According to a publication by Statista in December 2021, the majority of B2C customers from a total of twelve European countries surveyed expect their online orders to arrive within three to five days. In the Netherlands, almost a third of customers even expect their goods to arrive after just one to two days. However, expectations of speed, flexibility and transparency are also increasing in B2B commerce.

In order to meet these requirements, logistics processes within an organization must be designed as efficiently as possible. However, what is efficient today may already be outdated tomorrow. Workflows must adapt to the fast pace of requirements and demands - and the associated logistics processes must keep pace. The Austrian company Knapp offers a solution to these challenges. Open Shuttles are autonomous mobile transport robots that take over internal transport tasks without having to adapt the existing infrastructure. Thanks to innovative fleet control software, tasks are efficiently distributed across the entire fleet of AMRs.

Travel drive as the centerpiece

The AMRs in the Open Shuttle series are the flexible alternative to classic container conveyor technology and transport containers, cartons and trays up to 800 x 600 mm and a maximum payload of 100 kg. Thanks to the automatic lifting device and width adjustment, the Open Shuttles can accommodate containers of different heights and widths. They connect different storage areas with each other and also supply decentralized workstations.

In addition to a great deal of intelligence through software and sensor technology, the drive is an important core component of the AMR. Dunkermotoren, an Ametek brand, was able to offer the right solution here. The autonomous mobile robot is driven by two brushless DC motors from the BG 75 series. The attached controller ensures smooth acceleration and braking of the robot. A brake from Dunkermotoren's modular system, which is also integrated into the overall drive, ensures that the open shuttle stops immediately in the event of an imminent collision with other vehicles or people, which are reliably detected thanks to the integrated laser scanner.

The hub gearbox from Framo Morat in Eisenbach, which is attached to each drive, provides the necessary drive power. Together, the two companies - Dunkermotoren and Framo Morat - have already realized many AGV projects and have been presenting a portfolio on the market since 2021 that is specially designed for the strict safety and space requirements of AGV solutions. The entire system consisting of motor and gearbox is maintenance-free over its entire service life. Should the running surface unexpectedly become damaged or the requirements for the wheel change due to changes in the ground conditions, it can be easily replaced and serviced directly on the vehicle.

With an acceleration torque of up to 42 Nm, the hub gear ensures that the Open Shuttle can move even heavy loads with ease. The emergency stop torque of 63 Nm ensures an immediate stop in the event of an impending collision. This means that the Open Shuttle is safe and reliable at all times thanks to the drives.

The special feature of the drive solution is the compact design of the overall drive. The gearbox is integrated into the wheel hub and therefore disappears into the drive without increasing its length.

Lifting and steering drive

The autonomous mobile robot (AMR), Open Shuttle Fork is the model of choice when it comes to transporting entire pallets, shelves or large special load carriers and has a load capacity of up to 1,300 kg. The integrated automatic lift enables the load to be picked up directly from the ground and allows the load to be dropped off at a height of up to 1.2 meters. Drives from Dunkermotoren are used for both the lifting and steering movements and enable the AMR to move omnidirectionally. Thanks to the integrated CANopen electronics, the higher-level control system of the shuttle can easily address and control the drives.

The lifting of loads weighing up to 1,300 kg is accomplished by the most powerful motor currently available in the Dunkermotoren product portfolio. A brushless DC motor from the BG 95 series with matching planetary gearbox can lift even heavy loads without any problems. The attached E 600 brake then holds the load in any desired position. In extreme cases, the brake is also used for an emergency stop during full lifting movement. As soon as a certain safety level is reached, the motor is switched off immediately and the brake has to take over the stop.

Two additional Dunkermotoren drives are installed in the open shuttle fork as steering units to ensure that the vehicle never deviates from the right course. The intelligent BLDC motors from the BG 66 series with planetary gears are particularly compact and therefore perfect for use in flat vehicles. Here, too, the integrated electronics provide the necessary intelligence. Thanks to the CANopen interface, the motor receives the commands from the AMR's higher-level control system and can therefore implement even minimal course adjustments with millimetre precision.