Vol. 58 No. 2 (2021)   Logistics, Thermal & Drive Systems
Technical Papers

Feasibility Study of Pallet Handling in Mixed Fleet Environment

ATSUSHI WADA
KENJI TAKAO
RYO TSUJISAKA
KATSUMASA KITAJIMA
NORIYUKI HASEGAWA
RYOJI ARAKI

Automatic guided forklifts (hereafter AGF(s)) handle cargo according to a given path and pallet loading/unloading positions. Therefore, allowing an AGF to take a pallet placed by a forklift requires the forklift operator to place the pallet according to the pallet guides or marks attached to the floor in advance. We are developing a technology that enables an AGF to handle cargo without using guides by allowing the AGF to identify by itself the position of a pallet to be handled and automatically generate and track its path. As a measure to resolve the shortage of logistics workers and reduce their burden and also with the aim of automating pallet handling that is performed by AGFs and forklifts in a mixed manner, we will proceed with the development of this technology.