“If only full pallets are being stored and retrieved, there’s no longer any reason for customers to purchase a manual vehicle.” Pascal Kuster, Sales Trainer for Automated Guided Vehicles at Linde MH, is fully convinced by the automated Linde K-MATIC k combination narrow-aisle forklift. However, not all processes currently handled by manual vehicles make sense to automate them directly.

Intralogistics specialist Linde Material Handling (MH) is completing the comprehensive renewal of its product portfolio with the addition of further automated vehicles. A highlight is the K-MATIC k. Also new to the market are the Linde R-MATIC k reach truck and the Linde L-MATIC AC k counterbalance pallet truck with cantilevered forks. All of these are being produced in series and aim to make automation projects with Linde MH even more profitable by shortening planning and implementation times.

High-quality, energy-efficient, and easy-to-program AGVs and AMRs form the "toolbox" that automation planners draw upon during concept development. "Our new vehicles play a crucial role as part of the automation solution," emphasizes Kuster. A necessary prerequisite for any automation is the standardization of processes. It must also be considered that processes using manual vehicles cannot always be directly replicated with the corresponding automated vehicle models.

Previously, the driver of a reach truck also handled the transport from goods receipt to the high-bay warehouse; now it is more efficient to use an automated high-lift truck for this sub-process in order to optimize the throughput per hour.

Increase throughput

With a lifting capacity of 1.5 tons and a maximum lifting height of 14.5 meters, the K-MATIC k makes a strong statement. "Since the machine spends a significant portion of its time in the aisle, using an automated vehicle makes particular sense," explains product trainer Kuster. 

The Linde R-MATIC k reach truck is ideally suited for automated replenishment in wide-aisle racking. It is available in three models with lifting capacities up to 2.3 t. To configure the trucks for individual requirements, a wide selection of modular mast options is available, reaching a maximum lifting height of 10 m. Automated shuttle and storage solutions complete the extended truck range.

Both narrow-aisle and reach trucks navigate using reflector technology. They feature a sensor-based pallet positioning system with "smart" forks to precisely store and retrieve qualified load carriers such as Euro pallets, wire mesh containers, or CHEP pallets. The system detects not only whether the shelf space is free but also whether there are any obstacles in the way. If pallets are not correctly aligned, the forks are adjusted. Furthermore, the system checks whether the goods are placed exactly in the rack before the forks are removed from the load carrier.

Numerous additional functions

A user-friendly touchscreen simplifies communication between humans and machines and facilitates the input of control commands. Standard features such as a 360-degree scanner, emergency stop switch, and lights and acoustic signals ensure maximum operational safety. These can be supplemented with optional functions, including 2D curtain lasers and additional lighting solutions such as BlueSpot and red warning lines.

Narrow aisle forklifts and reach trucks operate in a digitally networked manner with the high-lift pallet truck variants. The automated equipment is controlled via Linde's MATIC:move (or MATIC:move+) software platform, which features a uniform user interface for real-time monitoring, display of open orders, predictive maintenance, and standardized integration with WMS and ERP systems. The Linde Warehouse Manager allows automated and manual vehicles to be networked and integrated into assistance systems for operational safety, such as Linde Safety Guard.

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