Smart solutions to improve efficiency in the logistics sector
25-01-2018
The project came into being as a reaction to growing demands related to the market of internal logistics with regard to improving the efficiency and flexibility of handling and transport processes by introducing “cobots”, i.e., smart and collaborative robots.
The logistics sector wants high added value technological solutions to help improve the efficiency of handling and transport systems used for materials, particularly in the field of e-Commerce where numerous processes are performed manually.
It is within this context that a project is currently underway and in which IK4-TEKNIKER is involved to develop advanced robotic components that can work in collaborative environments in a safe and reliable manner.
The ultimate goal is to develop robotic solutions built into industrial environments that can collaborate with people and carry out intra-logistic operations such as high productivity order processing or load moving operations. All the components developed will meet requirements related to availability, reliability, efficiency and maintainability.
In addition to automation, a number of technologies are currently being deployed to provide remote cloud connection capabilities to facilitate tasks related to maintenance, technical support, fault prediction, adaptation and reprogramming to deliver systems that are more resilient and can adapt to changes influencing product demand or process incidents.
To this end, one of the goals of the projects consists in developing smart automation tools equipped with integrated sensors and advanced processing features to allow robots to see, move and react in an environment where it has to work with people.
Robots must provide collaborative solutions in those instances in which total process automation is not feasible due to technical or financial reasons.
The project addresses solutions based on a modularity concept allowing the different elements that form part of a robot to be configured as a function of its needs and the type of operations to be performed.
These modules shall be applied to a number of relevant scenarios at the companies involved in the project. Listed hereunder are some use cases:
• A collaborative post for order processing
• Flexible palletising/depalletising module
• Part feeding unit
• A collaborative post for assembly preparation
• Standalone load transport vehicle
• Robotised racking
This project, funded by the R&D Hazitek business support programme, features a consortium of organisations such as ULMA Handling Systems, Fagor Arrasate, Mondragon Assembly and Fegemu.