The IntraBot Fork 2.0 autonomous forklift is now in operation! High navigation precision, lifting capacity of 1,100, and additional battery
Yes, it’s already here! IntraBot Fork 2.0, the latest product of Etisoft Smart Solutions, was launched at the Central Warehouse at the headquarters located at Diamond Business Park, at ul. Da Vinci in Gliwice. The autonomous forklift with a lifting capacity of 1,100 delivers pallets of materials from the raw material warehouse directly to the high-volume label manufacturing machines. The AGV also carries out missions of picking up manufactured products from under the machine. Pallets with finished label rolls are transported to the Finished Goods Warehouse by a mobile robot.
How does the autonomous forklift designed by Etisoft Smart Solutions work?
The aforementioned process is the first one we decided to automate using IntraBot Fork 2.0. The task of this autonomous forklift will be to transport 100 to 150 pallets per day.
The mobile robot’s missions are triggered on demand by machine operators using the panel computer of the etiSZOP system installed at each production station at Etisoft.
Integrating the IntraFleet robot mission management system into the existing operator panels installed at the machines is very convenient for operators and does not require any investment in new computers.
A production machine operator can order a pick-up of a full pallet of products at any time. Within minutes, the robot will pick up the pallet and safely transport it to the receiving area of the Finished Goods Warehouse.
Automated or traditional warehouse – which to choose?
Safely – which is extremely important to us. The AGV is a cooperative truck which means it moves along the same routes where employees walk. The robot’s proprietary navigation system utilizes laser-based spatial mapping systems. These devices, used by the autonomous safety system of the robot, ensure that the moving AGV avoids obstacles encountered on its path, including other route users. If bypassing the obstacle is impossible, the safety system will safely stop the robot.
Tests conducted during the deployment of the robot showed the high precision of Fork 2.0’s navigation. What contributes to this is the specially designed suspension of the forklift’s drive wheel that eliminates the risk of drive slip.
The large sprung drive wheel is also ideal for tackling minor bumps with no need to worry about damaging the forklift’s expensive drive.
In this respect, the heavy-duty Fork 2.0 solution performs outstandingly against other self-driving AGVs on the market.
The suspension design has been so cleverly conceived that it allows the drive wheel to be lifted above the floor surface in service mode. This allows the robot supported by the support wheels to be pushed easily. The feature is highly praised by both service and maintenance teams.
Our autonomous transport vehicle model is fitted with an additional battery that doubles the AGV’s operating time with no need to recharge. This allows the truck to operate continuously for 16 hours!
AGVs/AMRs: pre-implementation analysis of an intralogistics system in 6 steps
When idle, the truck automatically heads to the charging station – the IntraFleet system monitors the AGV’s energy consumption and, if need be, manages its charging.
The hydraulic pallet lifting system is a tried and tested solution that has provided years of failure-free operation.
Maintenance access to the hydraulic pump is facilitated by a special inspection window.
Fork 2.0 on the way to full automation of Etisoft warehouse
The deployment of the IntraBot Fork 2.0 autonomous vehicle is an essential step on the map of automation of logistics processes at Etisoft. We are planning to automate more logistics and warehouse processes using the aforementioned AGV model. We are planning the deployment of another two Forks 2.0 in our warehouses soon – you can read about it in our next article.
Deployment of a mobile robot – we invite you to cooperate with us!
Transport of pallets and other logistics units compatible with a EUR-pallet is a frequently occurring issue at the interface between production and warehouses. Deploying a robot in this area reduces the scope of tedious, difficult, and monotonous work for employees.
If you are planning to automate similar processes in your plant, we invite you to cooperate with us. We will be happy to share our experience in deploying a production AGV/AMR systems in our plant, and Etisoft Smart Solutions specialists will examine your processes and propose a solution tailored to your needs.
