The Missing Link to the Dark Facotry?

In this edition, I am focusing on a topic that has gained significant momentum since the Corona crisis, especially here in Europe: Intralogistics Automation.

When we look at a typical manufacturing site, we often see fully automated cells or even lines, depending on the parts mix being produced. However, there's still a lot of traffic in the gangways. Forklifts or tugger trains are busy transporting parts from storage to the lines, transferring them from one cell to another, or returning them to storage. Gates are constantly being opened to load or unload trucks.

I vividly remember my internship at an aluminum foundry during university. One morning, I had to jump aside as aluminum spilled from a crucible because the forklift driver took a curve too fast after watching a football game. That incident certainly woke me up at 7 a.m.! Today, we have mirrors all over the gangways, forklifts projecting blue safety spots on the floor, and even projectors dynamically displaying STOP signs or zebra crossings. Despite these measures, forklifts remain a common safety risk in plants.

Not long ago, I visited a customer and had to wear a transponder around my neck so the forklift driver would know to slow down at the next crossing. Often, external staff is needed to keep intralogistics running smoothly, and the quality depends on the driver's experience. In case of a sick leave, quality can easily suffer. Today, we aim for high-quality levels 24/7, even during ghost shifts or, to the extreme, in a dark factory. So, we need to think about automating intralogistics. But how and where to start?

The First Step: Autonomous Forklifts?

Is an autonomous forklift always the right solution? Many customers believe so. As examined in this White Paper from KUKA , it all depends on the specific needs and setup of your facility.

The key is to first ensure that you are ready for automation. I will discuss this topic in my upcoming interview with Daniel Steinhauser from KS Control GmbH because I deeply believe this is the right approach.

Register Today and don't miss our live stream covering all these topics mentioned above in much greater detail.

Podcast and Live Stream Updates

In my last podcast episode, I also talked about the requirements if your long-term goal is lights-out production. Speaking of my live stream, I decided to start producing some content in German, depending on my interview partner. As a non-native speaker, I feel I can moderate such interviews more agilely in my mother tongue. However, I will post an English summary afterwards or maybe even a podcast episode. Let me know in the comments below if you would be interested in that.

Talking about the podcast: I started publishing it on all major platforms, so I invite you to subscribe. Once I produce German episodes, I will also start a second channel in German. If you have any questions, remarks, or topics you want me to cover in one of my episodes, please send me an email at [email protected] or post your questions in the comments section below. You can also meet me at the LogiMAT-Messe in Stuttgart on March 11 at the KUKA booth in hall 8, stand 8A51.

Share Your Experiences!

What are your thoughts on intralogistics automation? Share your experiences in the comments below! And now, go to your shop floor and automate something!