Intralogistics solutions provider MontraTec is launching a new self-propelling “shuttle carrier” at Automatica.
The company says it will also be showcasing five new product developments of their future-oriented automation and transport system “montrac”.
The product highlight, however, is the new “shuttle carrier”, which the company says is about connecting rail-bound workstations without rail.
Sven Worm, chairman of the board of MontraTec – which the company writes as montratec – says: “At our first attendance at the automatica we are directly starting with a world premiere.
“With the development of the ‘shuttle carrier’ we are at the same time optimizing the applications of our intelligent automation and transport system montrac and offering solutions for customers with extremely limited installation spaces.”
Worm is convinced that the new innovation of montratec will succeed in various industrial areas.
Using the self-driving “shuttle carrier” allows for the first time to interrupt the monorail track system without interrupting the entire manufacturing/production process and enables open spaces between track-bound workstations for escape paths, transport routes, and passages for employees.
The self-propelling “shuttle carrier” acts as a connecting robot on the floor: with the aid of integrated sensors it recognizes the respective route based on stripes drawn on the floor and follows them at speeds of up to 25 meters/min.
A height-adjustable track on top of the “shuttle carrier” carries transport shuttles, either empty or with cargo of up to 50 kilogram, from one track section to another track section and gets the transport shuttles back on the monorail. Battery charging takes place during docking which ensures a permanent availability.
With the innovation of the “shuttle carrier“, the modular automation and tracking system montrac, so far consisting of a monorail system and self-propelling transport shuttles, is extended by another active component.
The use of shuttle carriers will further reduce the low space requirements of montrac. The already low space requirements of montrac result from combining electrical track switches, crossings, very tight radii (of 220 millimeters), overcoming gradient angles of up to 12 degree, and integrated lifting elements.
Based on smart logistic technology, the shuttles know precisely where the products need to go. The transport shuttles move with speeds of up to 55 meters/min and communicate via infrared with both the track sections and the route.
Worm says: “Due to continuous power supply of all shuttles, montrac always ensures total reliability and extreme high availability.
“At any time, each shuttle can manually be replaced or removed from the running system without stopping the system.”
Among the new montratec product developments to be presented at the fair are:
- Shuttle variation including integrated robotics
- Cleanroom Shuttle MSH4 CR,
- New version of SmartRouter
- New shuttle generation MSH5
MontraTec can be found at Automatica at booth 320, in hall A5.
