Still gets an IFOY AWARD for a tugger train with automatic loading and unloading

International jury of journalists selects Still´s LiftRunner with LTX 50 tugger and automatic loading and unloading as the winner in the “AGV & Intralogistics Robot” category.

Arno Reich, Senior Vice President of Deutsche Messe AG, presented the IFOY trophy.

Festive IFOY AWARD Night with 600 guests in the Vienna Hofburg.

Vienna, April 26, 2019. The IFOY AWARD 2019 in the category “AGV & Intralogistics Robot” goes to the Hamburg-based Still GmbH for its tugger train with LTX50 tugger and automatic loading and unloading. The cheers were huge when Arno Reich, Senior Vice President of Deutsche Messe AG, revealed the traditionally well-kept secret about the winner in the Vienna Hofburg in Austria.

AGV & Intralogistics Robot of the Year 2019

Decisive for the jury's decision was the high customer benefit, the scalability and the security of the inexpensive industry 4.0 solution by Still. 

“Automatic tugger are known as technology twinnings of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs), although they are not yet very widespread. So far, the use has only been worthwhile for long distances from material storage to production. In this combination, the system idea of automated load transfer and automated driving is an innovation that brings additional benefits to production supply in an evolutionary way and yet still allows the traffic-reducing idea of consolidated transports. The system is characterised by its simplicity and relatively low investment costs,” said the jury.

Automated systems with manual load transfer have not opened up the full cost-saving potential of tugger train systems. The IFOY Innovation Check also judges that the intelligently designed system paves the way for the next generation of fully automated tugger train systems.

The standard LTX 50 electric tugger with a maximum tractive force of 5,000 kilograms is equipped with innovative automation components. The most striking feature is the automation sheet attached to the front of the device, which integrates all necessary components such as laser navigation, WLAN, programmable logic controllers and two scanners. A KION Option Box, or KOB for short, enables simple communication with the vehicle's control unit.

The automated loading and unloading stations do not require their own power supply. The roller conveyors at the stops are driven by the tugger train's trailers, which are equipped with 24-volt contacts for this purpose. As soon as the trailer is in the correct position, contact is made with the stopping station and the conveyor begins to rotate. Photocells enable communication between the trailers and the stationary roller conveyors. This significantly increases the flexibility of the solution. 

Because Still has automated load handling, heavier loads can now also be moved with the tugger train. Whereas the weight of the load was previously limited to around 500 kilograms, loads weighing 1,200 kilograms per trailer can now be transported.

Another advantage is that the automated version of the complete train is very safe thanks to the PLC control and the sensors in the automation sheet. In addition, LED lights in the arc indicate when activities are being carried out by the combination.

The solution is ideal for the supply and disposal of production lines or other repetitive activities. Integrated process automation increases reliability and safety, while transport and handling become more economical. The solution is particularly practical because the decentralized load transfer stations do not require their own power supply.

The IFOY AWARD has established itself as an indicator of economic efficiency and innovation. Due to its specialised expertise it is regarded as the most important innovation award in intralogistics. The decision is based on the IFOY Audit. The devices and solutions are subjected to individually tailored driving or function tests, including the IFOY Test protocol comprising around 80 criteria and the scientific IFOY Innovation Check. In addition, jurors and their advisory teams from the economy assess the finalists personally before voting. Above all, it is crucial that the nominees are compared not with each other, yet with their competing devices on the market. 

The IFOY AWARD, which is sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy, is presented by the Association for Materials Handling and Intralogistics within the VDMA. IFOY partner is the Hannover Fair. Pallet partner of the IFOY AWARD is Chep, world market leader in the pooling of pallets and containers. The technology partner is battery charging specialist Fronius.

Press releases of all winners can be found in the press section at http://www.ifoy.org

IFOY Test reports and Innovation Checks of all finalists are available for free use at: https://www.ifoy.org/en/ifoy-2019-en/nominations-2019

IFOY AWARD: Winners 2019 at a glance

Download Bilder:TX3 3-wheel counterbalance truck, UniCarriers Europe

Download Bilder:ETV 216i, Jungheinrich

Download Bilder: On-the-fly Freight Dimensioning, Cargometer

Download Bilder: LiftRunner with LTX 50, Still

Download Bilder:Virtual Reality Simulator, The Raymond Corporation

Download Bilder: ProGlove, ProGlove

IFOY IFOY AWARD  WWW.IFOY.ORG

The International Intralogistics and Forklift Truck of the Year (IFOY AWARD) recognises the year's best intralogistics products and system solutions. The aim of the organisation is to document the performance capability and innovative drive of the intralogistics, helping to boost competitiveness and raise the profile of the entire sector in the public arena. The winners of the IFOY AWARD are selected once a year by an independent jury of international trade journalists. The sponsor of the IFOY AWARD is the VDMA Materials Handling and Intralogistics Sector Association. The IFOY partner is Deutsche Messe AG with its Hannover Fair and CeMAT. IFOY pallet partner is CHEP, the global market leader in pallet pooling. The IFOY technology partner is the battery charging specialist Fronius. The headquarters of the IFOY organisation are in Ismaning near Munich.

Members of the jury:Kirsty Adams, editor-in-chief SHD Logistics (UK), Vladimir Antonov, editor-in-chief Sklad i Technika (Russia), Winfried Bauer, editor-in-chief f+h Fördertechnik, Materialfluss, Logistik 4.0 (Germany), Cecilia Biondi, editor-in-chief Logistica Management (Italy), Snejina Badjeva, editor-in-chief Logistika magazine (Bulgaria), Dave Blanchard, editor-in-chief Material Handling & Logistics / Industry Week (USA), Theo Egberts, IFOY tester and owner Buro Andersom / Andersom Testing (Netherlands, without voting rights), Paul Hamblin, editor-in-chief Logistics Business (United Kingdom), Anders Karlsson, editor-in-chief Svensk Åkeritidning(Sweden), Klaus Koch, editor-in-chief Logistik&Fördertechnik, Handel Heute(Switzerland), Allan Leibowitz, editor-in-chief forkliftaction.com (Australia), Valeria Lima de Azevedo Nammur, editor-in-chief LogWeb Magazine (Brazil), Øyvind Ludt, editor-in-chief Moderne Transport (Norway), Bernd Maienschein, editor-in-chief MM Logistik (Germany), Marilena Matei, editorial director Tranzit / Tranzit Logistica (Romania), Anton Mizunov, editor-in-chief Skladskoj complex (Russia), Maurizio Peruzzi, editor-in-chief Il Giornale della Logistica (Italy), Matthias Pieringer, editor-in-chief Logistik Heute (Germany), Szilvia Rapi-Jaubert, publisher and editor-in-chief Supply Chain Monitor (Hungary), Isabel Rodrigo, editor-in-chief Logística Profesional (Spain), Thomas Rosenberger, editor-in-chief lastauto omnibus (Germany), Hans-Joachim Schlobach, publisher and editor-in-chief Business+Logistic (Austria), Sascha Schmel, managing director association materials handling and intralogistics in the VDMA (Germany, without voting rights), Sebastian Śliwieński, editor-in-chief Warehouse Monitor (Poland), Gilles Solard, publisher and editor-in-chief Stratégies Logistique (France), Jarlath Sweeney, editor-in-chief Fleet transport (Ireland), Johannes Tomsich, editorial director Logistik-Kurier (Austria), Mats Udikas, editor-in-chief Transportnytt (Sweden). The executive chairperson of the jury is Anita Würmser, logistics journalist and managing director of impact media projects.

Reproduction free of charge, courtesy copy requested.

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