Why automated long-load handling needs a specialist approach
STORAGE, HANDLING & DISTRIBUTION RETHINKING LOAD AUTOMATION
HUBTEX
Why automated long-load handling needs a specialist approach
Automation has become well established in pallet transport, but long, heavy and bulky loads create a very different set of challenges. Timber packs, steel sections, panels and industrial components vary in length, weight and centre of gravity. They must often be moved through narrow aisles, positioned with great accuracy and handled safely alongside people and manually operated vehicles.
This is precisely where HUBTEX focuses its expertise. The company develops automated multidirectional sideloaders and special-purpose vehicles for loads that conventional forklifts and standard AGVs cannot handle efficiently. Rather than adapting the customer’ s process to a predefined vehicle concept, HUBTEX starts with the load, the available space and the required material flow.
Multidirectional vehicles are particularly suitable for these applications because they can travel lengthways, sideways and diagonally. This enables long loads to be moved through confined areas without the turning space required by a conventional counterbalance truck. In an automated application, however, manoeuvrability alone is not enough. The vehicle must also combine precise navigation, reliable load detection, intelligent route planning and a safety concept tailored to the operating environment.
HUBTEX therefore treats automation as a complete engineering project. Each application begins with a detailed analysis of load dimensions, transfer points, aisle widths, floor
Sensors, cameras and control software help to monitor the load throughout the process and ensure consistent handling.
conditions, storage locations and interfaces with existing systems. These findings determine the vehicle design, navigation technology and level of system integration.
The load itself is often the greatest variable. An automated HUBTEX vehicle may need to recognise whether a load is positioned correctly, compensate for different dimensions and approach racks or transfer stations with a high degree of precision. Sensors, cameras and control software help to monitor the load throughout the process and ensure consistent handling.
Safety remains central to every project. The vehicle must detect people, obstacles and other traffic while maintaining efficient operation. Depending on the application, the solution can include defined safety fields, controlled aisle entry, warning systems and communication with doors, machines or warehouse management systems.
For HUBTEX, successful automation is not simply about making a vehicle driverless. It is about creating a coordinated material-handling solution that reflects the customer’ s real operating conditions. The result can be greater process reliability, reduced manual intervention, improved safety and more effective use of space and labour.
For further information, please visit www. hubtex. co. uk
118 PECM Issue 82