Broader automation portfolio, humanoid robots under development

The demonstration has a science fiction feel to it: Using a tablet, trade show visitors can tell “Carl,” the humanoid robot, whether they would like a bottle of water or Coke. After receiving the order, Carl sets off along the optimal route to the shelf. Once there, he identifies the bottles and picks one up with his left or right hand. What makes this special is that Carl makes these decisions independently. The robot does not follow a completely predefined sequence nor is it remotely controlled. It recognizes the bottle type and its exact location and carries out the gripping process completely autonomously. This is because Carl has learned, through an AI training process, how to independently solve the task assigned to him. “With this humanoid robot, we’re demonstrating the next step in order picking development. However, it will still be a few years before it becomes a market-ready product,” explains Jan-Niklas Freund, Manager of Automation Sales Steering at Linde MH. The project, undertaken as part of the KION Group, is in the early stages of development. The current focus is on strategic learning, which is taking place at KION’s various global development sites in close collaboration with partners. “With the Linde RoCAP, we are already offering a mature vehicle featuring an intelligent robotic arm with a gripping device that uses AI to recognize and pick packages from shelves. Our goal in humanoid robotics is to combine advanced AI with refined mechanics so that tasks in the warehouse can be performed that go far beyond the current scope,” said Jan-Niklas Freund.

A broader range of solutions to meet growing demand

In recent years, the use of automation solutions in companies has grown, as have the demands placed on them. For instance, many companies in the beverage industry require the ability to load and unload two pallets simultaneously and autonomously using a single-double fork setup. In the paper industry, paper clamps are an essential tool for handling heavy paper rolls. Such cases necessitate the use of robust AGVs with higher residual load capacities that can adapt to various applications. The Linde I-MATIC AC core, an autonomous pallet stacker showcased at LogiMAT, features cantilever forks capable of transporting closed load carriers and picking up goods at transfer stations, such as roller conveyors, that cannot be driven under by wheel arms.

This robust counterbalance vehicle is designed to lift loads of up to 4.0 tons with a load center of gravity of 600 millimeters to a height of four meters, or loads of up to 3.5 tons to a height of 6.7 meters. Various attachments are available that transform these autonomous heavyweights into multifunctional logistics assistants. Other models in the series are engineered for deep-freeze warehouses with ambient temperatures as low as -25°C, or feature specialized load carriers, such as for maneuvering goods in wide-aisle warehouses and supplying production lines with materials or removing finished products. Another model even features an integrated conveyor belt, allowing it to pick up and set down load carriers both from the side and front. Though customized in design, all vehicles meet industry standards and are developed and manufactured in-house. With regard to software, the vehicles are based on the MATIC:move+ platform and are coordinated by the Linde Warehouse Manager. This software solution handles control, routing and transfer within the autonomous goods flow.

Linde MH’s extensive automation portfolio offers standardized and customized solutions, including the Linde L-MATIC core and the Linde I-MATIC AC core, as well as stationary applications such as the Linde S-MATIC cube shuttle solution.

Linde MH’s extensive automation portfolio offers standardized and customized solutions, including the Linde L-MATIC core and the Linde I-MATIC AC core, as well as stationary applications such as the Linde S-MATIC cube shuttle solution.

Standardized, customized, and stationary

The other vehicles featured in the live scenario at LogiMAT represent the two remaining areas of Linde’s automation portfolio: standardized vehicles and stationary solutions. With an aisle width of less than 2.5 meters, the Linde L-MATIC core autonomous pallet stacker can easily navigate narrow aisles and confined spaces. It is ideally suited for standard tasks such as ground transport as well as storage and retrieval at low heights. The product range of standardized vehicles also includes various (counterbalance) pallet stackers, as well as a reach truck, a narrow-aisle (VNA) truck, and AMRs. The S-MATIC cube is part of an application example for a stationary solution and also featured in the demonstration. This fully automated, 4-way pallet shuttle system maximizes storage density in small spaces. It consists of conveyor belts, a rack system, elevators, and several shuttles that can move in four directions. The self-contained system can handle up to 100 pallets per hour, including Euro pallets and industrial pallets weighing up to 1.5 tons.