IFOY AWARD 2017
The Winners are ...

Warehouse Truck: STILL iGo neo CX 20

The IFOY Award 2017 in the category "Warehouse Truck" goes to the iGo neo CX 20 from Still GmbH in Hamburg. The international jury chose the first autonomous horizontal order picker as the best warehouse truck of the year.

IFOY Award – Warehouse Truck of the Year 2017

The key factor in the decision of the jury was the highly innovative character combined with an outstanding and a very professional implementation. “The iGo neo constitutes a milestone in the development of autonomous warehouse trucks. The worldwide first autonomous horizontal order picker closes the gap between robotics and intralogistics”, said the jury.

The IFOY Test shows that the savings compared to conventional order pickers are spectacular. It is more efficient and more productive in all test layouts whenever the pedestrian principle is used, and the test team found that efficiency can be boosted by up to 47 percent. The dynamic process that causes the machine to move at the same time as the operator ensures that the benefits of the system are fully exploited. The limiting factor is no longer the machine and its operation but the walking speed of the operator.

The most important innovation is its intelligence. The laser scanning feature to recognise the immediate surroundings gives the iGo neo cognitive capabilities which – together with the intelligent vehicle control system – ensure that the machine follows the operator on its own. Both the operating concept and the sensor and control technology are highly innovative, according to the scientific IFOY Innovation Check.

The iGo neo can be optionally used either manually or autonomously without preset defaults, infrastructure or external remote control. In the latter case, the truck then distinguishes between static and dynamic objects or persons and recognises the intention of the operator based or his or her movements. It is conceivable that modern robotics will in future permit vehicle control based on gesture recognition.

The 180-degree panorama view of the front-mounted laser scanner permits identification of obstacles, ensuring an anticipatory driving mode with adapted driving characteristics. Damage due to sudden full-on braking are a thing of the past.

In addition, an optical signal unit indicates the current working mode via a kind of visual pulse beat and a simple light code. This nonverbal user Interface ensures that the order picker can be used in all language environments and cultural settings as well as by all age groups.

Automated Guided Vehicle: Torwegge TORsten

The IFOY Award 2017 in the category "Automated Guided Vehicle" goes to TORsten from Torwegge GmbH Co. KG in Bielefeld. The international jury chose the modular drive unit as the best AGV of the year.

IFOY Award – AGV of the Year 2017

The decisive factor for the jury is the high quality of the technical components together with the wide spectrum of potential applications. “The decentral intelligence concept and the use of innovative technology in TORsten significantly extend the options for automation in intralogistics”, according to the IFOY Test. Thanks to the separation of AGV and means of transport as well as the wide-ranging design options of the load carrier, the Innovation Check identified a high customer benefit and excellent market relevance.

TORsten is a flexible AGV concept developed by Torwegge in close cooperation with SEW and Aachen University. It uses different load carriers that can be fitted with shelves or containers to meet customer specifications. TORsten drives under the platform and, depending on the version, can move loads of up to 7.5 tons and lift loads of up to three tons.  Depending on the design of the load carrier, automatic transfer of objects such as pallets is also possible. 

The most striking feature of TORsten is its omnidirectional drive unit from SEW Eurodrive. It enables the vehicle to manoeuvre safely where space is confined, and even rotate around its own axis. Fitters can simply rotate the component part rather than walk around it.

Another innovative feature is the autonomous navigation concept of TORsten. The software was developed in cooperation with Aachen University and is based on Adaptive Monte Carlo Localisation. This tried and tested technology is not only reliable but also allows for accurate real-time position detection as well as flexible routing and local collision prevention. TORsten automatically detects obstacles and identifies the shortest alternative route in real time. Route planning is based on a 2D layout of the working environment, which is loaded through the graphic software interface or through autonomously self-learning algorithms. In contrast to transport vehicles guided along an inductive loop, there is therefore no need for additional construction work or reprogramming when the working environment of the TORsten changes. 

In addition, the AGVs communicate with each other and can take the parameters for priorities, the shortest routes and optimum utilisation into consideration.

The AGV uses both acoustic and optical (LED) signals to inform its environment when an order is begun or completed. In addition, an integrated speech module supports text-to-speech, which means that voice commands can be forwarded to the user via the system. Safety scanners supplied by Sick ensure safe operation.

Lead-crystal batteries ensure that TORsten can operate for at least one shift without having to be recharged. Charging of the batteries is inductive or via contacts. 

Special of the Year: Jungheinrich Indoor Positioning

The IFOY Award 2017 in the category "Special of the Year" goes to the Indoor Positioning system from Jungheinrich AG in Hamburg. The international jury chose the intelligent system for the simple localisation of material handling as the must-have of 2017.

IFOY Award – Special of the Year 2017

The decisive factor for the jury is the excellent market relevance and the very high customer benefit. The reasons given by the jury: "The indoor localisation solution offers numerous advantages for customers, from greater transparency through to increased productivity of the vehicle fleet. As this concept uses smartphones and Bluetooth technology, it is not only suitable for vehicle types of different manufacturers but can also be implemented or adapted flexibly, rapidly and at low cost – when the warehouse layout is modified, for example. The usual drawbacks of other technologies, such as high costs or sensitivity to dirt, do not apply in this case".

Jungheinrich's Indoor Positioning system is based on an existing model in the consumer sector. Each truck is fitted with a smartphone, which – in connection with several beacons installed across the entire warehouse – calculates the trucks' respective positions and directly transmits this data to a server. Via a Web app, the trucks' positions can be tracked and the processed data based on this information can also be viewed – at any time and without delay. It permits the generation of location-based reports and the analysis of truck movements – live as well as retrospectively.

The Web-based software is intuitive and provides the user with the desired overview at all times as well as the option of making adjustments.

Four application options are possible: TruckFinder, RouteOptimizer, ZoneGuard and SpeedZoning. TruckFinder is the basic setting for the localisation of vehicles. RouteOptimizer is used to analyse driving routes, to identify problems and to initiate possible improvements. ZoneGuard assigns trucks to different departments. As soon as a truck leaves its zone, an e-mail is sent to the warehouse manager. Last but not least, SpeedZoning gives a warning if the speed limit is exceeded, for example, or if trucks are incorrectly parked. The warning first appears only on the smartphone of the driver and as an e-mail to the warehouse manager, but there is not yet any intervention in the control of the trucks – to automatically reduce the speed, for example.

Special Vehicle: STILL Tugger train with automatic loading and unloading

The IFOY Award 2017 in the category "Special Vehicle" goes to the tugger train with automatic loading and unloading from Still GmbH in Hamburg. The international jury selected the heavy-duty tugger train – purpose-designed to supply components to the production process on the site of an English construction machine manufacturer – as the best new product in the category of special vehicles.

IFOY Award – Special Vehicle of the Year 2017

The key factor in the decision of the jury was the high level of customer benefit in combination with the new market potential. "The tugger train trailer with lateral ejector forks developed by Still as a customised solution is a practicable step towards the full automation of the production process. It extends the range of applications of tugger trains and therefore opens up a new market segment", in the words of the jury. The IFOY Test underlined the self-evident advantages of the heavy-duty tugger train in view of the increasing average age of people employed in logistics, as the physical performance capability of the operator is no longer relevant.

The liftrunner systems implemented by Still consist of a LTX tractor and the lift runner frame as well as trolleys. To allow loading and unloading of a tugger train with oversized load carriers, the C frames were for the first time equipped with two electrically controlled, double-telescopic fork pairs with a load capacity of up to 1,000 kg. In this way, the loading and unloading process of the tugger train was automated. The loading and unloading is remote controlled by the tugger train driver from the tugger. The adjustable forks are controlled on a panel on the tractor with touch screen and allow the driver to operate the tugger train intuitively.

The mini dome camera placed above the frame provides a panoramic view of the frame as well as the loading and unloading areas and transmits the live images to the control panel on the tractor. In addition, the system indicates the next useful action to the driver. If the unloading area is occupied, the driver is only allowed to pick up load carriers, whereas in vacant areas loads must be set down. Additionally installed laser-controlled positioners enable precise positioning of the tractor so that it can place the load carrier exactly in its designated storage space.