In times of advancing digitalization, strong competitive pressure and constantly changing market requirements, companies and logistics specialists have to come up with a number of ideas to streamline processes, improve safety and support employees. As a flexible alternative to conveyor technology, transport systems that automatically navigate through production and warehouses optimize the transport of materials and parts and can be adapted to special tasks by means of superstructures. Supplemented by HRC robots, workplaces are humanized in the long term. Data management tools also enable concrete networking with customers, partners and suppliers.

Autonomous systems rated as important
A survey by Statista shows that 55% of 272 German experts in the logistics sector surveyed rate the importance of autonomous systems for their industry as high to very high. But how can the interaction between man and machine in production and warehouses be orchestrated in the best possible way? How can driverless transport systems be supplemented to support collaboration between robots and employees? Ideally, transport and warehouse systems are coupled with human-robot collaboration (HRC), whereby the transport shuttle transports goods and the warehouse shuttle takes over the assembled goods to store or retrieve them in the high-bay warehouse. Suitable robots make it possible to divide tasks so that monotonous, error-prone and heavy work steps can be taken over. The mobile transport shuttle with HRC robot controls different stations and workstations, which relieves employees and at the same time optimizes processes in warehouses and logistics.

Transport system and MRK in a double pack
Autonomous transport systems provide valuable assistance in combination with robotic systems. Instead of replacing employees, the aim is to use robots as an additional hand for human colleagues and to relieve employees of monotonous or dangerous tasks in the long term. Hands and grippers can work safely alongside and with each other when processing workpieces. Another advantage of innovative shuttle and HRC robot systems is their great flexibility and increased safety. As there are no guards, humans and robots share the same workspace.
While autonomous transport shuttles already provide enormous work support in logistics, the combination of collaborative robots (cobots) with specially developed gripper changing systems or individual grippers offers additional added value. The mobile duo of transport shuttle and HRC robot provides cross-industry support where it is needed: for conveying, palletizing and depalletizing, accurate layer formation and precise packaging. The HRC solution performs automated work steps and can be programmed for different tasks.

Production reliability and data overview
Robotics-supported transport systems also score points with increased efficiency in production. Rigid routes within production or incoming goods can be shortened or avoided, freeing up more usable space. In addition, reproducible processes are carried out by HRC robots with reliable quality on a permanent basis, while the coupling of the transport system and cobot also ensures greater production reliability. Mobile HRC robots use the scanners of the automated guided vehicle to find their way to the target position. With the help of the image processing functions at the respective workstation, the correct position can be entered before the actual task is carried out.
Trapo has developed the web-based business intelligence portal TIM (Trapo Intelligent Management System) as a control element for monitoring, controlling and operating based on practical experience in mechanical engineering. TIM provides management-relevant key production figures in real time - available at any time. Tim also analyzes production figures, makes recommendations on maintenance intervals, performs fault analysis and suggests the affected spare part in the event of imminent downtime. It is also helpful for users if they can optimize energy requirements, increase capacity utilization and improve process efficiency for their systems by logging parameter changes and comparing performance.

More space thanks to AGVs
Transport systems should have a high load capacity in relation to their range in order to work reliably. Such vehicles can be used to cover routes within production or goods receipt and companies can create more usable space by replacing conventional conveyors. The Trapo Transport Shuttle (TTS), for example, transports loads of up to 2,000 kilograms as standard and can be combined with HRC robots plus grippers depending on the company's needs and customer requirements. Other examples of customer-specific superstructures include additional conveyors or integrated lifting functions. The transport shuttle offers a choice of inductive, autonomous or optical navigation - and therefore the widest possible range of applications. With this type of solution, companies can supplement or replace rigid conveyor and palletizing systems in order to benefit from more space and flexibility. The Mecanum wheels of the Trapo system turn the TTS on the spot and enable area-directional movement. The modular design principle ensures flexible configuration options. This means that sizes, energy transmission and storage as well as drive and navigation can be combined as required.
The Trapo Warehouse Shuttle (TWS) picks up products or complete load carriers in the high-bay warehouse area - meaning that the TTS and TWS automated guided vehicle systems can be used in combination. With an acceleration of 1.5 m/s², the warehouse shuttle travels three meters per second and completes the cycle of extending, gripping and retracting in a maximum of three seconds. Power is supplied either by rechargeable batteries or power caps, and charging is preferably carried out on the lifting device or via a charging point in the aisle. The shelving system has a modular design and can be flexibly extended.

AI and machine learning as drivers of innovation
Autonomous transport systems paired with compact mobile assistants and data management functions are replacing large robots in Production and Logistics 4.0. At the same time, users benefit from consistently high quality and an efficient material flow for intralogistics tasks. As the use of this type of system is also much more flexible than traditional devices, a wide range of tasks is conceivable in the future. Companies will benefit even more if they integrate their transport and storage system into their overall system. Trapo provides support in this regard with its sound overall system expertise. At the same time, the hardware is compatible with different providers, which facilitates individual adaptations. Many HRC applications are still in the early stages of development. However, rapidly advancing developments in the field of artificial intelligence and machine learning could ensure that the programming of such systems becomes ever easier. In the future, robots will learn independently and improve production processes on their own, allowing human employees to devote more time to creative, problem-solving and value-adding tasks.