Intelligent logistics with unmanned forklift trucks

As part of the effort to promote intelligent manufacturing in China, intelligent robotic forkliftlogistics has become a powerful tool for manufacturing companies to transition to unmanned and intelligent operations. As the main realization method for industrial automation logistics, the unmanned forklift is widely used in repetitive handling, intensive handling, harsh working environments, and high environmental standards.

Unmanned forklifts: what are they?

"Unmanned forklift", also called "forklift AGV", is a kind of intelligent industrial vehicle robot. As the key equipment of modern logistics automation and flexible manufacturing, unmanned forklift is the hot spot of intelligent logistics application. The unmanned forklift integrates forklift technology and AGV technology, and by loading various advanced guidance technologies, framing algorithms, embedded vehicle software and safety avoidance technologies, it can realize the automatic guidance, handling and stacking functions of the vehicle

thus realizing the unmanned operation of the forklift. By applying logistics optimization systems based on multiple unmanned forklifts, we can solve the problems of high material flow and high labor intensity of manual handling in the process of industrial production.

Unmanned forklifts have several advantages in application

With the continuous breakthrough of navigation technology, the unmanned forklifts can walk freely; through two-way information integration with MES and WMS of enterprises, the operation instruction and operation feedback information can be closed-loop, and the information flow and actual logistics can be synchronized; through the WMS, the operation task can be issued remotely, and the intelligent dispatching system can issue the operation instruction to each unmanned forklift for the task, and coordinate the unmanned forklifts in their own way; the unmanned forklifts by equipping RFID system scanning can dock with elevator to realize cross-floor material delivery; through precise route planning and safety control methods, it can ensure that no collision occurs between vehicles before, and when one vehicle breaks down, another vehicle can go around.

At present, the advanced intelligent dispatching system in China can dispatch several hundred unmanned forklifts. Through the independent learning environment, the map is quickly established and the path is flexibly compiled to cope with a variety of special environments; it is fully digital driven, and through the management and dispatching system, hundreds of production elements are collaborated and coordinated, tens of thousands of production instructions and operation sequences are optimally arranged, and process management and operation dispatching are seamlessly connected to achieve balanced management of efficiency processes. For the factory, it directly reduces the laying of hardware equipment at the factory line, reduces cost investment, subverts the traditional logistics transportation operation and management mode, realizes unmanned workshop operation site, and realizes low-cost, short-cycle, fully intelligent and high-efficiency intelligent logistics.

Unmanned forklift application scenarios

A comparison of unmanned forklifts and manual forklifts

The biggest difference between unmanned forklifts and traditional forklifts is that they do not require manual driving and adopt navigation technology, which allows them to carry out various handling and transportation tasks automatically 24 hours a day. Compared to traditional forklifts, unmanned forklifts are:

Safer. Unmanned forklifts are more efficient, stable, accurate and safe than forklift drivers. They have several protection devices, such as emergency contact safety device, automatic alarm device, emergency stop button device and object detector, which can avoid injuring workers and damaging inventory, other equipment and buildings, and reduce work risks. The use of unmanned forklifts can significantly reduce the accident rate.

Unmanned forklifts can carry out handling according to routes and tasks set in advance, without human involvement, and can work continuously 24 hours a day. This greatly improves work efficiency and reduces personnel input. Relevant data shows that the application of unmanned forklift can reduce warehouse cost by 30% and increase gross profit by 7%. In addition, through the monitoring system, the position and operation of each forklift can be seen, while instructions can be issued to command the operation of multiple forklifts, saving manpower.

3. Strong anti-interference ability, stable and reliable beat. The unmanned forklift is flexible and has no ground obstacle, it can make full use of the existing space and site, the line channel is set up flexibly, and the anti-interference ability is strong, dust, noise and small objects on the floor can't interfere with the handling work. If it encounters larger objects, it will open the safety safety device and brake the handling vehicle or avoid obstacles automatically. This makes the unmanned forklift operate continuously and reliably without causing extensive downtime. It is suitable for large-scale operation, multiple vehicles driving at the same time, automatic avoidance, precise and standardized goods placement, and adapts to the demand of automation, continuity and flexibility of production.

3. Applicable to special environments. It has characteristics like intelligence, low cost, high obedience, and safe operation. Besides being useful in high-risk industries and special industries, it can also be used in areas with very little light or even no light at all.