Innovative Intralogistics Solutions

In today's globalized world, the right goods and materials have to be in the right place at the right time. The KION brands are helping customers tackle this challenge with their knowledge of material-flow management systems (MMSs). MMSs from STILL ensure a seamless flow of materials along the supply chain, ranging from a simple transport control system to active supply chain management. The trucks therefore form an integral part of the supply chain.

Equipped with the latest technology, the trucks are not only a means of transport, they are also a component of intelligent material-flow management systems. One option is to fit the trucks with traditional barcode technology or even RFID technology (radio frequency identification). This simplifies goods handling significantly. RFID is a contactless way of reading and saving data, even if it is not in the line of sight. It provides precise information about the location of the goods on the rack in the warehouse or anywhere else on site. RFID therefore complements existing tools, such as warehouse management and forklift truck management systems.

Using transponders, RFID technology can locate and steer trucks, turning them into mobile information centers.

Data terminals notify the driver where the pallets are situated, along with other information.

RFID antennas between the forks identify the weight and report the events to the material-flow management system. The optical sensor (shown in blue) recognizes the load.

Drivers can access the information directly at their workplace.

Information technology is essential in many areas of life. Software services have also been gaining in importance throughout the logistics sector for many years. In intralogistics too, intelligent IT systems are increasingly being used to monitor the flow of materials and goods.

The STILL Fleet Data Services software solution enables vehicle and driver data to be intelligently captured, formatted, and made available online. Users can access up-to-date information online using the programs in the software package – FleetManager 4.x, STILLReport, and STILLProActive. Their standardized user interface ensures quick and easy navigation. The benefits are more transparency, greater flexibility, and improved availability of information. The Linde brand offers truck data management software, which optimizes how the truck fleet is deployed, controls access to the trucks, and assists with maintenance planning.

Through its subsidiary STILL, KION is involved in IdentProLog, a joint research project with leading companies and research organizations. The project is examining how RFID technology can be used in forklift and warehouse trucks to track the flow of goods, such as the position of a pallet. Radio frequency identification (RFID) is a contactless way of saving data, even if it is not in the line of sight (transponder technology). The aim of the project is to establish consistent standards for RFID across all industries.

So that companies can use the technology to collaborate with one another, standard load carriers (e.g. EUR-pallets) will be upgraded to create standardized, intelligent load carriers that can communicate using RFID. The forklift trucks will be fitted with the necessary identification technology, turning them into information carriers that can communicate with their loads. IdentProLog is sponsored by Germany's Federal Ministry of Education and Research under the heading 'research for the manufacturing of tomorrow'.

The prototype of an autonomous STILL reach truck is able to navigate autonomously through a warehouse and react flexibly to changes in its environment. It is the intermediate result of a research supported by a technology programme hosted by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology: “Autonomics: autonomous and simulation-based systems for medium-sized companies”.

A superior control system assigns varying tasks to individual vehicles. These tasks are then autonomously executed by the vehicles. The idea: it is no longer required to pre-define every individual step in the process for all the automated vehicles. The autonomous machines are able to communicate with each other, independently determine their optimum travel routes and flexibly react to changes in the environment. And even more: their ability to communicate directly enables the machines to handle tasks as a team.

The prototype of an autonomous reach truck navigates autonomously through a warehouse and reacts flexibly to changes in its environment.