Novosibirsk State Technical University has developed an innovative smart manipulator designed to efficiently move goods from a warehouse in order to optimize the workflow.
"With the traditional organization of the warehouse, a person simply picks up the right product and takes it to his workplace. Our manipulators, working in automatic warehouses, perform the function of a deliverer, taking into account optimal savings in time and resources. Capable of recognizing goods, they can move up and down special rails, pick up and deliver various small and medium-sized goods, for example, now the first prototype of our warehouse is being sharpened for round cassettes with electronic components," said Denis Badinov, one of the developers, a 4th—year student of the Faculty of Mechanics and Technology of NSTU-NETI.
The manipulator body is made of ABS plastic using advanced 3D printing technologies. In addition, for reliability, the bracket is made of steel, and to ensure optimal performance and reduce the weight of the device, the "legs" of the manipulator are made of aluminum.
"Unlike traditional warehouse systems, where errors are possible when selecting goods, our automated warehouse provides an ideal solution for accounting and control of all processes. It is planned to introduce software that provides detailed accounting and tracking of the history of the movement of goods. Our automatic warehouse will be a compact unit that can be easily adapted to the individual needs of the customer," Denis notes.
"In an ordinary warehouse, it happens that some small details are not included in the accounting statement, people can make mistakes and take away the wrong thing. With the help of an automatic warehouse, you can solve this problem and simplify the life of production. We make storage more convenient through automation and software control. Records will be kept and the history will be tracked: when the goods were loaded into the manipulator, in what quantity, how many goods were taken, who took them and at what time. Our automatic warehouse will be a block that will occupy a small part of the room. It is possible to put several warehouses in one room — as many as the customer needs," the developer adds.
At the moment, the first test sample (MVP1) has been developed, for which software is currently being created. It is planned to develop an intuitive interface for controlling the device. After testing the second sample (MVP2), it is planned to enter the market and commercialize automatic warehouses with a smart manipulator.