Working independently in the warehouse

The world of intralogistics is becoming more diverse. Increasingly, automated solutions are helping companies to make their internal flow of goods even more efficient. The focus is on application scenarios in which not only individual but also networked transport tasks are performed by automated or autonomous vehicles. These sophisticated fleet solutions require vehicles that can act independently, in real time and in interaction with other vehicles and people quickly and safely.

Cooperation with Idealworks

"With the Linde C-Matic HP, we are offering our customers an autonomous, mobile transport robot that can receive transport orders in different ways. It is also capable of skillfully avoiding temporary and permanent obstacles, making it perfect for mixed operation with manual industrial trucks," says Stefan Prokosch, Senior Vice President Brand Management Linde MH. The autonomous robot is of interest to customers who want to consistently automate their transport logistics and rely on modern, intelligent automation solutions, for example in industry or the beverage sector. "We are working closely with our partner Idealworks - an innovative portfolio provider in the field of automation, which developed the transport robot known as iw.hub and is also responsible for its production," adds Prokosch.

The maximum load capacity of the Linde C-Matic HP (High Performance) is one tonne and the maximum speed is 2.2 meters per second. With a height of just 222 millimeters, the vehicles are flat and make it easier to drive under and pick up pallets or transport racks with wheels. Navigation is based on slam technology using a pre-read map of the warehouse and the camera and scanner installed on the vehicle. Additional markers, magnets or QR codes are not required. In addition to the vehicle and the trolleys, the charging station is another component of the solution.

Obstacle detection and flexible load pick-up

"Other vehicles, objects and people pose a particular challenge in mixed operation. Suddenly appearing obstacles can lead to interruptions in the material flow, which add up and cause noticeable delays in the subsequent processes," explains Prokosch. The new transport robot detects the obstacles via the safety scanner and calculates an alternative route at short notice based on the detected object. This saves time and ensures predictable processes. Another significant improvement in workflows is achieved by the flexible load pick-up. This allows the transport robot to pick up loads that are not exactly at right angles to the lane but are slightly offset; in this case, the vehicle aligns itself accordingly before driving under the goods carrier.

The cloud-based Anyfleet control software ensures fast and cost-effective implementation of the devices. Using dialogs and a graphical editor, vehicles can be set up and zones and rules of conduct can be defined. There is no need for complex programming, which simplifies both the initial setup and subsequent changes. Another advantage is that the cloud platform supports the VDA 5050 interface standard, making it easy to combine the Linde C-Matic HP with other vehicles.

From research team to company

Based on BMW's expertise in logistics, an in-house product was created in 2015 to support goods handling and intralogistics at all BMW plants - the STR intelligent transport robot. It moved containers through the factories and transported material to the production line. Using recycled batteries from the electric vehicle program, the STR developed into a cost-effective solution for the AMR requirements on the store floor. In the time that followed, the functionality of the transport robot was increasingly refined. The use of embedded computing, the improvement of AI intelligence and the formation of new partnerships were intended to advance the development of AMR in the automotive industry. The international research team in Munich established relationships with leading global research universities and industry partners - and was integrated into an independent company, Idealworks, in 2020. The aim is to make the AMR the norm in everyday intralogistics and open up new markets.