Photo: Predimo
According to the IFOY organization, 23 suppliers from seven countries have made it to the finals of this year's intralogistics competition with 25 devices and solutions. IFOY Managing Director Anita Würmser describes it as a "spectacular setting." The nominees will compete in the test camp at the end of March.
“With quick commerce, robotics, and AI, traditional warehouse technology is becoming increasingly sophisticated,” said Würmser. She expects a tough competition among the jury for the seven winning trophies, which will be awarded in Dortmund this summer.
The finalists are Agilox, Combilift, Continental, Crown, DS Automation, Hikrobot, IdentPro, Jungheinrich, Kemaro, Libiao Robotics, Mobile Easykey, Nimmsta, Raymond, Still, Volume Lagersysteme, and Youibot Robotics. The startups 1MRobotics, Loady, ff Fördersysteme, Hunic, Predimo, Sentics, and sereact have also made it to the finals.
Five Warehouse Trucks:
A total of five manually operated warehouse trucks have made it to the final round, three in the high-lift category and two in the low-lift category. Among them is the Aisle-Master OP from the Irish manufacturer Combilift, with a lifting height of 12.1 m and a lifting capacity of 2 t, which combines the advantages of a narrow-aisle articulated forklift and a picker with the familiar articulated arm.
Photo: Jungheinrich
The brand-new SP 1500 from US supplier Crown has won an IFOY nomination even before its official market launch. This completely redesigned order picker, with a reach height of 11.2 m and load capacities of up to 1.25 t, has been optimized in terms of all-around visibility, performance, and speed.
secured two finalist spots Still . Their further developed PXV pedestrian-operated low-lift pallet truck EXH 16 from the same manufacturer. With a load capacity of 1.6 t, this low-lifter is particularly suitable for transport on trucks and last-mile applications.
Photo: Still
Also in the final of the lowlifter category is the US manufacturer Raymond with its 8910 End Rider pallet truck. This pallet truck, with a 3.63-ton lifting capacity, was developed with a focus on energy efficiency and can be adapted to all conceivable applications, such as cold storage facilities, docks, loading and unloading, or long journeys to transshipment centers.
Four AGVs and AMRs:
A new Agilox ODM (omnidirectional dolly mover) from the Austrian supplier of the same name is an intelligent logistics robot for small load carriers up to 300 kg. It requires no additional infrastructure or navigation aids. The first vehicle is deployed in less than twelve hours, each subsequent one in just 15 minutes.
Photo: sereact.
The AMR IL 1200 from Continental Automotive Technologies, with its integrated lifting system and various superstructure options, can move 1200 pallets weighing up to 1.2 tons at a speed of 2 m/s in warehouses, logistics centers, and production logistics.
The Forklift Mobile Robot F4-1000C from the Chinese manufacturer Hikrobot , with a lifting capacity of 1 ton, is an alternative to conventional warehouse forklifts and, thanks to its positioning accuracy, is particularly suitable for 24/7 operation in extremely narrow aisles. Controlled by a proprietary robot control system (RCS), the F4-1000C also cooperates with other systems.
Also from China comes the Automatic Trolley AT100 from Youibot Robotics, consisting of a brand-new assistance picking robot and a fleet management system called YOUIFleet. The intuitively operated combination of AMR and batch picking trolley handles loads up to 100 kg and was specially developed for workflows at retailers and logistics service providers.
Fig.: 1mRobotics
Intralogistics Robots
In a dedicated category, "Intralogistics Robots," the PowerCube from Jungheinrich,. It promises four times better storage density compared to shelving systems, even in rooms up to 12 m high. The powerful lithium-ion shuttles can pick up two 50 kg containers simultaneously. With the Airrob container handling robotic system from the Chinese manufacturer Libiao Robotics , the robots can "climb" up the shelves and sort and move plastic containers weighing up to 35 kg. This simple and cost-effective solution is particularly suitable for micro-fulfillment.
Volume DIVE from Volume Lagersysteme is a sophisticated robotics-assisted storage and order picking system for building heights up to 14 m. The robot can pick up and drop off containers at any position without a lift. Standard Euro containers and beverage crates are stored, and these can also be used outside the system. Although DIVE was developed for quick commerce, it is also said to be an alternative to energy-intensive automated small parts warehouses (AS/RS).
Fig.: Sentics
Three software nominations:
A Mobile Easykey, developed Key Performance Indicator (FFZ-KPI) for forklifts,
With its ARCOS the Austrian provider DS AUTOMOTION the operation of devices as either Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) or Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs). "Plannable Autonomy" combines the advantages of both technologies.
promises up to 30 percent higher productivity Warehouse Execution System from IdentPro. Using IoT sensors on the vehicles, it visualizes all warehouse processes in real-time (RTLS) digital twins. This digitalization solution, suitable for indoor and outdoor use, achieves centimeter-accurate localization (+/-10 cm) of goods and vehicles.
Photo: Loady
Three Specials of the Year:
Light Tags 's Nimmsta represent a new pick-by-light approach that promises up to 80 percent greater efficiency without any integration effort. The intelligence resides in the Industrial Smart Watch, worn on the body. As the worker approaches the desired goods location, the smart watch and light tag illuminate in the same color and pattern.
The world's first fully autonomous dry-cleaning robot, the K900 from the Swiss provider Kemaro, can save 70 percent on cleaning costs, which can amount to more than US$37,000 per year in a logistics company of approximately 10,000 square meters. The compact robots with integrated dust extraction systems navigate using lidar and 3D sensors and clean even the toughest industrial dirt.
stacks, scans, and transfers the results to any WMS in a single operation addedVIEW forklift camera with scanning function from Jungheinrich. The digital full-HD fork tine camera with integrated image processing software for barcode scanning recognizes, even at great heights, whether the correct barcode is in front of the tine while driving past.
Seven startups
received the green light in the broad startup category. The Israeli tech company 1MRobotics , with its eponymous nano-fulfillment center for last-mile omnichannel retail, was among them. The robotic darkstores are delivered in standard containers and are ready for immediate use.
The young German startup ff Fördersysteme solves a ubiquitous warehouse problem with its patented 3D conveyor and drive system . Whether curves, ramps, elevators, or inclines – the 3D chain adapts to the space, not the other way around.
The AI software sereact for autonomous pick-and-place robotics. What is previously trained in a simulation can be integrated into existing systems within a day without time-consuming teach-in.
The Munich-based startup Sentics , the first optical, AI-based real-time localization system Ortls for industrial applications. Infrastructure sensors identify forklifts, people and machines and provide the information to fleet managers as well as autonomous transport vehicles.
Photo: Hunic.
Computer Myography, 's Predimo a tool for evaluating workplaces in terms of ergonomics and process efficiency, is a finalist. Using cloud-based software and 17 IoT sensors worn over clothing, a digital human twin visualizes which muscles and joints are particularly stressed during work.
The software-as-a-service solution Loady, from the eponymous startup, is also a finalist, providing a central database of pre-product information for loading and unloading at industrial sites.
passive exoskeleton is also nominated SoftExo Lift 's Hunic. This extremely lightweight lifting and carrying aid uses a spring principle to relieve leg and back muscles by up to 21 percent when lifting and carrying loads.
Test Camp at the End of March:
The innovations of the IFOY finalists will be available for visitors to try out and experience in demonstrator versions at the Intralogistics Test Camp on March 29 and 30. The coveted trophies will be awarded in the summer. Until then, the final results and who ultimately comes out on top in each category, according to the jury, will remain secret – both for the finalists and for the public.
LogisticsInnovation.org will report on the special features of each nominee in no particular order.
The 2023 finalists at a glance
: • AGILOX: AGILOX ODM
• Combilift: Aisle-Master OP
• Continental Automotive Technologies: AMR IL 1200
• Crown: SP 1500
• DS AUTOMOTION: ARCOS
• HIKROBOT: F4-1000C
• IdentPro: Warehouse Execution System
• Jungheinrich: addedVIEW fork camera with scanning function
• Jungheinrich: PowerCube
• Kemaro: K900 dry cleaning robot
• Libiao Robotics: Airrob container handling robot system
• Mobile Easykey: FFZ-KPI
• NIMMSTA: Light Tag
• Raymond: Raymond 8910 End Rider Pallet Truck
• STILL: STILL PXV
• STILL: STILL EXH 16
• Volume Lagersysteme: Volume DIVE
• Youibot Robotics: Automatic Trolley AT100
Category: Start-up of the Year
• 1MRobotics: 1MRobotics
• Loady: Loady
• ff Conveyor systems: 3D conveyor and drive system
• HUNIC: SoftExo Lift
• Predimo: Computer Myography
• Sentics: Optical real-time locating system (ORTLS)
• sereact: AI software sereact
