Category 4: AGVs, AGVs and robotics

Balyo: MOWO - Pallet Movement as a Service

The idea behind MOWO: customers should benefit from the automation of their material flows without having to accept the high investment costs that are typical of AGV projects. To achieve this, Balyo developed the MOWO (Pallet Movement as a Service) solution, which offers pallet movement as a service and where companies pay for the pallets moved by the robots. The uniqueness of MOWO lies in the fact that the company has not only developed a financial customer solution - demand-based billing - but has also created further technical customer benefits: Thanks to the internally developed remote control software and cameras, Balyo or even the end customer can remotely monitor and control the robot fleet 24/7, as well as improve it through software updates. Payment is based on the number of pallets moved.

Conductix-Wampfler: Wireless Charger 3.0

Wireless Charger 3.0 is a wireless, inductive energy transfer system for charging batteries on industrial trucks, particularly suitable for occasional charging. With the Wireless Charger 3.0 system, energy is transferred via an air gap without mechanical contact and with a large positioning tolerance. Thanks to the large tolerance range, including for the air gap, the charging infrastructure can also be used by different industrial trucks - even by vehicles with different nominal voltages (between 21 and 59 V). Thanks to the inductive principle, the system has no exposed contact surfaces that are subject to wear or susceptible to faults, which reduces maintenance costs.

Safelog: AGV M4

The Safelog AGV M4 can handle trailer loads of 1,500 kg and a topload of 200 kg at speeds of 0.02 m/s to 1.6 m/s. More and more companies are relying on AGVs for intralogistics transport tasks. However, the purchase of new AGVs often fails due to the high investment required to implement the systems. The problem is that the fewer vehicles are needed to handle a specific process, the more difficult it becomes for many AGV manufacturers to offer a profitable solution. This is mainly due to the fact that a higher-level control station is required for vehicle control. However, this purchase is only profitable from a larger number of vehicles. The Safelog AGV M4 has an agent-based control system that enables the individual vehicles to communicate with each other and with the surrounding production and logistics systems.

Category 5: Logistics and logistics real estate

AM Logistic Solutions: Rent-a-robot rental program

According to the company, Rent-a-robot is the world's first rental program for renting additional AutoStore robots for a limited period of time. With the "Rent-a-robot" product, AM Logistic Solutions rents out additional AutoStore robots to operators of automated small parts warehouses for limited periods of time. Normally, the systems must be designed from the outset in such a way that they are sufficiently large for both seasonal peaks and medium-term growth. With AutoStore systems, on the other hand, it is possible to react quickly and spontaneously to higher capacity utilization due to their design. AM Logistic Solutions has therefore decided to set up its own robot rental pool.

Pfenning Logistics: multicube real estate concept

According to Pfenning Logistics, the multicubes are multi-user logistics centers that are divided into different hall modules and can therefore bundle different product and retail worlds at one location. Whether retail, automotive, food, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, FMCG or consumer goods - the multicubes offer individual contract logistics solutions for every industry. In 2012, Pfenning Logistics laid the foundation stone for the logistics centers at the company headquarters in Heddesheim (Baden-Württemberg): the multicube rhein-neckar. The innovative and multi-award-winning multi-user concept leaves room for individual forms of use and sustainable requirements. The special thing about these logistics centers: planning, organization and operation are all carried out by Pfenning Logistics. In 2022, Pfenning Logistics will expand the multicube logistics centers by a further 100,000 square meters of warehouse space at the Bad Hersfeld and Mecklar sites. A further 150,000 square meters are already being planned for Berlin and Alsace.

Still: Reorganization at Siemens

Still Consulting developed a manufacturer-independent intralogistics concept for Siemens. This increased the picking performance at the Siemens WKC (Chemnitz plant for combination technology) by 150 percent. An intralogistics area that could not be extended was to be enabled to accommodate the goods previously stored in another warehouse and the picking activities during ongoing operations. The aim was to increase pallet capacity by 40 percent, small load carrier capacity by 240 percent and picking performance by 110 percent while maintaining the same amount of space. To achieve maximum space efficiency, the decision was made to combine a high-bay pallet warehouse with an AutoStore system. After planning by Still Consulting and Siemens WKC, the Still and Dematic sales teams took over. Still supplied the platform and racking system, while Dematic focused on the installation of the AutoStore system and the conveyor technology.

Category 6:Logistics software

4flow: TORO - Transport Optimized Release Orders

With TORO as an SAP add-on, 4flow offers a cloud-based software solution for integrating transport-relevant factors into planning runs. Transport rates, capacity restrictions, route information or material master data are the topics. By using and integrating 4flow TORO into material requirements planning, the transport utilization of delivery call-offs can be increased and overall logistics costs can be minimized, for example by consolidating call-offs and saving on transports. According to the provider, cost savings of 3% across the entire network and up to 30% on selected transport routes are possible.

Linde Material Handling: Linde Logistic Train Controller

The LLTC is a cloud-based tugger train control system that enables integration into digitally controlled processes. Linde Material Handling's cloud-based tugger train control system, the Linde Logistic Train Controller, creates an interface between ERP/WMS systems and tugger train logistics. The control system receives all relevant information on material transportation from the ERP or WMS system and can be accessed from any browser-compatible device without installation. The system generates all transport orders and displays them on a large touch display in the cockpit. In addition, the tugger trains, trailers, stops, routes and reports are configured in the software. This enables the optimum route to be calculated and new orders are immediately taken into account in the route. Simple one-to-one transports are grouped and assigned to route trains based on attributes and priorities. Although simple transportation is standard in most systems (ERP/WMS), they are often unable to map the complexity of tugger trains.

SSI Schäfer: SSI CMMS

Successful life cycle management and predictive maintenance require intelligent tools. The Computerized Maintenance Management System from SSI Schaefer, SSI CMMS, is a smart service tool for sustainable maintenance processes. The SSI CMMS is part of the Customer Service Tools Suite. It enables the digital planning and control of all necessary maintenance measures and visualizes the resulting activities at the touch of a button. As a result, optimization potential can be exploited and costs reduced. In addition to mobile access to technical documents, users also benefit from a continuous overview of the system's maintenance history, comprehensive monitoring and automated reporting as well as preventive problem avoidance through long-term analysis of the recorded data.

Category 7: WMS & Co.

Abat: Inventory with the drone

Abat uses a three-stage approach based on drones and AI to automate stocktaking. The basis is image capture using a drone. The captured images from the warehouse (indoor and outdoor possible) are then extracted and pre-processed by the drone. According to the manufacturer, a major advantage of the solution is that no expensive hardware needs to be purchased. The drone used is equivalent to a standard commercial drone (with a 4K camera). Further hardware such as additional robots or ground vehicles are not required.

Gebhardt Intralogistics Group: Gebhardt StoreWare

The Gebhardt StoreWare software solution integrates the Gebhardt material flow system (MFS), the warehouse management system (WMS) and the visualization system into a single platform. As a result, customers benefit from a wide range of data that is all available centrally in one place. The operation of StoreWare is intuitive. The Gebhardt StoreWare material flow system controls and monitors the smooth running of fully automated logistics systems and guarantees an efficient material flow. It therefore directly manages the transport tasks of the respective host system and distributes them to the relevant components of the system - from storage and retrieval machines and shuttle systems to roller conveyors and mobile robots.

SSI Schäfer: Wamas Lighthouse

Wamas Lighthouse, the central information platform from SSI Schaefer, transforms data from the automated warehouse into information with added value. With the SCADA visualization, Wamas
Wamas Lighthouse provides a topological view of the entire system. The abstract presentation of the entire system provides a clear overview. With the infinitely variable zoom function down to component level, Wamas Lighthouse adapts the information density to the display situation. The resulting key figures not only support decision-making processes, but also make a significant contribution to detail optimization. The immediate error message in the system helps maintenance personnel to identify and rectify faults in the shortest possible time.

And here are the finalists in categories 1-3 of the material flow PRODUCTS OF THE YEAR 2022.