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This article discusses the problem of evaluating performance and optimising the design of Automated Storage/Retrieval Systems (AS/RS) in a steady state, with a focus on the dual cycle in the bidirectional flow-rack (BFR) AS/RS. To accomplish this, two well-known approaches (discrete and continuous) are utilised to model the dual cycle time. The developed models reveal that the system is near optimal when designed to be square in time. Furthermore, the continuous models are shown to be relatively accurate compared to the discrete counterparts, with discrepancies under 6%. Subsequently, the optimal dimensions of the system are identified through design optimisation aimed at minimising the cycle time. The findings indicate the optimal depth decreases as load rate increases, while optimal height and length follow a cubic root function of system volume. Approximate formulas are derived, allowing for direct calculation of optimal dimensions based on the system size and its load rate. Finally, the article evaluates the system's overall performance by calculating its throughput, providing a tool to estimate capacity. These findings provide an essential tool for optimising the system's performance in a steady state during the upstream design and installation phase, prior to making significant investments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The automated material handling system (AMHS) plays a central role in realising smart manufacturing by providing manufacturing facilities with flexible, fast, and precise controls. This paper investigates a new type of AMHS known as the in-line stocker, which not only moves unit loads in manufacturing facilities under processing, similar to the automated-guided vehicle but also stores them on shelves, similar to the automated storage and retrieval system, which can reduce material handling space requirements. However, the traffic rate is very high inside an in-line stocker, and two robots are used along the single lane, which is the dual-robot in-line stocker (DRIS). This paper develops an analytical model to estimate the capacity of the DRIS based on a combined simulation and scheduling method. The simulation analysis shows that the model can be used not only to estimate the precise capacity of a DRIS but also to optimise its operating parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital servitization (DS) enabled by the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is essential for securing long-term competitiveness in manufacturing. The literature identifies the need for developing data models for multichannel communications across IIoT devices that fulfil the DS vision. This is crucial for avoiding isolated systems based on proprietary solutions and for promoting data sharing and interoperability across existing and future DS applications. Accordingly, this study proposes a data model for multichannel communication that facilitates IIoT-enabled DS for smart production logistics (SPL). We present three findings from a case study focussing on material handling in a manufacturing company. First, this study provides a model with four modelling profiles, including IIoT devices, databases, and services for multichannel communication. Second, it shows how the proposed modelling profiles transfer information across monitoring, control, optimisation, and autonomous decision services. Third, it presents the operational benefits of applying the proposed data models, including improvements in the delivery, makespan, and energy of material handling. These findings are essential for capturing, processing, and transferring information across products, services, and software databases in IIoT-enabled DS for SPL. They are relevant for manufacturing managers and academics and improve our understanding of IIoT-enabled DS's deployment for SPL in manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PT. LogisMe Berkat Bersama (LBB) is a Limited Liability Company (PT) engaged in the business of providing Business-to-Business (B2B) warehousing and logistics solutions. LogisMe has the tagline "One Stop Logistics Solutions" with end-to-end solution coverage starting from the provision of warehousing and logistics operational equipment such as forklifts, material handling and cleaning equipment, provision of spare parts and technicians in order to meet the maintenance needs of these operational equipment, warehouse racking design, warehouse and logistics operational consultant services to the provision of a digital platform for monitoring units rented by customers in real-time. This document outlines the implementation of a risk management strategy for the business plan of LogisMe, a Material Handling Rental Services startup company. The framework adopted is based on the ISO 31000:2018 standard and focuses on integrating risk manage. the report is returned to the risk mitigation supervisor to be checked that it has met the requirements and stored in the company's cloud repository, disseminated to all employees and company stakeholders. Monitoring is carried out to understand and prevent risks that occur as a strategy to gain a competitive advantage for the company. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the dynamic nature of today's market demands, industries increasingly require flexible and adaptable systems to navigate through variable operational needs. In-plane manipulation systems, characterized by their ability to handle objects over an active surface, have emerged as promising solutions to address these challenges. This systematic literature review (SLR) investigates the landscape of in-plane manipulation systems, focusing on their classification, technological aspects, and emerging trends. Drawing upon a comprehensive search strategy, this review identifies and synthesizes relevant literature on the topic. Through structured data extraction and analysis, the review categorizes these devices based on their fields of application, employed technologies, common characteristics, advantages, disadvantages, and existing gaps in research and development. The main technologies identified for material handling include MEMS, vibrations, cilia, pneumatic surfaces, variable-morphology surfaces, the use of rotors, and mobile platforms. These technologies are described based on their primary features and fields of application and are compared to highlight their unique advantages and limitations. Accordingly, this SLR aims to provide insights into the current state of the art, identify areas for further investigation, and inform future developments in in-plane material handling. Additionally, the findings of this review contribute to a deeper understanding of the capabilities, limitations, and potential applications of this kind of manipulation across various industries. Furthermore, the identification of gaps in existing literature, particularly regarding the complexity and efficiency of rotor systems, serves as a foundation for future research aimed at advancing the field and addressing the evolving needs of industries in an increasingly dynamic market landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we will compare two solution options to determine whether the deployment of an autonomous mobile robot will be a beneficial investment for a company not only in terms of cost, time, and manpower savings, but also in terms of efficiency and reliability in the implementation of selected logistics processes to ensure the smooth running of production. In this paper, we would like to analyse the technology in terms of functions, carrying capacity, and interconnection within the infrastructure in the enterprise. The logistics processes from material order to export to the final customer will be analysed when an automatically controlled robot is deployed. One of the solutions discusses the use of personnel and material handling equipment (tractor with transport kit). The second solution discusses the deployment of the robot and selected logistics processes. The paper concludes with a summary of both options in terms of time, cost, and efficiency of the solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the relationship between warehouse management practices including material handling, storage, inventory, and packaging and the business performance of small-scale grapes processing firms in Dodoma Region, Tanzania. A resource-based view theory guided the study based on the key variables. Data were collected using a survey questionnaire administered to 202 small-scale grapes processing firm owners. The study uses a cross-sectional survey design. Data were then subjected to descriptive and structural equation modelling. The findings indicated a significant positive relationship between the firm’s business performance and the management of material handling (β = 0.112, p = 0.009), storage (β = 0.249, p

Since global warming and the needs for sustainable production models, this paper focuses on a Just-in-Time (JIT)-based sustainable material handling scheduling problem (JSMHSP) with time window and capacity constraints for mixed-model assembly lines in the automobile industry. A novel Hybrid-load Automated Guided Vehicle (H-AGV) is proposed to fulfil material handling tasks between supermarkets and assembly lines. The motivation is to minimise the total line-side inventory and the total energy consumption, which corresponds to JIT and environmental objectives. Due to the NP-hard nature of the proposed scheduling problem, a Deep Q network and Non-dominated sorting-based Hyper-Heuristic (DN-HH) algorithm is presented to solve the bi-objective scheduling problem, which benefits from the synergy of the Deep Q Network (DQN) and Hyper-Heuristic (HH). In the DQN, the states and rewards are designed according to the characteristics of the scheduling problem. To improve the performance of DQN, the experience pool (EP) and the target network are presented to improve the convergence speed. Computational results reveal that the proposed DN-HH algorithm outperforms the other two compared algorithms in both solution quality and convergence speed and the performance of the H-AGV is better than that of the other two types of AGVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the emergence of Industry 4.0 in intralogistics, the need for flexible material handling solutions is increasing. While conventional conveyor systems are often too inflexible to meet changing requirements. Automated guided vehicles offer an answer, additional solutions are required for companies relying on already busy and crowded shop floors. This paper presents a concept for a periphery-free electrified monorail system (PEMS) that enables flexible material transport with minimal floor requirements. The PEMS is based on classic electrified monorail technology, and requires no additional peripheral devices within the rail system. Installation and maintenance costs are kept to a minimum through simplified branching elements and a battery-powered energy supply for the vehicles. The modular design of the rail elements further allows transport on standardized Euro-pallets. Moreover, a taxonomy for evaluating the passivity of branching elements of electrified monorail systems is introduced. The functionality of the PEMS was validated by conducting real experiments using a prototype, The results show that the PEMS provides high flexibility in terms of layout design and usage, allowing for fast adaption to the changing requirements of intralogistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the significance of simulation-based analysis in understanding the effectiveness of material handling strategies. By utilizing simulation models, businesses can optimize production processes, streamline flows, and enhance overall logistics efficiency. In today's competitive market landscape, the significance of product manipulation cannot be overstated. It directly influences consumer perception and plays a pivotal role in gaining a competitive advantage. Simulation-based analysis has emerged as a powerful tool for optimizing production processes and enhancing logistics efficiency. Robotics sorting and loading offer increased accuracy, speed, and efficiency over manual processes. Their implementation boost productivity, cuts costs, and enhances working conditions. In today's competitive market, effective product handling shapes consumer perception and competitiveness. VR simulation-based analysis optimizes manufacturing, logistics, and robotics, driving efficiency. Through advanced VR simulation models, businesses streamline operations, adapt to market dynamics, and embrace automation, enhancing competitiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the automotive industry, efficient handling of small and irregular components is imperative for production optimization. Traditional methods involving labor or robotic systems can lead to increased costs. The research introduces an innovative, dynamic gating system, integrating a camera module with computing intelligence to process images and orient parts effectively in linear feeders. Theoretical and experimental results validate the most preferred orientation, with orientations 1 and 2 from group 1 identified as the optimum resting positions. The use of both the Markov model and a hidden Markov model in trap module design yields a robust outcome, effectively attaining the necessary part orientation. The dynamic part feeding system is optimized for frequencies of 45 and 50 Hz with trap angles of 30° from the experimental study. The study quantifies efficiency gains, demonstrating that the proposed system outperforms manual or robotic methods. This study offers a quantitative and comprehensive solution for assembling and packaging small and irregular components in the automotive sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As autonomous robot and sensor technologies have advanced, utilisation of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) in material handling has grown quickly, owing especially to their scalability and versatility compared with automated guided vehicles (AGVs). In order to take full advantage of AMRs, in this paper, we address an AMR scheduling and routing problem by dividing the entire problem into three sub-problems: path finding, vehicle routing, and conflict resolution. We first discuss the previous literature on characteristics of each sub-problem. We then present a comprehensive framework for minimising total tardiness of transportation requests with consideration of conflicts between routes. First, the shortest paths between all locations are calculated with A*. Based on the shortest paths, for vehicle routing, we propose a new local search algorithm called COntextual-Bandit-based Adaptive Local search with Tree-based regression (COBALT), which utilises the contextual bandit to select the best operator in consideration of contexts. After routing of AMRs, an agent-based model with states and protocols resolves collisions and deadlocks in a decentralised way. The results indicate that the proposed framework can improve the performance of AMR scheduling for conflict-free routes and that, especially for vehicle routing, COBALT outperforms the other algorithms in terms of average total tardiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A wearable extra robotic limb (XRL) system is a wearable robotic system that directly assists in handling materials and tools, differentiating it from exoskeleton robots, which tend to directly support the joints. XRL systems thus hold promise for the prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) among construction workers. However, there is a lack of specific designs for construction tasks. Therefore, this paper analyzes a workpiece handling task to derive operating mechanisms and design parameters for an XRL system that can provide sufficient assistance. The proposed design aims to provide the worker with constant orientation for intuitive tasks, thus eliminating unnecessary elements and reducing the burden on the wearer. A finite state machine algorithm is also employed to convey the worker’s intent when handling a workpiece, enabling intuitive collaboration. To validate the proposed design, two experiments are conducted, with the results demonstrating that the use of the robotic system effectively assists the wearer with tasks and reduces musculoskeletal strain, thus reducing the risk of WMSDs.

Background: This study addresses optimising fleet size in a system with a heterogeneous truck fleet, aiming to minimise transportation costs in interfacility material transfer operations. Methods: The material transfer process is modelled using a closed queueing network (CQN) that considers heterogeneous nodes and customised service times tailored to the unique characteristics of various truck types and their transported materials. The optimisation problem is formulated as a mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP), falling into the NP-Hard, making exact solution computation challenging. A numerical approximation method, a modified sequential quadratic programming (SQP) method coupled with a mean value analysis (MVA) algorithm, is employed to overcome this challenge. Validation is conducted using a discrete event simulation (DES) model. Results: The proposed analytical model tested within a steel manufacturing plant's material transfer process. The results showed that the analytical model achieved comparable optimisation of the heterogeneous truck fleet size with significantly reduced response times compared to the simulation method. Furthermore, evaluating performance metrics, encompassing response time, utilisation rate, and cycle time, revealed minimal discrepancies between the analytical and the simulation results, approximately ±8%, ±8%, and ±7%, respectively. Conclusions: These findings affirm the presented analytical approach's robustness in optimising interfacility material transfer operations with heterogeneous truck fleets, demonstrating real-world applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Material handling loco-manipulation is heavily present in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) efforts. Consider a scenario requiring human expertise to transcend the physical location of the human body; an approach—harnessing the innately long-range and precise abilities of robotic Avatar technologies—was successfully applied to material handling and loco-manipulation tasks, proving that humanoids may play an integral role in future disaster relief. Typically, first responders, such as firefighters and/or paramedics, must carry, push, pull, and handle objects, facilitating the transportation of goods. Hence, researchers have sought to enable full-sized humanoid robots to perform such essential material handling tasks. This work aims to tackle current limitations in humanoid object interaction capabilities, specifically with common objects such as carts, wheelbarrows, etc. Furthermore, this article compiles many methods to ensure stable gait during cart loco-manipulation. The examined objects range from simple carts (such as rolling and utility carts) to challenging carts (such as wheelbarrows). Thus, the authors present a comprehensive approach to address some of the most convoluted material handling and loco-manipulation challenges in the field of humanoid robotics. Finally, promising results are showcased when ART (Avatar Robotics Telepresence) and humanoid embodiment are applied in the context of loco-manipulation and material handling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a robust tool for ranking MHE prior to selecting the best one. The proposed ranking methodology is based on a new key performance indicator, identified as market weight scheme (MWS). The MWS of each MHE reflects the market's importance of its performance criteria and it is built through an ingenious integration of the most resonated appreciative (MRA) model with the ordered weighted averaging (OWA) operator. The flexibility of MRA is exploited to customize the weight profiles of the data envelopment analysis (DEA) peer-evaluations, whereas the OWA aggregation process is run to produce the associated MWS for a pre-set decision maker's (DM) subjective judgment towards the MHE market stability. Thus, the novelty of the present study is threefold. (1) The MHE is selected from a collective market perspective rather than individualistic manufacturer's viewpoint. (2) The ranking process is based on the aggregation of weight profiles instead of cross-efficiency (CE) scores, as traditionally done in DEA-CE approaches. (3) The DM's subjectivism is integrated into the assessment process through an optimism measure that mimics the market stability. The application of the proposed methodology on a sample of 27 robots asserts its robustness as a selection tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The manufacturing landscape is rapidly evolving, being characterized by the emergence of Industry 5.0, leading to a growing recognition of the importance of a human-centered, sustainable and resilient approach. In response to these needs, collaborative robotics has emerged as a promising solution to enhance flexibility in industrial operations, while ensuring a higher level of safety. Cobots enable human-robot collaboration without the need for physical barriers, reduce the footprint of the robotic station, and foster a closer working relationship between humans and machines. This article focuses on an application of collaborative robotics in end-of-line industrial operations, specifically in the unloading of products from an automatic machine. By managing repetitive tasks, such as placing the trays near the end of the line of the automatic machine, waiting for them to be filled, and placing them on a trolley, which will then be moved by the human operator, the robot significantly improves efficiency. The proposed solution involves alternating the placement of trays in two rack trolleys, allowing the worker to replace the full trolleys with empty ones at his own timing. The paper examines the potential advantages of using a human-centric approach that emphasizes operator empowerment and human oversight: the collaborative robotic cell and the automation implemented free the workers from the low value-added operations and allow them to oversee and manage multiple machines simultaneously, thus enhancing productivity. The approach behind this proposal is to keep robotic tasks simple, easily reprogrammable and modular, while empowering the human operator to engage in supervision, decision-making, and problem-solving tasks. This collaboration allows the operator to assume a supervisory role, organizing production based on identified needs, and elevating their involvement to production line management tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we address production logistics within internal logistics, along with production material supply, related material handling, and the utilization of material handling robots to support processes. Robot navigation is a multi-approach discipline that poses a major challenge in intralogistics. In general, the navigation principle, software and hardware requirements of mobile robots must be prepared on the basis of logistics processes in such a way as to satisfy production with sufficient accuracy and safety. In the article, we present the types of robots and give insight about autonomous mobile robots. Additionally, we examine the importance of real-time data exchange and communication systems in optimizing the performance of material handling robots within the production environment. Furthermore, we explore the potential benefits of incorporating machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms to enhance the autonomy and decision-making capabilities of these robots. Through a comprehensive analysis, we aim to provide a holistic understanding of the role of material handling robots in modern production logistics and their potential impact on efficiency and productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the dynamic nature of today’s market demands, industries increasingly require flexible and adaptable systems to navigate through variable operational needs. In-plane manipulation systems, characterized by their ability to handle objects over an active surface, have emerged as promising solutions to address these challenges. This systematic literature review (SLR) investigates the landscape of in-plane manipulation systems, focusing on their classification, technological aspects, and emerging trends. Drawing upon a comprehensive search strategy, this review identifies and synthesizes relevant literature on the topic. Through structured data extraction and analysis, the review categorizes these devices based on their fields of application, employed technologies, common characteristics, advantages, disadvantages, and existing gaps in research and development. The main technologies identified for material handling include MEMS, vibrations, cilia, pneumatic surfaces, variable-morphology surfaces, the use of rotors, and mobile platforms. These technologies are described based on their primary features and fields of application and are compared to highlight their unique advantages and limitations. Accordingly, this SLR aims to provide insights into the current state of the art, identify areas for further investigation, and inform future developments in in-plane material handling. Additionally, the findings of this review contribute to a deeper understanding of the capabilities, limitations, and potential applications of this kind of manipulation across various industries. Furthermore, the identification of gaps in existing literature, particularly regarding the complexity and efficiency of rotor systems, serves as a foundation for future research aimed at advancing the field and addressing the evolving needs of industries in an increasingly dynamic market landscape.

In this paper, we will compare two solution options to determine whether the deployment of an autonomous mobile robot will be a beneficial investment for a company not only in terms of cost, time, and manpower savings, but also in terms of efficiency and reliability in the implementation of selected logistics processes to ensure the smooth running of production. In this paper, we would like to analyse the technology in terms of functions, carrying capacity, and interconnection within the infrastructure in the enterprise. The logistics processes from material order to export to the final customer will be analysed when an automatically controlled robot is deployed. One of the solutions discusses the use of personnel and material handling equipment (tractor with transport kit). The second solution discusses the deployment of the robot and selected logistics processes. The paper concludes with a summary of both options in terms of time, cost, and efficiency of the solution.

Food loss occurs during production, handling, and post-harvest processing. Food loss also occurs because the product is under quality and shelf-life over. In addition, the performance and knowledge of farmers also need to be improved to minimize food loss. Food loss in the milk supply chain occurs due to spills, damage, and product contamination caused by operator negligence and poor handling procedures due to the lack of material handling and operational performance. This study aims to determine the effect of material handling and operational performance on food loss in the milk supply chain. The method used is a quantitative method with a statistical test Chi-Square. The results show that most material handling cases involve manual milking and milk storage. Another cause of food loss is the high production of bacteria, which impacts milk quality. In operational performance, the primary reason is communication among farmers regarding the cleanliness and handling of cattle during production. New farmers with low experience are expected to attend training to increase production capacity and avoid bacterial contamination. Upgrading Milking equipment is also essential to reduce food loss in the milk supply chain

In the semiconductor and display industries, the automated material handling system (AMHS) represents an important component of fabrication facilities, which typically cost more than multi-billions of US dollars to build. One unit of fabrication facility consists of hundreds of processing steps with hundreds of expensive toolsets, and a production unit is completed after traveling over 9 km for more than a month in the facility. Since all material handlings within the fabrication facility are performed by AMHS with minimal human intervention, the proper capacity of AMHS plays a very important role in fabrication operation. If the capacity is too large, it wastes the capacity of the production process as it potentially occupies too much space and investment. On the other hand, if the capacity of AMHS is too small, products under processing cannot be delivered to the expensive process toolsets on time, which causes a drop in productivity. This paper proposes an analytical method for assessing capacity planning strategies for the AMHS under various ramp-up scenarios. It proposes an analytical model consisting of three cost elements including fixed, operating, and delay costs measured by Erlang's loss system to evaluate various investment alternatives based on the cost-of-ownership approach. We carefully prepared input data based on expert opinions to conduct an experiment that considers investment estimates for the three hypothetical alternatives. The experimental results illustrate that one-step strategy or lead strategy should be used depending on the fabrication facility's ramp-up speed, which can be analyzed by the model proposed by this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the need for high-accuracy docking in material handling processes using autonomous mobile robots in factories. To satisfy this need for the tasks, such as loading, unloading, and reaching the charging station, traditional navigation methods often rely on physical restraints at the docking stations, which limits flexibility in production lines. To achieve high-level accuracy without such restrictions, this study proposes the reference cage architecture, which utilizes multi-reference points to maintain scan-matching-based localization performance during docking. The contributions of this research include achieving sub-centimeter accuracy in pose estimation near the target pose and the development of a real-time reference selection decision mechanism. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed approach, extensive testing and validation have been conducted on the automotive production lines of the Ford Otosan Golcuk Plant. These tests consider real-world operational conditions, such as noises, disturbances, and outliers, setting this study apart from similar publications in the literature. The results demonstrate the potential of the reference cage architecture in enabling high-accuracy docking in autonomous mobile robot applications within factory environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study a recently introduced smart compact automated parking system (CAPS), deploying straddle carriers, which require little footprint area. The straddle carriers can elevate and move a car over other cars in the horizontal direction in deep storage lanes, thereby considerably increasing the car storage capacity. Customers can reserve a parking space with a mobile application, or just drive in. Customers with booking by mobile application receive priority over the drive-in customers. We build priority queueing network models to evaluate the performance of a CAPS with priority booking under two storage policies. We then develop approximation methods to solve the analytical models and validate them through simulation. Numerical experiments show that the waiting time of a customer with booking can be reduced by 9.2% and 3.4%, respectively, for the dedicated and shared storage policies, compared with systems without priority booking. Then we compare the dedicated and shared storage policies and conduct a sensitivity analysis on the arrival rates of two types of cars. To minimise the expected retrieval time, the optimal ratio of width to height should be around 1.3. Finally, we calculate the investment cost of a CAPS and compare it with a competitive cylindrical automated parking tower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies an unequal area layout problem whose objective is to find a flexible bay layout with the best shortest single loop. The problem can be used for production systems in which material handling is carried out by automated guided vehicles (AGVs) that move along a single-loop path. The designed layout is robust against future changes in material flows, which are caused by different factors such as demand fluctuations, technology advancement, and new product introduction. It is first proved that there exists a feasible single loop for any bay layout, which indicates the problem is well-defined and always has a feasible solution. Then, a powerful hybrid algorithm based on Memetic and Simulated Annealing is developed. The algorithm is tested on many randomly generated instances and well-known instances from the literature. The numerical experiment shows that the proposed heuristic is both efficient and effective. The new layout-design approach significantly improves the loop-length when compared with the traditional approach in which the layout is first determined based on rectilinear distances, and then the best single loop is found. Our study highlights the importance of adequately incorporating the material handling system into the layout design phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the significance of simulation-based analysis in understanding the effectiveness of material handling strategies. By utilizing simulation models, businesses can optimize production processes, streamline flows, and enhance overall logistics efficiency. In today’s competitive market landscape, the significance of product manipulation cannot be overstated. It directly influences consumer perception and plays a pivotal role in gaining a competitive advantage. Simulation-based analysis has emerged as a powerful tool for optimizing production processes and enhancing logistics efficiency. Robotics sorting and loading offer increased accuracy, speed, and efficiency over manual processes. Their implementation boost productivity, cuts costs, and enhances working conditions. In today’s competitive market, effective product handling shapes consumer perception and competitiveness. VR simulation-based analysis optimizes manufacturing, logistics, and robotics, driving efficiency. Through advanced VR simulation models, businesses streamline operations, adapt to market dynamics, and embrace automation, enhancing competitiveness.

With the emergence of Industry 4.0 in intralogistics, the need for flexible material handling solutions is increasing. While conventional conveyor systems are often too inflexible to meet changing requirements. Automated guided vehicles offer an answer, additional solutions are required for companies relying on already busy and crowded shop floors. This paper presents a concept for a periphery-free electrified monorail system (PEMS) that enables flexible material transport with minimal floor requirements. The PEMS is based on classic electrified monorail technology, and requires no additional peripheral devices within the rail system. Installation and maintenance costs are kept to a minimum through simplified branching elements and a battery-powered energy supply for the vehicles. The modular design of the rail elements further allows transport on standardized Euro-pallets. Moreover, a taxonomy for evaluating the passivity of branching elements of electrified monorail systems is introduced. The functionality of the PEMS was validated by conducting real experiments using a prototype, The results show that the PEMS provides high flexibility in terms of layout design and usage, allowing for fast adaption to the changing requirements of intralogistics.

Material Handling Vehicles (loaders, excavators, forklifts, harvesters, etc.) have seen a strong increase in automation efforts in recent years. The contexts such vehicles operate in are frequently complex and due to the often very specific nature of industrial material handling scenarios, know-how is fragmented and literature is not as numerous as, for example, for passenger vehicle automation. In this paper, we present a contextual design space for automated material handling vehicles (AMHV), that is intended to inform context analysis and design activities across a wide spectrum of material handling use cases. It was developed on the basis of existing context and design spaces for vehicle and machine automation and extended via expert knowledge. The design space consists of separate context and interaction subspaces, that separately capture the situation and each individual point of interaction, respectively. Implications, opportunities, and limitations for the investigation and design of AMHV are discussed.