Emma Fitzpatrick | Elmeri Salama | Arnoud Kouwenhoven | Tim Oosterling
OBS LinQ Announces Brand New State of the Art IntelliStore® Intelli-Arm to Enable Rapid Item Collection within the IntelliStore® Structure!
The Intelli-Arm increases the overall efficiency of the non-manual tasks of the IntelliStore® storage solution by integrating a cobot arm onto the pre-existing Picker® transportation robots.
Building on the proven performance of the IntelliStore® storage solution, the new Intelli-Arm takes automation to the next level. By seamlessly integrating a collaborative robot arm onto the existing Picker® transportation robots, the Intelli-Arm enhances the efficiency and flexibility of non-manual storage tasks. This powerful combination enables faster handling and greater operational productivity across warehouse environments. The result is a smarter, more scalable automation solution designed to meet the evolving demands of modern intralogistics.
Previously, when a list of items was requested, the system required the picker robot to transport entire crates individually to the picking station for operator retrieval. Each crate contains up to eight different item types; however, even if only a single item type from one section was needed, the full crate had to be delivered. When multiple item types were requested, this process had to be repeated several times, resulting in significant time consumption and increased operational effort. This approach limited efficiency and created unnecessary handling within the workflow.
The picker robot will be enhanced with an integrated collaborative robotic arm and advanced vision system, enabling it to autonomously identify, retrieve, and handle requested items directly from storage crates. Collected items will be temporarily stored within an onboard compartment (“backpack”) as the robot fulfills the complete operator order. Once all requested items have been gathered, the robot will proceed to the picking station and transfer the consolidated order into a designated crate. This approach ensures that operators receive all requested items simultaneously, eliminating unnecessary crate movements and preventing the delivery of non-requested items.
Once an operator places an order for a list of items, the system will deliver the complete set simultaneously, rather than presenting items individually within a crate containing up to eight different product types. This eliminates the need for the operator to sort through mixed contents to retrieve specific items. By consolidating orders prior to delivery, the process becomes significantly more efficient and streamlined. The result is a faster, more accurate, and overall improved user experience.