological offerings that our customers require.”

“Frost & Sullivan applauds inVia for maximising worker productivity and providing eCommerce organisations with an attainable entry point to introduce autonomous mobile robots and the PickerWall into their businesses,” says Sankara Narayanan,  Industry Principal at Frost & Sullivan. “The company’s RaaS model, ROC, and quick deployment further enhance its customer value proposition.”

A key differentiator in receiving the award was the inVia PickerWall, as it demonstrates inVia’s unique workflow that removes interdependencies between robots and people and subsequently unleashes productivity rates, at a time when warehouse labour is hard to hire. The inVia PickerWall helps companies manage higher order volumes without having to increase labour enabling eCommerce warehouses to be 10 times more productive.

Most importantly, inVia PickerWall leverages the strengths of both people and robots. Robots work non-stop doing repetitive tasks like travelling and picking. People are allowed to do higher order tasks like sortation and work on a variety of tasks in bursts. Workers enjoy more stimulating working conditions and businesses enjoy consistently meeting service level agreements (SLAs) without dips in productivity.

inVia Picker robots were also recognised by Frost & Sullivan as solving one of the most challenging problems in the e-Commerce space; quick and easy access to a wide variety of stock keeping units (SKUs). E-Commerce warehouses are often 250,000 sq ft, comparable to three football fields – and may have 100,000 SKUs distributed across the warehouse. The robots are completely autonomous and eliminate the need for people to travel across the facility to retrieve inventory and deliver it to the packing station.

Additionally, inVia Pickers are mobile, unlike traditional shuttle systems, and can be moved to work in different zones or in other locations. This eliminates the need for reengineering facilities, allowing inVia to adapt to different environments.

The Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards recognise companies across the globe for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. inVia was awarded based on its commitment to innovation, creativity, and application diversity that meet ever-evolving customer needs.

 

Körber and Attabotics sign strategic partnership

Posted on by David Priestman

The international technology group Körber is entering into a strategic partnership with the Canadian robotics company Attabotics. In the future, Körber is to equip European companies with Attabotics’ 3D automated storage and retrieval technology that offers efficient order picking, including sequencing and buffering, all within the footprint of the ultra-high density storage structure. In the US and Canada, the technology has already been successfully implemented at numerous companies in the e-commerce industry.

The Körber Business Area Supply Chain Automation is not only a technological pioneer itself but is also always on the lookout for innovative partners. An innovative partner has been found with Attabotics, which was founded in 2016. Moving forward, both parties want to jointly support European e-commerce companies to overcome the challenges of order fulfilment. Körber will be a reseller, integrator, and implementation partner for the Attabotics solution in most of Europe.

The Attabotics solution is based on a vertical, very space-saving grid structure. Products are stored in square bins (571 x 571 mm inside). Robots can travel on top of the grid, underneath the grid and vertically through the down shafts to store or retrieve totes and transport them to the integrated workstations. This unique architecture increases flexibility and speed of the processes in warehouses immensely.

Customers with fulfilment operations face more and more challenges. Their business is growing rapidly, end-customer requirements are getting more and more complicated, and there is a significant shortage of labour in the market.

The Attabotics solution addresses these challenges. It offers class leading storage density, whilst still offering direct access to every product. It enables high picking speeds, has built-in sequencing and can handle short response times.

“I had this crazy idea of reconfiguring warehouse space after watching a documentary about how leaf cutter ants access their colonies vertically. A 3D system just makes sense,” says Scott Gravelle, CEO and founder of Attabotics. “We are very pleased with this partnership. Koerber’s strong expertise and presence in Europe is very complimentary to Attabotics and will offer customers a trusted partner for their operations.”

Michiel Veenman, Vice President Körber Fulfillment Solutions at the Körber Business Area Supply Chain Automation, adds: “Flexibility, responsiveness and performance are essential for today’s fulfilment operations. We believe that the Attabotics solution offers an especially strong combination of characteristics that was not yet available on the European market. With Attabotics technology, Körber can now offer our customers the next step in automation.”

 

 

 

BEUMER showcases new pouch technology at LogiMAT

Posted on by Keith McKinley

BEUMER Group‘s BG Pouch System can meet the growing demands of e-commerce fulfilment – and the combination of retail and D2C. The operator benefits from simplified returns handling because dynamic buffering eliminates the need for re-storage and picking. The sorter increases throughput by 25% compared to conventional pocket sorters. It requires little space and is suitable for a wide range of items – from high-tech to high heels. BEUMER Group presented the BG Pouch System to the German public for the first time at the recent LogiMAT 2022 event.

This innovative system, which was developed in response to shifting market trends and customer demands, expands BEUMER Group’s offering for the warehouse and distribution industry. Making great use of available space, the BG Pouch System can be installed in unused overhead areas where single items can be buffered, sorted and sequenced to automate the order handling and returns processes, reducing floor space requirements by up to 30%. The modularity of the system means that it can easily be scaled up with minimal installation time.

The system features a capacity of 10,000 items per hour per sortation module, allowing logistics centres to flatten their handling peaks and reduce the amount of manual handling to dramatically improve overall logistics efficiency. The system has an item capacity of 7kg, making it ideally suited to handling fashion goods such as shoes and garments on hangers, as well as print and media, pharmaceutical and beauty products, and electronics.

Pouch sorting increases efficiency by reducing the number of touch points, which is particularly critical for handling returns. The BG Pouch System facilitates the e-commerce driven demand for fast cycle times. Reverse logistics efficiency can also be improved by effective handling of returns using built-in interim storage for returned products.

Different types of products, held for different clients and destined for different types of shipping, can be held in a single intelligent storage system. As the BG Pouch System is a single item handling system (one item per pouch) the warehouse management system can move the relevant item from this buffer for packing swiftly without any human touch. This means that returned goods can be sent for shipment direct from the dynamic buffer without ever being sent back to the main storage area for re-picking. For logistics operators handling a diverse array of goods, this flexibility can prove invaluable for both outbound items and returns.

The system has already seen successful use in Italy, where international fashion brand Calzedonia Group implemented BEUMER Group’s pouch technology to optimise e-commerce operations for its Tezenis brand. The company had seen a steady rise in its direct-to-consumer business, and needed to optimise its despatch operations to handle this growth while raising the level of efficiency and customer service. Following the installation, Calzedonia Group has transformed its warehouse, optimising it for omnichannel operations while continuing to achieve high efficiency in handling and fulfilment. Calzedonia Group has joined some of the world’s leading warehouse and distribution operators in embracing BEUMER Group’s solutions, along with companies including Nike, Foot Locker and ASOS.

BEUMER Group can facilitate the entire process of installing the pouch sortation solution through every stage, from the selection of the solution, through design, build, test, implementation, training, maintenance and growth. As well as operating independently with its own technology, BEUMER will also act as a full-service integrator throughout the process, working with third-party suppliers to provide a complete system.

 

LogiMAT 2022: “Expectations greatly exceeded”

Posted on by Keith McKinley

LogiMAT 2022 has scored a big win in the post-pandemic era, re-emerging with a broad slate of exhibitors and a highly engaged visitor base. High-profile business deals and partnerships coupled with in-depth networking opportunities underscore the reputation of the International Trade Show for Intralogistics Solutions and Process Management as a leading communications hub where industry leaders come to do business.

As LogiMAT 2022 drew to a close last week in Stuttgart, it demonstrated there was stability across all leading indicators in the trade show business. The international trade show for the intralogistics industry was able to build on the success of its previous events with numbers edging back up toward pre-pandemic levels.

“A successful reboot after a nearly 40-month Covid-induced interruption,” notes Exhibition Director Michael Ruchty of EUROEXPO Messe- und Kongress-GmbH in Munich, which organises LogiMAT. “Adjusted for the pandemic-related restrictions, the results across the board show a continuation of the LogiMAT success story.”

“Smart – Sustainable – Safe” was the theme of this year’s three-day event, bringing together 1,571 registered exhibitors from 39 countries, including 393 first-time exhibitors and 74 big-name vendors from overseas – all showcasing their latest products, systems, and solutions for reliable automation and digital transformation. A wide range of new products, including some never before exhibited anywhere in the world, provided powerful inspiration for smart, forward-looking intralogistics processes. The Messe Stuttgart convention centre was once again completely booked this year, with exhibitors spread across 125,000+ square meters in all 10 exhibit halls.

After a pandemic shutdown of two-and-a-half years, 50,000 industry professionals seized the opportunity to explore and directly compare the latest technologies and their integration into intelligent, future-proof systems – live and in person. At peak times on the second day of the event, 3,000 industry professionals streamed through the turnstiles at the entrance within 10 minutes.

More than a quarter of the visitors work for large companies with 1,000 to 9,999 employees. Broken down by industry, 58.8% of visitors came from the manufacturing sector, 12.4% from wholesale, and another 4.3% from retail. Some 6.9% of visitors work in freight forwarding, with most (52.8%) holding a position of responsibility for purchasing decisions at their company. For them, LogiMAT is the primary platform for information on the latest solutions for efficient intralogistics.

Among all visitors, 55.1% came to learn about innovations and trends, while 27.7% wanted to make new business connections. There was particular interest in innovations in the product domains of material handling and warehousing technology (55.8%), industrial trucks (38.3%), and AGV/AMR technology (18.3%).

Some 36.5% of the industry professionals who came to Stuttgart also had specific investment projects in mind. The high number of sales contracts, business deals, and partnership initiatives signed at LogiMAT underscore the character of LogiMAT as a hub for information, education, and communication where people come to do business. A full 5.2% of the visiting industry professionals awarded a contract during the show, while 31.7% plan to do so immediately afterward. This naturally resonated well with exhibitors, all of whom emphasise the quality and sophistication of the contacts they made.

Some 38.5% of visitors travelled more than 300km to attend LogiMAT. The high level of interest among international industry professionals and exhibitors remained stable. Data gathered by the independent Basel-based market research institute Wissler & Partner shows that one in five event attendees came to Stuttgart from outside Germany. Of these international guests, 73.8% came from other EU countries, 7.9% from non-EU countries, and 8.3% from Asia, the Americas, and other areas overseas.

“We’re extremely pleased with the numbers for LogiMAT 2022 and how it unfolded,” concludes Ruchty. “LogiMAT 2022 continues online through the LogiMAT.digital platform. The 14 stimulating presentations from the high-quality accompanying program in the LogiMAT Arena spanning all three days will be streamed on LogiMAT.digital in the coming weeks.”

The organisers confirmed that LogiMAT 2023 will take place in Stuttgart on April 25th-27th, 2023.

 

IFOY FINALIST FOCUS: SYNAOS IMS Vehicle Localization

Posted on by David Priestman

Continuing with our run-through of each of the IFOY Award nominated finalists ahead of the winners announcement on 30th June at BMW World, we look at the SYNAOS IMS Vehicle Localization solution from SYNAOS.

IFOY Category: Special of the Year

Description

The seamless localization of transport vehicles is one of the most important steps towards fully digitized, highly efficient intralogistics. As soon as the position of every manually guided vehicle is known at all times, numerous new potentials arise: Important KPIs such as fleet utilization can be recorded, heat maps can be created and layouts can be optimized. In addition, drivers can be navigated optimally through production facilities and logistics centres, with delays being detected at an early stage. Furthermore, flexible, near real-time transport order planning can be realized. Also scan-free processes are made possible in this way, further simplifying workflows.

However, so far these and other use cases are not or only very rarely implemented – previous localization solutions are simply too expensive and it is not possible to achieve any savings. SYNAOS therefore pursues a modern approach: Intelligent software combined with cost-effective hardware allows precise and robust vehicle localization. For this purpose the sensor kit, which holds a stereo camera and a powerful embedded computer, is attached to the vehicles. This comparatively inexpensive combination enables the implementation of many use cases that were previously unprofitable.

Innovation
Current approaches for localizing vehicles in intralogistics are based on UWB (ultra wide band) or LIDAR (light detection and ranging). However, both techniques are associated with high costs – they require high and long-term investments. UWB requires a huge infrastructure investment and is very difficult to change or extend. In addition, the accuracy of localization depends on the illumination on site. LIDAR on the other side is achieving a very high accuracy. But this is not necessary for 95 percent of the applications in intralogistics. Another disadvantage is the high commissioning effort, because a map has to be created first.

SYNAOS IMS – Vehicle Localization, on the other hand, uses cameras and a technology called “visual odometry”. This technology is known from the fields of robotics and autonomous driving and is applied in logistics for the first time according to SYNAOS. In addition, SYNAOS uses simple markers at frequented locations in the hall so that the system has a global reference from time to time. This makes the installation of the system simple and commissioning uncomplicated, as no map has to be created. Only some markers are needed and the environment can change at any time without affecting the localization.

Market relevance
Every intralogistics vehicle providing power supply and a mounting option can be equipped with the SYNAOS IMS – Vehicle Localization, enabling precise localization in real time. Thereby, complete fleets can be digitized retrospectively. The system increases the efficiency of fleets and saves costs. The market for this solution is therefore huge: In 2020, about 1.5 million forklifts were produced. In addition, there is a correspondingly high number of already existing vehicles in the field. But very few of these vehicles already have their position recorded, nor are they digitally mapped.

Upgrading manual transport systems with the localization solution from SYNAOS is also highly relevant for the mixed operation of autonomous and manually guided vehicles. The entirety of transport orders for intralogistics can be controlled precisely and more efficiently. In addition, autonomous guided vehicles can be better controlled with known positions of the manually guided vehicles. For example, they can be slowed down when a forklift comes close, avoiding an emergency stop at an intersection. Enabling or improving the mixed operation of manual and autonomous vehicles also supports the gradual automation of intralogistics processes.

Main customer benefits
Customers benefit from easy-to-use, real-time localization for any intralogistics vehicle. However, SYNAOS IMS – Vehicle Localization is not only quickly installed, but also easy on the budget. Despite a comparatively low price, the solution achieves a very high accuracy. The position of the vehicle is calculated by strong computer vision algorithms from the images of the camera. Apart from an accelerometer, no other input sources are required. The complex creation of a map is also not necessary, since SYNAOS IMS – Vehicle Localization additionally uses simple markers for orientation, which are placed approximately every 100 meters in the environment. The solution is therefore extremely flexible and can be used in any intralogistics scenario.

All image processing takes place locally on the embedded computer – no sensitive data needs to be transferred to the cloud. The image data captured by the camera is immediately discarded after processing. Furthermore, communication is always transparent and future-proof thanks to compatibility with a standardized industrial interface.

Summary

The position of forklifts and other manually guided vehicles in intralogistics is usually unknown. This is now changing with SYNAOS IMS – Vehicle Localization: A camera-based sensor kit for the cost-efficient localization of manually guided intralogistics vehicles. SYNAOS uses state-of-the-art computer vision technology as enabler for its accurate and robust location system that is easy to install and scale.

CLICK HERE to watch a video.

IFOY TEST REPORT

What good is all the digitalisation if there are always “blind spots” in the company. One such blind spot is the fact that most of the forklift trucks that drive around in companies are still controlled manually and are therefore not digitised or only rudimentarily digitised. With the SYNAOS IMS – Vehicle Localisation system, a camera-based sensor kit ensures their cost-efficient localisation – using state-of-the-art computer vision technology.

SYNAOS is a software company, but has decided to build a small hardware. A small black box (19 x 12 x 6 centimetres) can be found at the demo set-up in Hall 3 of the Dortmund Trade Fair. It is screwed onto a child’s forklift and projects its images onto a screen.

The manufacturer has dedicated itself to eliminating the gaps in the localisation of manually controlled industrial trucks of all kinds: So it’s all about indoor localisation of industrial trucks. 95 per cent of companies have forklifts in use, but they are rarely well integrated into the value chain: Currently, only the transport order is digital; the forklifts themselves are not digitalised. As a result, there is no knowledge of where a forklift is located. There are forklift localisation technologies, but they are often not used. There is a reason for this: ultra-wideband or lidar technology are simply too expensive. Speaking of lidar: the system is already too accurate, as if one were shooting at sparrows with cannons.

With the new system from SYNAOS, which works with so-called “markers”, a Localisation-as-a-Service (LaaS) tool, it’s different: Everything is already included in the price and the detection comes to an accuracy of about 25 centimetres. So it’s not just about the “little box” on the test set. For 1,980 euros a year per truck, that would be relatively low costs for admittedly standardised electronic components that can easily be bought at electronics stores: But the intelligence is in the software – plug and play.

You can create transparency in a flash with SYNAOS IMS – Vehicle Localisation: Where in the warehouse is busy? What are the braking distances? Where are people driving around without a driving order? Even the truck that is always running late can now finally be pointed out. In short: you can observe the fleet utilisation exactly. And a very big USP compared to the conventional storage method is that the forklift only reports the position where it has driven a pallet; scanning the pallet or the products on it is no longer necessary.

SYNAOS expects CE certification in a few weeks. The already mentioned indoor accuracy of 25 centimetres is achieved with markers every 100 metres. The “little black box” operates with a power consumption of 7 watts and transmits its camera data – 15 images per second – via WiFi for evaluation using computer vision algorithms. Apart from an acceleration sensor, no other input sources are required. In times of increasingly important cybersecurity, this is perhaps not entirely unimportant: the entire image processing of the system takes place locally on the embedded computer; no sensitive data need to be transferred to a cloud. After the camera’s image data has been processed, it is immediately discarded.

IFOY Test Verdict

The simple real-time localisation of all types of industrial trucks with the help of this very convincing localisation system helps customers on their way to the complete digitalisation of intralogistics. It is very easy to record fleet utilisation, but also to create heat maps for critical points in the warehouse or optimise warehouse layouts. The basic tenor: inexpensive hardware works together with intelligent software. Every industrial truck with a power supply and a mounting option can be equipped with the SYNAOS IMS – Vehicle Localisation sensor kit – a huge market.

IFOY INNOVATION CHECK

Market relevance: The localisation system was developed in order to retrofit forklifts with a sufficiently accurate, cost-effective and scalable solution for position tracking and to integrate it into digital control processes. With an annual production of approximately 1.5 million forklift trucks and a minimum service life of 10 years, there is a very large market with a high demand for digitalisation of all players in the warehouse, also driven by the trend towards mixed operation with AGVs.

Customer benefit: Users benefit from the fast set-up, almost without adapting the infrastructure, as well as the easy usability of the system. As a result, the solution scales from quantity 1 without significant investment costs, as it is offered as Localisation-as-a-Service at a reasonable price. In use, SYNAOS enables the user to perform statistical analyses for fleet utilisation and process optimisation, digital order control and monitoring, optimised driving behaviour of AGVs in mixed operation, navigation of forklifts in the warehouse as well as automatic scanning processes for goods booking. Unlike compact UWB (ultra-wideband) systems, however, SYNAOS can only locate vehicles, not people.

Novelty: The localisation of intralogistic vehicles on the basis of visual odometry, i.e. relative localisation via stereo vision with occasional absolute referencing via markers, is a novelty in the industry. However, the technology itself is not completely new and has already proven itself in autonomous driving. Advantages over the usual laser scanner-based methods with a map are the lower costs as well as the simplicity and robustness of the approach even in highly dynamic environments. Compared to UWB-based solutions, the advantage lies in the low need for adaptation of the infrastructure and the low investment costs. The innovation value consists in a solution that is appropriately balanced between localisation accuracy (approx. 25 centimetres) and costs.

Functionality / type of implementation: The solid test setup of the sensor kit with integrated computing unit convincingly demonstrated the functionality of the system. The energy-efficient retrofit kit requires only a power supply and can be integrated via the WiFi infrastructure. SYNAOS offers its own order and fleet management, but can also connect to other systems via VDA 5050. The operating interfaces are user-centred and the closed sensor system does not disclose any images to the outside for data protection reasons, but will enable new additional functions in the future. It is still not clear how much maintenance is required with regard to contamination of the camera sensors.

Verdict: The forklift market is a lucrative market for SYNAOS in the long term. The customer benefit is high due to improved order status information, statistics and optimised traffic flow guidance. The novelty of the reliably and robustly implemented plug&play system is given in logistics.

market relevance ++
customer benefit +
novelty +
functionality / type of implementation ++
[++ very good / + good / Ø balanced / – less / – – not available]

For an overview of all the finalists, visit www.ifoy.org

CLICK HERE to find out more about SYNAOS.

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