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Digital revolution and E-Commerce bring changes to the consumer behavior. The complete value chain is changing and consequently also the supply chain. Logistics is becoming more flexible, faster and cost optimized.
Mobile robotics is one of the key pillars of smart logistics. We help our customers building AGVs and AMRs in all material handling segments, e.g. Pallet conveying, Unit/box conveying, Towing, Piece picking, Person-to-goods, Goods-to-person, Sortation…
In the early days of the production lines some wished to have the choice over the color of their car, but Henry Ford responded: "You can have any color you want, as long as it is black".
Today it is rather the opposite: Top car manufacturers say it is rather a coincidence to assemble two similar cars in a day with exactly the same set of configurations chosen by the customers.
Rigid manufacturing lines and mono rails for moving the cars, bodies, chassis and other sub-assemblies are hitting the limits, future manufacturing processes needs more flexibility.
We are witnessing the transition towards the mobile platforms replacing the rigid production lines and mono rails on the main line. AGV-platforms for "walk-by assembly" of engines, axles and other sub-assemblies as well as AGVs for supply of the main line are already standard for years…
Automotive is probably leading this transition, but the same is happening in other manufacturing industries…
BIO farming requires more intensive, individual and precise handling of each plant and its fruits. Increasing demand for local BIO food asks for more BIO local farming, which consequently requires more labor force. But this is not viable in developed countries.
The only direction for economically viable local BIO farming is robotics with automated harvesting equipment and other advanced technology that performs tasks such as pruning, seeding and weeding. These applications require robust outdoor mobile platforms with camera vision used for outdoor navigation and for gathering data about the cultivation, e.g. state of health and maturity level. Gathered data is processed by advanced software based on AI for further decision making and action plan for each fruit individually or for the concerned farming area
Robots are generally meant for helping people doing their tasks, either with the goal to overcome human‘s physical or mental limitations or to avoid their exposure to hazardous situations.
Specially in the area of Security & Surveillance the robots with advanced mobility and perception capabilities can continuously collect more data for further processing than a human or fixed surveillance cameras and they are not afraid to go on dangerous missions.
Environmental challenges asks for greener mobility specially inside the urbanized areas and we are happy to see positive electrification trends. But changing only the powertrain of our vehicles is not enough, the conceptual inefficiency remains: 1,2 persons per passenger car, which is parked 95% of the time doesn‘t seem to be reasonable. Getting delivered a 1kg-package by a 3T vehicle doesn‘t seem to be optimized neither. We need deeper conceptual changes.
Our electric systems and components have been powering and driving conventional smaller electric urban vehicles like E-Scooters, electric 3 and 4-Wheelers for a decade. Now we accompany our most innovative customers in their evolution towards autonomous driving, starting from driver-assistance system and up to fully automated driving at lower speeds.
More disruptive are our customers with robotic background, who are introducing Robotaxi and people mowers for short-distance mobility or AMRs intended to serve logistic needs in the last mile.
Heavy load handling is the same a growing segment for Mobile platforms, either human controlled, semi-automated or completely autonomous. Typically less demanding from the speed perspective, but on the other hand the challenge increases with the load capacity, torque requirements and safety. Precisely controlled and supervised Multi-wheel traction configuration in combination with supporting castors (optionally) is the direction to go. By increasing the maneuverability of the platform and decreasing the ground pressure of its wheels the most challenging loads can become mobile.
