Vecna Robotics partners with UniCarriers to launch new line of autonomous material handling solutions

Vecna Robotics is teaming up with UniCarriers Americas, a manufacturer of material handling equipment and part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

The two companies are collaborating on a line of autonomous material handling vehicles for warehouses, distribution centers, and manufacturing environments.

Vecna Robotics is integrating its autonomous navigation technology, learning algorithms, and workflow orchestration software into UCA vehicles turning them into autonomous mobile robots, capable of moving bulk material through dynamic warehouse environments.

The new line will also feature autonomous tuggers and lift trucks capable of vertical and horizontal movements with material up to 10,000 pounds.

Michael Baier, director of hardware engineering for Vecna Robotics, says: “Vecna Robotics’ collaboration with UCA has come at the perfect time.

“Our customer base is rapidly expanding. Companies are no longer asking themselves if they should automate, they are now looking at when to automate and the sooner, the better.

“Partnering with an industrial vehicle design expert like UCA helps us provide our customers with exceptional products and meet demand without skipping a beat.”

The fleet will also feature Vecna Robotic pivot.al orchestration system. Pivot.al is an AI-based fleet manager that distributes and redistributes work amongst humans, robots, and standard automation based on capabilities, location, and operational priorities.

Pivot.al redesigns workflows, mixing and matching assignments based on the unique capabilities of humans and robots in real-time to ensure current operational processes align with current operational needs.

Brian Markison, senior director of national accounts and AGV sales at UCA, says: “Customer’s expectations are changing too fast. Companies that restrict themselves to a specific workflow, robot or AGV are not optimizing productivity efficiently.

“This strategic partnership helps Vecna Robotics and UCA reach a very important shared objective – providing customers flexible and cost-efficient material handling solutions that reliably gets goods out the door no matter how demand or markets change.”