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Tag: Materials Handling

EuroSort introduces ‘smart’ sorter

Posted on by Keith McKinley

By adding an obstacle in its chute to increase the amount of sorter exits from 300 to 400 on the same footprint, EuroSort is introducing  a ground-breaking technology that narrows the required width of a sorter chute by up to 40%. This means either a 40% increase in sorter exits without having to increase sorter size, or the installation of a sorter in a much smaller space.

In a market where available floor space is the major restricting factor on the size of a sorter, you have to come up with creative ideas to get the maximum out of every available square meter of the warehouse. EuroSort is already well known for producing durable high capacity sorters on a small footprint, but is now making a huge step in what was believed to be impossible.

It has now introduced its next-generation chutes, featuring pitch reducing technology. This means that either the sorter itself can drastically reduce in size and budget, or up to 40% more exits can be fitted in the same footprint. EuroSort describes the development as “a massive improvement for our customers and a revolution in the automated sortation industry”.

By implementing a pneumatically controlled ‘door’ into the chutes, the forward movement of a discharged item can be altered. When an item is bound for the chute this door is linked to, it activates, rising up and creating  a barrier in the chute. This stops the item in its forward slide and guides it down into the designated exit. The result is that, for example, 400 chutes could fit in the same footprint as 300 chutes previously. This innovation enhances the flexibility while maintaining the capacity, reliability and accuracy that EuroSort sorters are known for.

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication,” says Patrick van Haaster, CEO EuroSort. “We are very proud our own R&D team managed to take this from an idea to realisation and implementation. To see a thought come to life and actually perform the way you had in mind is great.

“Our Pitch Reducer is already successfully up and running at one of the largest fashion companies in Eastern Europe, serving over 1,800 stores in 25 countries. We are grateful for the trust they put in us and our new development.”

The benefits of EuroSort’s Smart Chute include:

  • Up to 40% more exists on the same footprint
  • Less materials needed
  • Less floorspace needed
  • Higher efficiency for operators thanks to less walking distance
  • Less strain on operators to serve multiple chutes on small footprint
  • Fits most EuroSort sorter solutions
  • Very limited effect on capacity
  • No impact on versatility and reliability
  • No impact on sorting accuracy

BMW to host IFOY awards ceremony

Posted on by Keith McKinley

This year, the IFOY AWARD Night will be hosted by the BMW Group. The awards ceremony will take place on 30th June at BMW Welt in Munich. The trophies of the IFOY AWARD 2022 (International Intralogistics and Forklift Truck of the Year) will be ceremoniously presented to the winners of the intralogistics competition in the almost 1,000 sq m auditorium of the futuristic delivery and event venue. The IFOY organisation expects more than 200 international guests from business, science and the media to attend the evening.

It is not the first time that BMW Welt has provided a spectacular backdrop for the awards ceremony. The trophies, also known as the “Oscars of intralogistics”, were presented to the winners for the first time in 2017 at BMW Welt – at that time in the so-called double cone.

“The BMW Group is one of the biggest users of new, innovative logistics solutions in the automotive industry worldwide. We are therefore very pleased to be guests at BMW Welt with the world’s largest intralogistics competition,” emphasises Anita Würmser, chairwoman of the jury.

“The BMW Group has traditionally invested for a long time not only in the development of innovative and sustainable vehicles and mobility solutions, but also in efficient, sustainable and forward-looking solutions in the production and logistics network – LEAN. GREEN. DIGITAL,” emphasises Dr Michael Nikolaides, Senior Vice President BMW Group Production Network, Logistics. “We are very pleased to have the opportunity to set the stage for the IFOY AWARD 2022.”

This year, 14 devices and solutions from 12 manufacturers made it to the final round of the 10th staging of the competition. The finalists cover the entire spectrum of in-plant logistics – from forklifts to autonomous mobile robots (AMR) and software to holistic automation projects for high-performance warehouses. All finalists went through the three-stage IFOY audit in March during the IFOY TEST DAYS at Messe Dortmund before the 25 jury members from 19 countries – with the UK exclusively represented by Logistics Business News Editor Peter MacLeod – cast their votes. The result, however, remains secret – for the public and the manufacturers – until the award ceremony in the BMW Welt.

 

Cargotec/Konecranes merger blocked

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The UK Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) has blocked the merger between Cargotec and Konecranes. According to the CMA’s final report issued on Tuesday 29th March, the remedies – which would have removed all overlapping businesses of the two companies and were accepted by the European Commission (EC) – would not be effective in addressing the CMA’s concerns and thus the planned merger between Cargotec and Konecranes cannot be completed.

The completion of the planned merger would have required approvals from all relevant competition authorities. Thus, Cargotec and Konecranes have decided to cancel the planned merger.

Cargotec and Konecranes have obtained clearances for the planned merger from numerous competition authorities. As announced on 24th February, 2022, the EC conditionally approved the planned merger between Cargotec and Konecranes on the basis of the same remedy package rejected by the CMA, which comprised commitments to divest Konecranes Lift Truck business and Kalmar Automation Solutions. In addition, the State Administration for Market Regulation (the competition authority in China) and nine other jurisdictions have approved the planned merger.

In addition to the clearances of the above competition authorities, completion of the merger remained subject to further approvals from various other competition authorities, including the Department of Justice (DOJ) in the United States,  with whom Cargotec and Konecranes have been in continuous dialogue.

In response to feedback received from the CMA during the course of their investigations, the boards of directors of Cargotec and Konecranes carefully considered amending the remedy package offered to the EC further, as well as offering alternative remedy packages to address the concerns raised by the CMA.

The boards of directors did not, however, find any satisfactory solution which would have addressed the concerns of the CMA and which would have been in the best interest of the shareholders of Cargotec and Konecranes, and of the combined company, without jeopardising the rationale of the proposed merger as presented on 1st October 2020.

As a consequence of the CMA’s negative final report, the boards of directors Cargotec and Konecranes have therefore concluded that it is in the best interest of each of Cargotec and Konecranes and their respective shareholders that the merger is cancelled.

Ilkka Herlin, the Chairman of Cargotec, stated: “The Board of Cargotec is convinced that the merger would have created substantial value for the entire industry as well as shareholders by improving sustainable material flow. The combination would have created a strong European company enabling accelerated shared abilities to innovate without harming competition.

“We have done all we could to realise the merger and are disappointed that our plans have had to be abandoned. After a long and extensive regulatory review process and merger planning preparations it is time to shift our full focus on executing Cargotec’s own strategy and value-creation opportunities.”

Christoph Vitzthum, the Chairman of Konecranes, stated: “The combination of Konecranes and Cargotec, as planned and announced on 1st October 2020, would have created a company that would have been greater than the sum of its parts. The merger control process has been extensive and the investigations thorough, and Konecranes Board of Directors is disappointed that the remedy package offered did not satisfy the concerns of all regulators.

“At the same time, we believe that further remedies would have not been in the best interest of Konecranes’ shareholders as they would have changed the strategic rationale of the transaction. Konecranes will continue to drive its strategy and pursue value-creation potential on a stand-alone basis.”

Cargotec and Konecranes will immediately cease the pursuit of the merger and the related processes and continue to operate separately as fully independent companies.

By the end of 2021, Konecranes had booked €56m and Cargotec €57m of merger related transaction and integration planning costs. The total transaction cost estimate of €125m (excluding integration planning costs) remains valid. The final transaction and integration planning costs will be reported when available.

 

Hörmann acquires loading bay competitor

Posted on by David Priestman

Fen-Bay Group, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of industrial doors and loading bays which includes Lincolnshire-based Fen-Bay Services and Doncaster-based Transdek, has been acquired by Hörmann UK.

The move will see ongoing investment in the group, which will now be part of Hörmann, Europe’s largest provider of gates, doors, frames and operators. The sale was facilitated by Duncan & Toplis, one of the East Midlands’ largest independent chartered accountants and business advisers.

Combined, the Fen-Bay group employs 150 people, including over 100 full time engineers who support its 24/7, nationwide service support provision.

Commenting on the acquisition, Wolfgang Gorner, Managing Director of Hörmann UK said: “We are delighted to welcome the Fen-Bay Group to the Hörmann family. We see this as a natural fit and a key part of our drive to increase our footprint in the industrial and service sectors. The Fen-Bay Group with its excellent brand, reputation and nationwide coverage will complement our existing operations, but will allow us to compete even more so in these areas.

“We are also excited to build on the success already achieved by Transdek throughout Europe and we are committed to ongoing investment in the Fen-Bay Group operations. We see great potential moving forward.”

Carl Sedlan, Managing Director of the Fen-Bay Group said: “We already have extensive experience of Hörmann and its strong family values, which resonated strongly with our management team. Everyone is genuinely excited by the opportunities moving forward and becoming part of such a well-known and respected group.”

Duncan & Toplis helped negotiate finer details with the chosen buyer and helped to manage the sale process, the supply of information and supported the completion of the sale along with associated tax advice and financial planning support. Duncan & Toplis Director, Damon Brain, said: “It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Fen-Bay and Hörmann on this sale. Fen-Bay is a renowned and respected company based in our region and we’re pleased to have played a role in helping to secure its future with a committed investor that can support its continued growth and success.”

 

 

 

 

STILL products score double success

Posted on by David Priestman

In voting for “Product of the Year”, readers of German trade publication materialfluss have twice opted for products or logistics concepts from the Hamburg-based intralogistics expert STILL.

It was the third time that materialfluss called on its readers to vote for the Product of the Year. The search was on for products and projects that either have a special technical feature, whose market success in 2021 speaks in favour of an award or whose product has a special influence on the industry. Entries were accepted in a total of 14 categories.

STILL GmbH came out on top in the ‘Warehousing and Order Picking Technology’ category as well as ‘Logistics, Logistics Real Estate and Transport’ category, and is one of the top three in these categories, all of which are deemed winners according to the competition’s statutes.

The STILL OPX iGo neo

In the warehouse and order-picking technology category, STILL entered the OPX iGo neo autonomous order picker (pictured) with its new intelligent assistance systems such as Easy Protect, which virtually guarantees efficiency and safety.

The STILL OPX iGo neo follows its operator every step of the way and, in autonomous mode, adapts its travel path, speed and stopping positions to the task at hand and its environment. It also brakes automatically at cross aisles and reacts situationally to obstacles and people.

The OPX iGo neo is the first order picker to be equipped with a comprehensive pedestrian protection system (PPE) with safety laser scanners.

Reorganisation at Siemens

A manufacturer-independent intralogistics concept developed by STILL Intralogistics Consulting for Siemens is the second nomination with which the Hamburg-based company took part in the materialfluss reader survey in the logistics, warehouse real estate and transport category and was awarded a prize.

With this concept, the picking performance at Siemens WKC (Chemnitz plant for combination technology) was increased by 150%. To achieve this, an intralogistics area that could not be expanded was modified in the course of the project to accommodate the goods previously stored in another warehouse as well as the picking activities. The challenge was to increase the pallet capacity by 40%, the capacity for small load carriers by 240% and, at the same time, the picking performance by 110%, while maintaining the same floor space.

Another goal of the reorganisation was to install a logistics system on the existing floor space that was tailored to the customers’ needs and at the same time more efficient. To ensure efficient use of space, the STILL experts opted for a high-bay pallet warehouse combined with an AutoStore system.

After joint planning by STILL Consulting and Siemens WKC, the STILL and Dematic sales teams took over. STILL supplied the platform and racking system, while Dematic focused on installing the AutoStore system and the conveyor technology.

The two awards were presented virtually to Frank Müller, Senior Vice President Sales & Service Steering STILL EMEA, on 16th March. “I am delighted to receive these awards. After all, they are awarded by a particularly critical jury – namely the readers of the trade magazine materialfluss,” Müller emphasised in the run-up to the award ceremony.

“I am particularly pleased, however, that the continuing high level of innovation of our STILL employees has been recognised in this way. The readers’ vote shows us very clearly that we are on the right track with our development work and our independent consultancy services. I would like to sincerely thank the readers of materialfluss for this confirmation.”

 

Fronius offers smart network solution for battery chargers

Posted on by David Priestman

Digital networking is taking great leaps forward in intralogistics, including in the operation of electric forklift trucks. In Charge & Connect, Fronius Perfect Charging offers a software solution that networks the charging infrastructure and enables industrially secure data transfer in real time. Users benefit from greater transparency and control of the entire charging infrastructure, giving them the power to boost the efficiency of their intralogistics.

Monitoring and managing the processes involved in charging traction batteries poses a challenge for many forklift truck operators. They often lack an overview of truck availability and current power consumption, particularly in the case of large fleets. Charge & Connect is the intelligent solution from Fronius: networking Selectiva battery chargers makes it possible to log and analyse all the relevant charging data and visualise it in a clearly arranged dashboard. The result? A range of options for users to boost intralogistics performance and reduce costs.

Cross-location, central overview

Charge & Connect displays information such as the state of charge of the connected batteries, energy consumption and the battery charger status. The user benefits from a central overview across several locations and can see where charging processes can be improved. Extensive analysis functions make it possible to find and rectify operating and application errors.

Real-time status monitoring

This software solution from Fronius Perfect Charging also helps operators to reduce downtime among their forklift truck fleets. For instance, if the charging infrastructure develops an error or fault, Charge & Connect will automatically send a push notification to the contact saved in the system. A detailed description of the error including step-by-step instructions on how to rectify it mean problems can be addressed before they result in expensive downtime or lifecycle costs.

Sustainable cost optimisation

The system also collates statistics that can be opened and viewed at any time, providing added benefits. Data from the networked charging infrastructure is analysed in the system and presented in an informative way. The statistics can be used to see whether the ideal number of traction batteries is being used, whether potential savings could be made, etc. The long-term view showing battery charger performance also helps to ascertain whether and when expensive load peaks occur. This data can be used to introduce optimisation steps and reduce energy costs.

 

TEST CAMP INTRALOGISTICS concludes successfully

Posted on by David Priestman

Fifty-one innovations, 950 participants over six days, daily highlight tours and a top-class congress programme with panel discussions – the IFOY TEST DAYS and the TEST CAMP INTRALOGISTICS came to a successful end on Wednesday evening in Dortmund.

Fourteen products and solutions from 12 companies nominated for an International Intralogistics and Forklift Truck of the Year Award (IFOY AWARD) underwent six days of multi-level testing. Among them were new developments from Cargotec Engineering, Jungheinrich, Locus Robotics, Magment, NAiSE, Noyes Technologies, robominds, SICK, SSI SCHÄFER, STILL, stow robotics and SYNAOS.

These and numerous other companies took the opportunity to present their total of 51 innovations to potential customers at the TEST CAMP INTRALOGISTICS from March 21 to 23. The B2B visitors – most of them in management positions in logistics, industry and trade – travelled to the Ruhr metropolis for hands-on testing as well as intensive networking discussions without the hustle and bustle of the trade fair in the more than 10,000 square metre hall of IFOY partner Messe Dortmund. From forklift trucks and warehouse technology equipment to AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles), software, specials and robotic solutions, numerous devices and solutions were available in the test arena.

The talks revolved primarily around the topics of innovation and sustainability. The IFOY organisation also made sustainability a principle and took a number of measures to effectively conserve resources. The focus was on reusability and recycling, the use of regenerative energies and, above all, the fundamental renunciation of equipment that was not absolutely necessary. The declared aim was to launch a new, sustainable event format in logistics.

The congress programme celebrated its premiere this year with prominent panel discussions on the trend topics of innovation management, Intralogistics 4.0 and VDA 5050. The keynote on the opening day was given by the internationally renowned logistics researcher Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Michael ten Hompel (Fraunhofer IML) on the topic of “How innovations change logistics”.

From March 18 to 23, the nominees in the 10th round of the competition were critically analysed by an official tester, a team of researchers and the international IFOY jury. On Tuesday, representatives of the total of 12 manufacturers received the “Best in Intralogistics” certificates from the hands of Steffen Bersch, the new Chairman of the Board of the VDMA Materials Handling and Intralogistics Association.

The IFOY audit for the nominees again consisted of three parts again this year. First, all the trucks underwent the IFOY test conducted by Dutch intralogistics expert Theo Egberts. In this process, the finalists in each category are not compared with each other, but with the relevant equipment in the competition. The industrial trucks underwent standardised driving and functional tests, including the IFOY test protocol comprising more than 80 criteria, which takes into account factors such as sustainability, cost-effectiveness, safety and ergonomics of the nominees.

In the second part of the audit, researchers conducted the IFOY Innovation Check. Scientists from the Dortmund Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (IML), the Chair of Technical Logistics at the University of Dresden, the Chair of Materials Handling Material Flow Logistics at the Technical University of Munich and the Stuttgart Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA assessed the nominees in terms of market relevance, customer benefits, type of design and degree of innovation. The audit was concluded by the assessment of the 25 jurors and their approved advisors. The jury members – trade journalists from all continents, with the UK represented by Logistics Business News Editor Peter MacLeod –  were handed all the results of the IFOY test as well as the IFOY Innovation Check for the voting.

The TEST CAMP INTRALOGISTICS also included a revival of the AGV Mesh-Up initiated by the VDMA Materials Handling and Intralogistics Association and its member companies. Following the world premiere of the first live test of the VDA 5050 communication interface in the previous year, the 2022 test scenario was relaunched and once again gave B2B visitors the opportunity to observe the functions of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) for themselves and to exchange ideas with developers and scientists. This year, not only some new manufacturers participated in the AGV Mesh-Up, but also extended functionalities of the communication interface were presented. Participants in the AGV Mesh-Up were the companies DS AUTOMOTION, ek robotics, Fraunhofer IML, incubed IT, Omron Electronics, SAFELOG, Siemens and SYNAOS.

Neither the participants of the TEST CAMP INTRALOGISTICS nor the nominees will be told who has won an IFOY AWARD during the IFOY TEST DAYS. They will have to wait until the IFOY AWARD Night on June 30, 2022, which will take place this year in Munich.

 

Transaid launches Hadrian’s Cycleway Challenge

Posted on by Keith McKinley

International development organisation Transaid is calling on cyclists from across the transport and logistics industry to saddle up for Hadrian’s Cycleway this Autumn, as it prepares for a team of up to 40 riders to tackle the 157-mile route across a stunning World Heritage Site.

The group will depart Whitehaven on 16 September and pedal to South Shields over two full days of cycling, with funds raised being used to support Transaid’s life-saving work in sub-Saharan Africa, where it is focused on improving road safety and increasing access to healthcare for rural communities.

Launching this latest UK challenge, Florence Bearman, Transaid’s Head of Fundraising, says: “Hadrian’s Cycleway is set to be one of the most stunning rides we’ve ever undertaken in the UK, with a chance to see the famous wall itself, along with Roman forts, museums, quaint villages and stunning market towns.

“As is customary with our challenges, it will also be a great opportunity to network with colleagues from across the industry, both during the ride and in a series of team meals – culminating in a celebratory dinner on the third and final night.”

The route comprises a mixture of on-road and traffic-free sections, running primarily on country lanes and quiet roads, interspersed with sections of traffic-free path, promenade and riverside path. As most of the route is either on minor roads or well surfaced off-road tracks most bikes are suitable, although full slick or racing bike tyres are best avoided.

Bearman adds: “If you’ve always wanted to take on a coast-to-coast challenge, this ride should be perfect. It’s suitable for cyclists of all abilities, provided you are reasonably saddle fit and have completed some basic training.”

The coastal sections at either end of the route are relatively flat, and there are only a few steep, short hills in the central section. Riders will climb approximately 300m over 65 miles of cycling on the first day in the saddle, and 900m over 85 miles on the second day’s riding.

Transaid is welcoming entries from individuals and teams, with demand expected to be high. There is a registration fee of £99 with participants asked to raise a minimum sponsorship of £1,400 to take part.

The package includes three nights’ accommodation with meals, refreshment stops on riding days, luggage transfer and access to support vehicles along the route.

For more information about the challenge, and to sign up, please contact Florence Bearman on +44 (0)7875 284 211, or email florence@transaid.org.

Last September, a team of 30 riders completed the 170-mile ‘Way of the Roses’ challenge with Transaid, cycling from Morecambe to Bridlington, raising more than £45,000 in the process.

 

IFOY awards “Best in Intralogistics” certificates

Posted on by David Priestman

At the end of the IFOY TEST DAYS (March 18 to 23) on the grounds of Messe Dortmund, the award organisation again presented the “Best in Intralogistics” certificates of the year 2022.

Representatives of a total of 12 companies got the certificates in Hall 3. Cargotec Engineering, Jungheinrich, Locus Robotics, Magment, NAiSE, Noyes Technologies, robominds, SICK, SSI SCHÄFER, STILL, stow robotics and SYNAOS are allowed to present the coveted seal. This year, the certificates were presented by Steffen Bersch, the new Chairman of the Board of the VDMA Materials Handling and Intralogistics Association.

The well-known “Best in Intralogistics” seal was introduced four years ago and is intended to document visibly to the outside world the high degree of innovation of the devices and solutions nominated for an IFOY AWARD that have successfully passed the IFOY test.

“Once again in 2022, only innovations with this certificate have successfully passed the three-part IFOY audit with our hard, independent intralogistics test,” emphasises Executive Jury Chairwoman Anita Würmser.

The IFOY Audit 2022, which was conducted for the second time this year on the premises of the IFOY partner Messe Dortmund, lasts a total of six days. It includes various test series, whose results support the total of 25 jury members – renowned logistics trade journalists from all over the world – in their decision on the winners. In the IFOY Award, the nominees in a category are never compared with each other, but always with currently comparable products and solutions on the market. This ensures that the performance values and the innovation gap can be assessed objectively.

The first part of the IFOY audit is the scientific IFOY Innovation Check, which is carried out by the Dortmund Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (IML), the Chair of Technical Logistics at the University of Dresden, the Chair of Materials Handling Material Flow Logistics at the Technical University of Munich and the Stuttgart Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA. The experts give assessments of the finalists in terms of market relevance, customer benefits, type of execution, and degree of innovation. In addition, the scientists verify the innovations stated by the manufacturers in the test hall and evaluate in an extensive technology comparison whether they are innovative further developments, new compositions or genuine innovations.

The second part of the IFOY audit is the practice-oriented IFOY test by Dutch trade journalist Theo Egberts. He measures the hard facts and compares them with the relevant competitor units. The appliances undergo individually tailored driving or functional tests, including the IFOY test protocol, which comprises around 80 criteria and determines, among other things, the appliances’ economy and energy efficiency, sustainability, safety and ergonomics. To avoid falsification of the test results by external influences such as lighting, weather conditions or aisle widths, the on-site test hall creates identical environmental conditions for all candidates.

The third part of the audit is the assessment of the finalists by the jurors and their approved advisors. The jury members form an opinion from the IFOY Innovation Check, the IFOY test results and their own test experiences and then vote.

Who will be the winner in 2022 will remain a well-kept secret for a few weeks – even for the manufacturers. It will only be revealed during the festive IFOY AWARD ceremony, which will take place on June 30, 2022, in Munich.

 

HAI Debuts Cutting-edge Robot Systems

Posted on by David Priestman

HAI ROBOTICS, a pioneer in Autonomous Case-handling Robot (ACR) systems for warehouse logistics, will present its highly flexible totes-to-person warehouse automation solution at this year’s MODEX 2022 show, Booth C4585 at Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta from March 28th to 31st.

With its robots being exhibited also by MHS, SVT Robotics, GreyOrange and Tompkins Robotics, the company will demonstrate alongside its strategic partners how its state-of-the-art warehousing technology complements the global supply chain.

Days ahead of MODEX 2022, HAI ROBOTICS announced new partnerships with Tompkins Robotics and Storage Solutions. The partnerships will see technology and solutions developed by HAI ROBOTICS being applied to various industries across North America.

Brian Reinhart, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at HAI ROBOTICS U.S., said the company would have a full display of its commitment to customers, partners and the U.S. market at the show after being in the market for over a year.

“It’s a very exciting time for HAI ROBOTICS as we continue our expansion and growth in the U.S.” he said. “In order to best serve the market and accommodate the requests of our end users, we are developing a robust, strong, and valuable partner network.” Reinhart, a veteran in the material-handling industry, says: “In a short time, we have planted deep roots in the US.”

In addition to existing customers and partners, HAI ROBOTICS has established a U.S. HQ in Fremont, CA, a fully functional Demo Centre with a decentralised sales and implementation strategy, positioning employees in 15 different states across the country. The company’s “ambitious goals have hiring, onboarding, and training of talented individuals as a top priority.” “We want to be where our customers are to best serve them. We are committed to providing our partners with the best industry products, solutions, and service,” he said.

Exhibits

The company’s exhibits this year include two types of ACR robots and one workstation that were crafted to explore the full potentials of order-fulfilment efficiency, deployment flexibility and scalability in a goods-to-person order-handling context.

The HAIPICK A42T robot to be displayed is an evolution of the company’s IFOY 2021 “Best in Intralogistics” title earner. With a telescopic lift function that can flexibly adjust its picking height, it can handle bins (totes or cartons) at a storage height ranging from 0.28 to 10 metres. It can carry eight loads to feed goods-to-person workstations in one move, and shuttle between different storage areas without hindrance.

The HAIPICK A3 fork-lifting robot is a new invention that targets wider warehousing scenarios in addition to bin storage. It handles goods that don’t require a container, such as tires, trays and boards that can be lifted by a fork from the bottom. Its fork-lifting design brings an extra benefit of higher storage density, since spaces between neighbouring bins can be reduced. This type of robot is a good match with working environments where control for dust, static and pollution is strict.

In addition to high flexibility, the HAIPICK robots outperform other goods-transporting robots by bringing every inch under the ceiling available for storage. However, it is the teamwork with the HAIPORT-powered Workstation that maximises a warehouse’s throughput capacity.

A HAIPORT-powered Workstation, which can fulfil orders at in-bound and out-bound, involves collaboration between HAIPICK robots, HAIPORT and conveyor belts. HAIPORT is an automatic loading and unloading machine that can be docked with ACR robots and conveyor belts. At a HAIPORT-powered Workstation, multiple loads of totes or cartons are unloaded from the HAIPICK robots at the entry side of the HAIPORT, then transferred onto the conveyor belts for sorting per system orders and moved to the exit side of the HAIPORT, where they were fetched by robots for the next round of order processing.

The HAIPORT-powered Workstation is suitable for medium-to-large warehouses that have high throughput requirement of at least 400 bins per hour. It’s machine rate can deliver 600 bins per hour to an operator. It suits for extensive storage scenarios in which medium and small-sized bins are used, such as raw materials, small electronics, apparel, medicine, retails and 3PL industries that have large number of SKUs.

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Honeywell and Hai Robotics Collaborate

 

 

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