ABB will showcase its latest generation of AI-powered robotic solutions at LogiMAT 2024 – the international trade show for intralogistics solutions and process management taking place in Stuttgart, Germany March 19-21.
ABB’s investment in AI, including the recent acquisition of AI-navigation specialist Sevensense, has seen the technology being applied to developing robotic solutions that open new opportunities for faster, smarter, and more flexible logistics automation.
“Our focus is on developing robotic solutions that enable businesses to address the challenges around automating unstructured tasks in logistics applications,” said Craig McDonnell, Managing Director, Business Line Industries at ABB Robotics. “Our booth will reflect our investment in expanding the capabilities and performance of our robots, and the possibilities this presents for system integrators, line builders and end users to create scalable, adaptable and integrated robotic solutions for their logistics application requirements.”
LogiMAT will feature examples of these technologies, including the Flexley Tug T702 autonomous mobile robot (AMR) – the first of many ABB mobile robots incorporating Visual SLAM navigation (Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping). Using AI-enabled 3D vision to perform positioning and mapping, Flexley Tug makes intelligent navigation decisions based on its surroundings.
A live demonstration will include a depalletizing cell combining the Flexley Tug with ABB’s Robotic Depalletizer. The cell will highlight how technologies from ABB’s portfolio can be combined to create fast, flexible, and scalable solutions for handling complex depalletizing tasks. Using advanced machine vision and machine learning algorithms that can recognize multiple box types and pallet configurations, the Robotic Depalletizer can quickly process pallets up to 2.8 meters high at a rate of up to 750 cycles per hour.
ABB’s digital corner will also highlight the company’s suite of software tools that take the time, effort, and complexity out of programming and operating robots. Digital solutions on display will include ABB’s Application Controller, a PC-based software framework that enables flexible configuration of customer-specific applications with minimal programming efforts, as well as ABB’s RobotStudio® programming and simulation software suite. The booth will also feature, for the first time, ABB’s new AMR Studio® programming tool. Enabling users to easily create and modify routes and jobs for their AMRs, with no programming knowledge needed, the tool can be used to reduce commissioning costs by up to 20 percent compared to typical navigation systems.
These products are part of a comprehensive portfolio of robotic technologies for logistics applications including palletizing and depalletizing, order picking, storage, parcel and package sorting and dispatch. With expertise provided through its Global Solution Center for logistics, backed by 50 years of experience in developing pioneering robotic technologies for industrial applications, ABB is well placed to help meet the growing demand for automated solutions as market shifts drive operators to find new ways to streamline their processes.
“Shifting global trends in consumer demands, increased near and reshoring to localize supply chains, and a rising shortage of available labor are all factors contributing to a predicted 9.9% growth in the global logistics automation market by 2029*,” added McDonnell.
“We are investing to develop the latest technologies to support our customers as they transform their operations through robotic automation. By applying these technologies and our expertise to addressing the challenges presented by unstructured tasks such as item picking, depalletizing and intralogistics, we can help automate logistics processes in a way that has not previously been possible.”
The potential for AI-enabled robotic solutions to transform logistics automation will also be the theme of a keynote delivered by Julian Broechler, Global Portfolio Manager Consumer Industries, ABB Robotics and Marcin Dymczyk, Chief Product Officer, Sevensense. Taking place in the Forum South in Hall 8 at 1:30pm on Thursday 21st March, the experts will explain how AI-enabled robots are presenting new ways of maximizing flexibility in logistics applications.
LogiMAT will also feature Sevensense, the leader in AI navigation recently purchased by ABB, which will be presenting its collaborative navigation technology for autonomous mobile robots on booth 58, hall 6.