Companies are always in search of smarter ways so they can increase their work efficiency as well as reduce the extra pressure on workers. One of the major changes that everyone has now seen is the increased usage of artificial intelligence in processes. Do you think it can really help in industries? ABB Robotics has one such example. 

ABB Robotics has introduced an autonomous forklift named the Flexley Stack F712. The company has added another piece to its inventory of AI-powered autonomous mobile robots. This forklift can work without a driver. And it can carry pallets and move other stuff from one place to another in a warehouse setup. You know what the best part is? The company says that this forklift works in a connected system. That means it connects all the major Visual SLAM AMRs within a single and compatible ecosystem.

Don’t know what that means? To put it simply, earlier, if there were different robots working on various things, they may have had separate systems for handling their tasks. But this is not the case anymore. Now, forklifts, tugs, and movers can all run on a single platform. This gives businesses the flexibility to automate various kinds of operations in one place.

ABB says that the purpose of designing the Flexley Stack F712 is to complete tough jobs. This includes material handling, in addition to end-of-line storage and warehouse operations. It can be used across various industries, such as automotive and manufacturing plants. This will help them improve work efficiency and scale according to their needs.

President of ABB Robotics, Marc Segura, said:

“Across intralogistics operations, businesses are being asked to process greater volumes in less time, while working with increasingly limited resources. They are under pressure to move goods faster and with greater flexibility, while labour availability is becoming a critical constraint. As part of our journey to more autonomous and versatile robotics (AVRTM), we have combined advanced vision, mobility and intelligence in the Flexley Stack F712 forklift AMR, completing our scalable, AI-powered AMR portfolio.”

What the F712 Can Do

F712 is designed to perform a variety of difficult tasks. It can handle open pallets, closed pallets, containers, and racks. It can lift up to 2,000 kilograms. Not only this, but the F712 can also stack items up to a height of 8.5 meters.

The good thing is that the F712 is now part of the Visual SLAM AMR family. Together with the Flexley Tug and Flexley Mover, they can perform a variety of tasks. Want to know what they are? Well, they can be used for warehouse storage and retrieval. Besides that, they help in line supply, end-of-line handling, body- and press-shop work, and drive-in or light buffer storage.

No Need for Markers or Reflectors

F712 has several features that make it stand out. It is quite different from other AMR forklifts in the market. It does not rely on pre-installed infrastructure like floor markers or reflectors. It uses Visual SLAM technology to find its way.

Don’t know what that means? Well, that means the Visual SLAM technology enables the forklift to map and navigate on its own. Is there anything coming in the way? Or something blocking the way? F712 will figure it out on its own. It will create the map, understand the position, and navigate accordingly.

Warehouse settings can keep on changing, but that is not a problem for F712. Because it will make smart decisions using its AI system, with positioning accuracy as precise as ±10 mm.

When paired with ABB’s AMR Studio software, the company says this setup can cut commissioning time by up to 20%. It also makes the system easier to adjust whenever a warehouse or production floor layout changes.

ABB notes that the Flexley Stack F712 meets the latest ISO and ANSI safety standards and can safely travel at speeds of up to 1.7 m/s even while carrying a load.

Work With Existing Systems

Day by day, companies are trying to reduce the stress of the workload. That is why they are trying hard to introduce new systems so that everyone can benefit from them. F712 is a good example of this. It is compatible with AMR Studio and follows the VDA5050 standard. What does that mean? That means the F712 can be connected with other Visual SLAM AMRs of ABB as well as with existing systems.

AMR Studio is a no-code software. You only need to drag and drop. The purpose of introducing this system is to make things easier for a non-technical person too. From there, you can simply set up the robot and coordinate with the entire fleet. Not only this, but you can also manage traffic and other operations in real time.