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Tag: warehouse automation

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.

 

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.

IFOY FINALIST FOCUS: Extension of Hase Safety Gloves’ automated warehouse by STILL

Posted on by David Priestman

Our second finalist in the Integrated Warehouse Solution category of the IFOY Award – which we are showcasing ahead of the winners announcement on 30th June at BMW World – is the extension of the automated warehouse of Hase Safety Gloves GmbH by intralogistics expert STILL.

IFOY category: Integrated Warehouse Solution

Hase Safety Group sets course for growth: Automated industrial trucks are also very flexible in combination with variable goods transfer. One example is the expansion of the automated warehouse at Hase Safety Gloves GmbH. There, the STILL industrial trucks were replaced by new automated, more powerful vehicles with telescopic forks. Newly programmed route optimisations also contribute to the increase in performance. STILL expanded the racking system to a total of 10,000 pallet spaces.

Customer: Hase Safety Gloves GmbH

Realisation Phase:
From: 2021-05-31
To: 2021-10-30

Description

For more than 70 years, the production of work gloves has been the core business of Hase Safety Group AG in the Frisian town of Jever. In 2013, the German company celebrated 75 years of company history. Due to the growth of the Hase Safety Group, the existing space and handling capacities were no longer sufficient. The task was therefore to achieve greater storage and transport efficiency. One particular challenge was the conversion during ongoing operations. Until today, the course is clearly set on growth. That is why an extension was recently built. It houses new logistics areas, an innovation centre for customer training, product development and product presentation.

Theodor Wagner, CEO of Hase Safety Group AG, emphasises: “This is the only way we can meet the growing demand for new products. More turnover of goods for our Europe-wide customer business also requires more storage capacity as well as efficient and economical warehousing.”

More productivity through more automation
To keep distances short, the various glove articles are packed in cartons and stored neatly by type on pallets in the narrow-aisle warehouse according to the ABC analysis. For safe and independent movement of the vehicles, all AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles) navigate with rotating laser scanners that constantly measure the distances to the installed reflectors. Three MX-X very narrow aisle trucks and six EXV-SF high lift stackers of the latest generation were each equipped with STILL’s iGo Systems automation kit.

At the goods receipt of an overseas container, the cartons with new goods are palletised by Hase employees using a telescopic conveyor belt and a vacuum lifting aid and distributed to the goods receipt locations according to type. Maximilian Engels, project manager and IT administrator at Hase Safety, explains: “We largely automated the processes in the goods receiving area. By manually scanning the storage locations as well as the articles, the automated storage processes are now triggered in our IT system.”

EXV high lift stackers pick up the finished pallets and drive them through the contour check. There, the pallet is measured to see if it is too long, too wide or too high. If successful, an EXV moves the pallet to the transfer rack in the narrow-aisle warehouse. There it is picked up by one of the automated MX-X high-bay stackers and stored in the assigned storage location.

In the case of a retrieval, an MX-X transports the respective pallet to the transfer station. The pallet is then picked up by the EXV and transported either to the transfer rack of the manual picking warehouse or directly to the shipping lanes of the trucks. Once the storage and retrieval operations have been completed, the AGVs automatically move to their waiting positions. All MX-X are equipped with telescopic forks, as the aisles at Hase are significantly narrower and thus not suitable for high bay stackers with swivel traverse forks. By using telescopic forks, both the storage density and the storage capacity are higher.

Identical components, controls and interfaces turn the trucks into high-performance AGVs. “One effect of the route optimisations is a lower number of transport orders and, as a result, less movement of the AGVs. This has also significantly improved safety in the warehouse. Thanks to the close cooperation between our team and the STILL project managers, we were able to successfully reorganise both the software and the hardware of our automated warehouse despite the Corona pandemic. Now we are well prepared for the challenges that lie ahead in the near future,” emphasises Maximilian Engels.

Autonomous charging of the vehicle batteries
The state-of-the-art photovoltaic system on the more than 10,000 quare metre-sized roof supplies green electricity to charge the forklift batteries. Lars Lemke, project manager from STILL’s Bremen branch points out: “To charge the batteries, the AGVs move to their charging stations independently. Without having to connect a cable, the battery is charged simply by contact with the ground. This is another highlight: because now the AGVs can charge their batteries autonomously at night and without additional personnel.”

One-shift operation still possible
The overseas containers from Bremerhaven are not only delivered during the day, but also in the evening. The experienced entrepreneur Theodor Wagner clarifies: “With the reorganisation of our automated warehouse, we can now also carry out automated storage in the evenings or overnight without the need for staff. This is an important requirement for the new processes. Even with constantly increasing demands on the market, we can continue to maintain our one-shift operation with the new system.”

Maximum flexibility in the scalable automated warehouse
Due to the scalability of the automated warehouse, it is possible to react quickly and flexibly to larger capacity requirements with additional AGVs. For the demand in the near future, a total of 10,000 pallet storage locations are now available. The fact that the AGVs can also be operated manually for special storage processes underlines the flexibility of the automated warehouse.

Summary

With the iGo automated warehouse from STILL, the modern distribution centre is ideally equipped to meet the future requirements, including those of other medium-sized companies. Customer requests and the requirements of major customers are thus fulfilled and the products are delivered across Europe, promptly and in a timely manner. “The first wave of logistics automation started back in 2010, and in recent years we have steadily expanded our automated warehouse and brought it up to date with the latest project. For more than 30 years, we have had a reliable partner at our side in STILL, who very quickly turns our ideas into reality,” summarises Theodor Wagner. Once again it shows that automation is an issue for companies of all sizes and has now finally arrived in the SME sector too.

CLICK HERE to watch a video.

IFOY TEST REPORT

With the help of Still, Hase Safety Gloves has expanded the system of its automated warehouse and made the processes more efficient – during ongoing operations. Although four to five jobs were replaced by automating the system, 15 new jobs were created at the same time by expanding the warehouse by 200%.

80 employees, 70 of them at the headquarters in Jever, take care of incoming and outgoing work safety clothing at Hase Safety Gloves, which mainly arrives by container from the Far East. Of the 12,000 square metres of warehouse space at Hase, around 7,000 square metres alone are now automated, and of the total 13,000 storage spaces in the warehouse, just under 7,000 spaces can be attributed to automation. A 10,000 square metre photovoltaic system on the roof is also used to charge the forklifts used in the warehouse. Speaking of forklifts: Hase successfully operates according to the “mixed operations” principle: Forklifts and staff can meet each other, and the use of protective fences has been deliberately dispensed with.

When employees place a filled pallet on a place in the staging lane after goods receipt, this simultaneously means a transport order for a still unit – it goes off to the warehouse or cross-docking directly to goods issue. At Hase, there is automatic whole stock removal, but also manual order picking. Until this happens, the pallet first goes through a so-called contour check: a gate with a laser curtain that eliminates tolerances of the pallet so that the automatic warehouse does not store a “brake block” – otherwise the system stops. If an error is detected, the pallet is immediately forwarded to the “not right” location and the problem is eliminated. Hase uses three automated MX-X narrow-aisle stackers and six EXV-SF high-lift trucks of the latest generation, all of which are equipped with Still’s iGo Systems automation kit. The EXVs pick up the sorted palletised goods at the goods-in location and take them to the transfer rack in the narrow-aisle warehouse, where they are picked up by one of the automated MX-X units and stored in the assigned bin location. For retrieval, this process happens in reverse order. Once the AGVs have done their work, they automatically move to their waiting position.

A novelty for Hase: a changeover aisle in the middle of the system, which, together with a spray wall, replaces the otherwise necessary firewall, enables the forklifts to move simultaneously from one racking aisle to another without having to return to the beginning of the racking. In the manual area, the forklifts always run in single-shift operation. Overnight, they are then autonomously recharged according to the “opportunity charging” principle, using lead-acid batteries, which are more economical than lithium-ion batteries in this application. The racking aisles at Hase can be much narrower than is normally the case: compared to the use of high-rack forklifts with swivel reach forks, the MX-Xs equipped with telescopic forks require significantly less space, which has a beneficial effect on storage density and capacity.

Because the overseas containers from Bremerhaven are not only delivered during the day, but also in the evening, it is an advantage for Hase that with the reorganisation of the automatic warehouse, goods can now be stored automatically in the evening hours or at night without the need for personnel. This means that the existing single-shift operation can continue to be maintained.

IFOY Test Verdict

With its automation solution, Still has brought Hase up to the state of the art and made it fit for the future. With the iGo automated warehouse solution implemented at Hase, other medium-sized companies can also streamline their processes and bring them up to date. Automation, and this has been impressively demonstrated by Still, is a topic for (almost) any size of company.

IFOY INNOVATION CHECK

Market relevance: The expansion of existing warehouse locations is a frequent case in practice. Changes in the company’s own products or production processes, but perhaps even more so the changed behaviour of customers with a focus on product availability and short-term delivery, often make changes necessary. Both the structure and the processes can be affected by changes. The example at the Hase company shows a special case, as the possibilities for adjustments in the layout were very much limited by the available floor space for extensions. In addition, the owner put the unconditional will to automate first, whereas the economic efficiency of an application is the highest priority for most users. For the above reasons, the market relevance can therefore be rated as good, as the solution cannot be transferred to most extension cases without restrictions.

Customer benefit: Measured against its own objectives, the customer Hase has certainly achieved its goals to a high degree. With regard to the general case, however, a limitation to a good customer benefit results from the previously mentioned reasons.

Novelty: The specific expansion of the warehouse at Hase is well solved and the implementation with state-of-the-art vehicles is also at the current level of available technologies. The innovation results from the appropriate combination of the known well-functioning trades in a very limited environment. However, similar solutions could be achieved before with available equipment.

Functionality / type of implementation: The many limitations of the extension in the existing building were well taken into account in the realisation of the solution. The solution offers many functions for the operator and provides him with alternative uses of the vehicles as redundancy or to absorb power peaks.

Verdict: The expansion in the existing stock is impressive and the implementation with state-of-the-art vehicles is well solved. The innovation results from the good combination of the known well-functioning trades in a very limited environment.

market relevance +
customer benefit +
novelty Ø
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 STILL.

Toyota launches automated horizontal carrier AGV

Posted on by David Priestman

Toyota Material Handling UK has unveiled its latest frontier in warehouse automation: CDI120, an AGV designed specifically as a pallet carrier.

CDI120 is a powerful, compact and intuitive solution for horizontal goods transport, capable of adding a new dimension to any warehouse operation. And it slots seamlessly into Toyota Material Handling UK’s Autopilot vehicle range, joining its tow tractors, low lifters, stackers, counterbalance trucks and reach trucks to form a comprehensive line-up that can meet virtually every customer need.

Compact and cost-efficient

CDI120 was designed as an Autopilot vehicle from the ground up, rather than simply altering a conventional manually operated vehicle. This has enabled a total rethink of many aspects of the carrier, ranging from form factor to navigation and safety features, to enable industrial users to get the most out of AGV technology.

The first thing many users will notice is that CDI120 lacks forks. Instead, it loads a pallet by driving underneath it and lifting it from below, using a run-through station to ensure precise and efficient loading of pallets up to 1200kg every time.

CDI120’s exceedingly compact design – with built-in scanner and sensors in the chassis, in combination with a differential drive design – enables efficient loading with a run-through station, tight turn-on-point manoeuvres, and swift operation even in low-ceiling areas.

When on the move, CDI120 can ‘see’ objects at up to 30 metres. Odometry and feature-based localisation are then used to precisely navigate through warehouse space. The localisation algorithm is sophisticated enough that it can interpret additional features dynamically added to the environment. Meanwhile, Toyota-standard safety features ensure safe transport, including front and side detection fields, blue LED warning light and E-stops.

Grows as your operation does

But CDI120 functions as more than a stand-alone vehicle: it also works seamlessly as part of an automated vehicle fleet, communicating with other AGVs from Toyota and management systems using the T-ONE software. Developed in-house by Toyota, T-ONE can integrate and supervise all warehouse equipment to optimise efficiency and processing time.

This gives operators maximum flexibility: they can initiate CDI120 transport jobs manually (via a warehouse management system or call buttons), or through automated software. Trucks can be configured for various pre-set routes (A-to-B, loop or part of a multi-leg journey) and priorities, which can be adjusted on the fly to maintain a continuous material flow – avoiding disruptions and maximising cost-efficiency.

“CDI120 was designed to be more than just cutting-edge. An important aim in its development was to provide a cost-efficient pallet transporter that seamlessly co-works with our stacker and reach trucks – optimising ROI for our customers in their transport and stacking applications,” explained Paul Freeman, Head of Logistics Solutions at Toyota Material Handling UK  “With automated route planning and execution in T-ONE, it is possible to divide A-to-B transport into a multi-leg task involving different vehicle types – for example, using the cost-efficient CDI120 for transport and the powerful RAE to stack. This will not only pay managers back in ROI, but also in space and energy savings.

“Furthermore, as T-ONE is easily configurable for different flows and operation sizes, CDI120 fleets can be deployed flexibly, changing and scaling up over time. Company owners or warehouse managers can take a ‘big bang’ approach to automation, or they effect a more gradual transition – in both cases receiving the benefits of automation without disruption, and in line with their needs and business priorities.”

 

Gideon launches autonomous case picking solution

Posted on by David Priestman

Gideon, the robotics and AI solutions company, has launched Casey, an autonomous case picking and process optimisation solution.

The new solution helps companies manage the severe labour shortages and surging e-Commerce demand by automating and optimising manual case picking. The rise of e-commerce, due to its higher labour intensity and customer expectations, is a clear signal that new automation solutions are the key to sustainable growth. Recent forecasts – Statista data, for example, point to a 50% rise of e-Commerce to US$7.4tn worldwide by 2025 – add urgency.

Casey is a complete case picking solution, pairing Gideon’s super flexible, AI- and vision-based autonomous mobile robots and optimisation software. It brings people and robots into an intelligent partnership, increasing throughput and productivity by removing inefficient workflows, costly infrastructure, and scalability bottlenecks. It eliminates product and equipment damage costs and reduces labour costs by up to 40%.

“We are proud to announce the new addition to our product family,” said Josip Ćesić, Gideon CTO and co-founder. “The traditional case picking is an entirely manual process, and it comes with high cost, low safety, and limited scalability. We bring a new way to solve the old problem: enabling people and robots to collaborate closely and create more value by working together in an optimised way,” Josip Ćesić said.

The Casey solution brings value by creating a measurable impact on multiple levels. It reduces costs and increases throughput and productivity by optimising robot and people workflows, reducing in-aisle walking, and improving pick rate and accuracy. It provides real-time operations visibility, helping cut unplanned production downtime. And finally, it’s easy to deploy and scale up or down with minimal impact on the existing infrastructure and workflows.

The Casey solution includes the company’s autonomous mobile robots with a load capacity of 1,000kg, powered by Gideon’s proprietary autonomy stack and equipped with a simple picking application. The solution also comprises software that optimises the workflow of people and robots for maximum productivity and enables quick integration with warehouse management systems, and smart devices.

CLICK HERE to watch a video.

 

IFOY FINALIST FOCUS: IKEA Project Flat Pack Picking by SSI Schäfer

Posted on by David Priestman

Next up in our series examining each of the IFOY Award nominated finalists ahead of the winners announcement on 30th June at BMW World, we look at the first of two solutions in the Integrated Warehouse Solution category –  IKEA Project Flat Pack Picking by SSI Schäfer.

IFOY category: Integrated Warehouse Solution

Flat pack picking lets SSI Schäfer offer a truly unique, automated and turnkey system solution from a single source, providing safe, efficient and volume-optimised palletising of heavy and bulky items typical for the furniture sector. The picking module with gantry robots facilitates the efficient handling of an especially heterogeneous range of items, reduces the burden of non-ergonomic tasks on employees and stands out with its high degree of scalability.

Customer: Inter IKEA Group

Realisation Phase:
From: 2019-08-08
To: 2021-04-19

Description

The multinational furniture company IKEA has successfully implemented a fully automated order picking system for handling bulky and heavy items at its customer order distribution centre in Dortmund, Germany, together with its long-term intralogistics partner SSI Schäfer , as part of its efforts to create a more ergonomic and healthier working environment for its employees. The heart of the system is the flat pack picking solution with an intelligent gantry robot picking system. The turnkey, scalable as well as high performance system is flexible in its handling, suitable for a variety of heavy, bulky items and automatically generates optimal pack patterns for the order pallets. Modern robotics applications reduce the workload of the workforce in handling goods of this kind.

Who hasn’t heard of them, those classic products MALM, IVAR or PAX? IKEA opened its first furniture store in Germany way back in 1974. Since then, the Swedish furniture chain has been delighting customers with a wide assortment of products in Scandinavian design. This ongoing successful trajectory has continued even during the pandemic: For the 2020 fiscal year, IKEA Germany reported sales revenue of €5.325 billion in store-based retail. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the home furnishings group generated growth of 0.9%. In the e-commerce segment, sales revenue increased by 74.3% to €861 million. The online share almost doubled as compared to the previous year and is now reported at 16.2%. The growing trend in favour of online furniture purchases is compensating for the downturn in furniture stores caused by the COVID-19 crisis.

Providing a consistent response to economic and social challenges
While IKEA is the undisputed number one in furniture retailing in Germany, the industry is still engaged in an intense price war. This makes it important to continuously adapt cost structures and processes, including logistics, to the dynamic market situation to ensure that IKEA can offer its customers an appealing, competitive range of goods. IKEA is handling this challenge with great success: “Steadily increasing efficiency while at the same time increasing throughput is a constant incentive for us,” says Julien Weiß, Intralogistics Development, Inter IKEA Group. “With this in mind, and primarily in order to reduce the manual workload of our employees, IKEA is increasingly investing in the automation of its intralogistics processes.” This is how the furniture group is responding to the persistent cost pressure while also focusing on the health of its staff. Conventional manual picking of heavy and bulky parts, such as chests of drawers or cabinets, can put a strain on the musculoskeletal system. Plus, hiring the right warehouse staff for positions that involve physical labour is tough.

Concept study as the initial spark for the pilot project
IKEA Intralogistics acts, for all intents and purposes, as an in-house consultant and also ensures continuous improvement of the processes at its customer order distribution centre in Dortmund. In 2017, management there began to consider the deployment of robots in the area of order picking in collaboration with SSI Schaefer, a project partner they had trusted for many years. This approach was part of a concept study, also developed jointly, to optimise logistics in the handling of customer order business. “Both the heterogeneous range of articles and the large proportion of heavy and bulky items were particularly challenging here,” says Tim Langenbach, Director Business Development Retail & Wholesale, SSI Schäfer . “As a full-range supplier in the field of intralogistics, we were able to work in close coordination to identify a suitable solution to this problem.” As part of a test installation and subsequent simulation, the flat pack picking system, which is being used for the first time in Dortmund, was determined to be the ideal solution after a “proof of concept.” The predefined customer requirements were met with an integrated logistics solution from a single source, an intelligent software concept and modern robotics applications: As a result, IKEA enjoys efficient and more ergonomic processes, handling flexibility as well as scalability.

Steady replenishment process and intelligent palletising
“Our original intention was to embrace this exciting concept and test the system together,” says Julien Weiß. “We provided the location and the items here in Dortmund, and SSI Schäfer installed the solution, facilitating a reliable ‘proof-of-functionality’.” The results were impressive across the board, and the partner contract to implement the real system was signed at the end of 2019. The system went live in April 2021, and the flexibly scalable flat pack picking module comprising hardware and software, which SSI SCHÄFER supplies as a complete system from a single source, was integrated into the customer order distribution centre’s existing hall, almost ten metres in height. Since it was started up, the incoming pallets are first checked for contours and weight. Then, energy-efficient SSI Exyz storage-retrieval machines perform the storage in the pallet warehouse with almost 900 storage locations. Along the hydraulic buffer aisle, four ro-ber FP150 series gantry robots, which access both statically provided A-items and dynamically provided B- and C-items within their action area, pick pallets. The gantry robots are equipped with multifunctional grippers that automatically adapt to the dimensions of the items and the type of packaging by means of servo-motor-adjustable suction cups. The gantry robots and grippers were developed by ro-ber Industrieroboter GmbH, a subsidiary of SSI Schaefer. The process is supported by vision technology in combination with the WAMAS logistics software, so that each picking robot is able to quickly identify the proper position of the requested item. Goods up to 2.5m in length and weighing more than 60kg are safely picked up from the source pallet and transferred to the ready-to-use order pallet. The removal of intermediate layers is also fully automated. The stored packing pattern generator (SSI Pack Pattern Generator) ensures a safe, optimised arrangement of the items on the order pallets, which are prepared for further processing via a buffer as part of the outbound process.

Findings of the simulation confirmed in operational use
IKEA distribution centres store an average of 10,000 different items. Tests have confirmed that 1,500 of these can be picked automatically. Ten percent of these items have been identified so the area can be optimally utilised. They are primarily fast movers, such as the PAX cabinet, the body of which weighs just under 60kg. “The reduced burden on our staff is a major plus,” emphasises Julien Weiß, who has headed the project since 2019. “They no longer have to pick bulky and heavy parts; instead, this is done by the robots. This takes an enormous amount of strain off the workforce, which is highly motivated to focus on boosting other value-added processes.”

Collaborative innovation for the furniture sector
IKEA and its employees immediately benefit from the increased performance values and automated processes. “We have enjoyed a consistently positive collaboration with SSI Schäfer , also in this pilot project,” Julien Weiß concludes. “The partnership approach favoured and lived out by both companies in particular has contributed to the success.” IKEA reserves the option of rolling out the innovative system at other locations. At the same time, the system will be of interest to other players in the furniture sector that would like to offer their customers an exceptional shopping experience across different channels, also in the heavy-load segment. This is because the solution delivers streamlined and efficient logistics processes with the help of automation, while at the same time offering employees an appealing working environment. “The innovative concept and the added value that can be achieved in real terms mean that the flat pack picking solution is extremely relevant to the market,” adds Tim Langenbach. “This is why we are excited to be able to implement this scalable system, which can be adapted to a wide range of different SKUs in the future and also provided on a turnkey basis to other customers.”

CLICK HERE to watch a video.

IFOY TEST REPORT

Ikea operates Germany’s largest customer order distribution centre in Dortmund. Together with its long-standing partner SSI Schäfer, Ikea has successfully relieved its employees of heavy physical work. Heavy and large items are palletised in a volume-optimised manner with the help of the new picking module from SSI Schäfer, employees are freed from unergonomic work. At the same time, optimal packing patterns for the order pallets are automatically generated.

How does Flat Pack Picking work in use at Ikea? The introduction of this sustainable, innovative picking concept from SSI Schäfer in Germany’s largest Ikea distribution centre was preceded by a concept study and proof-of-concept starting in 2017. By means of a test installation and subsequent simulation, Ikea put SSI Schäfer’s flat-pack picking system, implemented for the first time at the Dortmund site, through its paces – and found it to be good. The go-live started in April 2021. Both the heterogeneous range of articles and the large proportion of heavy and bulky articles were a particular challenge here. It turned out that of the approximately 12,000 stock keeping units (SKUs) located in the distribution centre (DC), about 10%, i.e. 1,200, can be handled fully automatically. These are usually the so-called “fast-moving items”.

The goal of the four gantry robots used, which are supported by two small gantry robots outside the actual picking area, was to relieve the employees of heavy tasks by means of automated gantry picking. One of the four gantry robots, with its 16 suction cups that grip the packaged goods from above and the cameras at the four corners, has a theoretical (technical) picking performance of 70 to 80 picks per hour. This makes the four robots the fastest link in the entire system. Together, the four gantry robots can handle a maximum of 312 picks; in real operation, they currently handle a good 200 picks per hour. Intermediate layers on the individual packages that get in the way of the fast lifting and transporting process of the packages are reliably detected and removed.

The turnkey, scalable order-picking solution basically consists of three areas: the left-hand part of the system for the dynamic provision of the slower-moving furniture packages, the actual picking area in the middle where the four “ro-ber” gantry robots do their work and to which no human has access, unfortunately not even for testing purposes, and the right-hand part of the system for the static provision of the fast-moving items. The gantry robots are equipped with multifunctional grippers that automatically adapt to the dimensions of the articles to be picked and the type of packaging by means of servomotor-adjustable suction cups. Packages of goods up to 2.5 metres in length and weighing over 60 kilograms are safely picked up from the source pallet and transferred to the order pallet. SSI Schäfer’s Pack Pattern Generator ensures that the requested items are optimally arranged on the order pallet and can be picked up for the customer order.

IFOY Test Verdict

According to Ikea’s own information, the new system enables the company to handle about 3,000 more customer orders per week than before. This is a great advantage because customer orders tend to be smaller, but the quantity is significantly higher. In times of e-commerce, more and more customers have their Ikea purchases delivered and also set up. However, SSI Schäfer’s sophisticated flat-pack picking solution can also be adapted to a wide range of different SKUs outside the furniture industry and is therefore highly interesting for other industries as well.

IFOY INNOVATION CHECK

Market relevance: The challenge of picking large and at the same time carton-packed packages has long been known in logistics. As a rule, teams of two order pickers or one order picker with a mechanical lifting aid, such as a balancer, must be used for this. The solution presented is very attractive for this market segment. However, an essential prerequisite for successful use is reliable and stable carton packaging to implement the gripping process with vacuum suction pads.

Customer benefit: If the aforementioned prerequisite is fulfilled, the solution offers both an ergonomic benefit through the relief of the employees and a benefit through the automatic provision of the article pallets for picking. The latter function reduces the load on the supply warehouse for order picking, as the article pallets are held in the staging area for flat pack picking according to their access frequency and are made available for access at the exact time. Together with the precisely specified stacking sequence and the automated movement of the customer order pallet through the picking system, this results in a stable and reliable build-up of the load.

Novelty: The well-known picking task of flat pack picking has never before been implemented so consistently and efficiently in an automated system. The clever design of the material flow of the article pallets combined with the flexible gripping technology for handling the carton-packed parcels account for the high degree of innovation, which has not been achieved before.

Functionality / type of implementation: The functions are very well and appropriately designed for the application at IKEA. According to the information provided by the developer SSI SCHÄFER and the user IKEA, the limitation of the achievable throughput does not result from the robots with their grippers but from the capacities for cross-distribution of the customer order pallets and the article pallets with distribution trolleys. For a general use case, there is therefore still potential to make the function more adaptable for different order compositions.

Verdict: Not all interested users will have the prerequisites of stable and flat carton packaging. However, if these are given, it is a relevant and innovative solution for efficient order picking.

market relevance Ø
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 Flat Pack Picking by SSI Schäfer.

EFFIMAT brings SINA to LogiMAT 2022

Posted on by David Priestman

EFFIMAT is bringing its SINA automated solution to life once again together with its German partner Ecosphere Intralogistics at LogiMAT 2022 in Stuttgart.

SINA – Smart kitting solution for Intralogstics Automation – a solution that automates the intralogistics and material handling processes, in for example production, from inbound to delivered kitted items directly at the production line.

The solution can also be applied to 3PL and e-commerce businesses by automating the order handling process. This makes companies able to operate flexibly 24/7 at a low picking cost.

SINA has its origin in EFFIMAT Automated which work with the thought of connecting various robotics solution, matching the customer’s needs. SINA became the result of eight partners coming together with some of the absolute best solutions within each of their product range and of course the knowledge of integration.

SINA is built around the EffiMat, which is a tote-based solution for storage and handling of items. The patented technology within the EffiMat ensures fast picking and the design allows picking processes to be more dynamic and efficient as five totes are presented in every picking cycle. This technology and design make EffiMat the optimal goods-to-robot solution.

Optimal components

To automate the picking and kitting process the most essential components was added. In the front the UR10e collaborative robot is placed to secure efficient picking. With its payload of 12.5kg and large reach of up to 1,300mm and high level of flexibility the UR10e is perfect for the SINA setup.

Attached to UR10e is the Piab MX suction cup. This suction cup is a real all-rounder and is ideal for holding all products, regardless of what material the product is made of or what surface and finish is has. To ensure picking accuracy the AI-based robobrain.vision from robominds has been added.

For safe transport of the kitted items to production line, the AMR MiR250 is used together with the TR125 top module from ROEQ. The top module can recognize and precisely control the loading station via its WLAN-independent optical measuring system.

To make the SINA solution safe, the sBOT nanoScan3 from SICK is mounted on the solution to ensure that the speed of the solution reduces the closer an employee comes to the solution and stops entirely if the employee comes too close.

The intelligence behind SINA

Every solution like this needs a software to connect all the pieces. EFFIMAT Connected was developed for this exact purpose. With a simple interface the software connects all components to the EffiMat, making it a complete and efficient solution.

If needed EFFIMAT connected can be integrated with the customers ERP system, which enables seamless kitting and order handling.

Ecosphere Intralogistics has been the integration partner on the SINA project. It has been taking care of everything from plugging in the components to testing and optimising the entire SINA Solution. Ecosphere Intralogistics will be the EFFIMAT partner in Germany, who will take care of sales of SINA in the German region.

At LogiMAT 2022 in Stuttgart, the eight partners are once again coming together and EFFIMAT will together with Ecosphere Intralogistics be showcasing SINA. You will find SINA in hall 5 at booth F60 where it will showcase how kitting can be handled. Further EFFIMAT and Ecosphere Intralogistics is bringing something new – an updated, even better SINA.

 

IFOY FINALIST FOCUS: e.scala by Stow Robotics

Posted on by David Priestman

The latest product in our series examining each of the IFOY Award nominated finalists ahead of the winners announcement on 30th June at BMW World is the e.scala goods-to-person system entered by Belgian intralogistics specialist stow robotics.

IFOY category: Robot

e.scala is a highly standardised, robot-based goods-to-person system that replaces all the classic components of an automated storage system with a robot and thus enables a realisation time of just three months in addition to a significantly lower investment and lower running costs.

Description

The e.scala is a robot-based storage and order-picking system, whereby the robot moves in three dimensions in a storage cube and can easily reach any point in a warehouse or in production via a rail system. A patented ramp system enables the robots to move from storage level to storage level and to overcome height differences outside the storage cube. Due to the high flexibility of the robots, multiple workstation variants can be mapped very easily. This makes it possible to map almost every procedural customer requirement with standard modules.

The area of ​​application for e.scala is in small and medium-sized installations with a focus on applications in e-commerce, in production supply and on micro-fulfilment solutions. The high level of standardisation of the system makes it possible to automate even small requirements from 500 storage locations and thus enables full automation to be carried out significantly earlier compared to classic systems.

CLICK HERE to watch a video.

IFOY TEST REPORT

The manufacturer stow robotics is coming to the IFOY TEST DAYS in Dortmund with a demo system of a classic goods-to-person shuttle system, which was transported from the truck to the test hall in one go. The only moving part in the storage and picking system is the shuttle that moves on rails, which stow calls “robot”. Otherwise, the customer is supplied with pure redundancy. The strength of e.scala lies where it comes to entry into automation goes.

The USP of the installation is the fact that the complete system consists of only 15 different parts. However, only the “exciting” pre-storage zone is shown with three lines to get to four levels in the warehouse. How the system works is also stored in the product name: The “e” comes from escalator, i.e. an escalator. And the “scala” is intended to demonstrate the scalability. And something else very special is immediately noticeable: the entire installation does not require a vertical lift, i.e. no elevator: the individual aisles are accessed via sloping ramps, which significantly reduces the susceptibility to errors. The module on which the robot can change the direction of travel in order to move the goods to be transported into or out of the warehouse and, with or without goods to be transported, is called the “connector”.

In principle, the system is similar to a multi-storey car park, with the actual ordering system usually being outside the warehouse. The manufacturer attaches great importance to the redundancy of the system: The only thing that can break, according to its own statement, is the robot. But it doesn’t block the whole system. stow uses the 200-year-old concept of the railway. The transport robot has eight wheels: four for driving in the X direction, the other four move the robot in the Y direction after the wheel change. In principle, the entire structure only needs electricity twice: once for the charging station, where the individual robots can charge their power caps – with a charging time of eight seconds, they drive around for around twelve minutes – and once for the WiFi robot communication with the warehouse management system. That also means:

The individual modules of the e.scala system are 5m x 2.5m in size and are scalable. The system still tolerates a total height of 24m. The Stow Traffic Control (STC) knows when the robot drives over the built-in passive RFID tags in the respective section of the route. Some would call it a material flow system, while others would call it a warehouse control system.

e.scala is basically intended for use in small and medium-sized installations with a focus on applications in the e-commerce sector, in production supply and in micro-fulfilment solutions. Because the system is standardized to a high degree, even small requirements from 500 storage locations to be automated can be well served with it. Because the 15 basic components of the system and the robot can be delivered directly from stock, a complete system can be planned and implemented within a very short time. Even in the event of a robot breakdown, the availability of the system is extremely high, because the accessibility of every place in the system is secured at all times via multiple routes.

IFOY Test Verdict

The “charge on the fly” system of the robots, which can recharge their power caps at any time, guarantees customers 100 percent performance of this storage and picking system in 24/7 regular operation. Because for the automation of smaller systems, low initial investments and a later easy scalability are of great importance, e.scala is perfect for SMEs that don’t want to go “full” with their investment in automated intralogistics.

IFOY INNOVATION CHECK

Market relevance: With e.scala, Stow robotics is targeting small and medium-sized container-based warehouse automation solutions based on the goods-to-person principle, which are currently in particularly high demand in the growth sectors of e-commerce, micro-fulfilment and production supply. Economical use should already be possible from 500 storage locations or 250 square meters of floor space. e.scala has to compete with systems from Autostore and Exotec in this area. Market potential and relevance are expected to be high due to the special features of the system.

Customer benefit: The ramp system for changing the robots between the storage levels makes it possible to dispense with lifts, rigid conveyor technology and electrification of the storage area and thus achieve low system complexity with low investment, operating and maintenance costs. The standardization allows rapid implementation and commissioning within just three months. The storage cube can be scaled quite freely in terms of height, width and length and allows a certain degree of flexibility when choosing between storage density and capacity. The advantages over AutoStore are the higher payload, faster response time, higher throughput and better redundancy. In certain configurations, even higher storage densities should be achievable.

Novelty: The innovation consists above all in the low system complexity caused by the use of the ramps. The robots are the only actuated units in the storage structure, which makes the solution extremely scalable at a moderate cost. In addition, there is increased redundancy since each container in the system can be reached via multiple paths. Containers can be flexibly sequenced at three points in the system, but this is not an innovation compared to other systems. The charging management of the robots is excellently solved by supercaps, which are quickly charged during the picking process in 8 seconds for 12 minutes of operating time, which ensures that the robots are available 24 hours a day.

Functionality / type of implementation: The functioning of the test system was successfully demonstrated. The robot with two-way chassis changed storage levels safely with and without a load via the ramps. Apart from the integrated lifting function for picking up the boxes, the robots are kept simple and robust. Using the rail system, the robots can also carry out sequencing in the pre-zone and drive to other areas of the building for production supply.

Verdict: The specific customer benefit of e.scala is given above all for small and medium-sized systems, which are to be implemented quickly and cost-effectively due to the simplicity and standardization of the solution. The system is technically simple and solidly built and impresses with its flexibility in choosing between storage density and performance as well as with the comparably high level of redundancy even if individual robot units fail.

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 stow robotics’ e.scala solution.

NORD presents innovative drive solutions at LogiMAT

Posted on by David Priestman

The specialist LogiMAT exhibition in Stuttgart offers a comprehensive overview of the intralogistics and process management market, and as one of the market leaders for drive technology, NORD will be there to present its solutions for the industry. The exhibition highlights include the revolutionary and patented DuoDrive geared motor, the highly efficient IE5+ synchronous motor, the NORDAC ON/ON+ decentralised frequency inverter (pictured), as well as an intelligent concept for status-oriented maintenance according to Industry 4.0.

Modern automated intralogistics systems place high demands on drives in horizontal as well as vertical conveyor technology. NORD Drivesystems provide the industry with innovative drive solutions, combining reliability with profitability. The DuoDrive is setting new standards for intralogistics. The innovative and patented geared motor integrates a high-efficiency IE5+ synchronous motor into the single-stage helical gear unit housing. This not only guarantees a compact size and minimal noise emissions but also high power density and overall high system efficiency. Together with its simple plug-and-play commissioning, the complete DuoDrive solution results in a significant reduction in Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) compared to other drive systems.

Economic Solution for IIoT environments

The decentralised NORDAC ON/ON+ frequency inverter was specially developed by NORD for the requirements of horizontal conveyor technology. An integrated Ethernet interface, full pluggability and a very compact design make it the smart inverter for decentralised use in Intralogistics. The frequency inverter can be mounted directly on the drive housing and covers lower power ranges of up to 1.0kW. The combination with the IE5+ synchronous motor (NORDAC ON+) enables significant efficiency potential.

Downtime avoidance is also one of the decisive targets in intralogistics. To increase system availability, NORD has designed “Condition Monitoring For Predictive Maintenance”. The integrated PLC in NORD frequency inverters can process data in connected sensors and actuators, initiate autonomous control sequences and communicate drive and application data to the control centre, networked components or to cloud storage. This allows continuous condition monitoring and therefore forms the basis for predictive maintenance concepts as well as optimum plant dimensioning. Impermissible operating states can be recognised early, unplanned downtimes can be avoided and maintenance becomes predictive.

These and more drive solutions will be presented by NORD Drivesystems from 31st May to 2nd June 2022 at LogiMAT in Stuttgart (Stand D10 in Hall 03).

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