ArcBest has introduced Vaux Smart Autonomy, which combines autonomous mobile robot (AMR) forklifts and reach trucks, intelligent software and remote teleoperation capabilities to autonomously handle materials movement within warehouses, distribution centers and manufacturing facilities. The solution builds on ArcBest’s suite of hardware and software, the Vaux Freight Movement System.
The AMR forklift and reach truck fleet is highly versatile, with the ability to operate in autonomous, remote or manual modes. Equipped with advanced software, sensors and cameras, they can safely navigate a warehouse, detect and identify pallets and racking systems, and perform tasks such as loading and unloading, moving goods and stacking pallets.
Additional capabilities include advanced dimensioning and 2D barcoding functionality. A teleoperator center complements the autonomous vehicles by remotely monitoring many autonomous robots simultaneously and stepping in to operate remotely when the autonomy needs human assistance.
While the Vaux Freight Movement System and Vaux Smart Autonomy can operate independently, when used together they offer synergies that make supply chains even more efficient. With the Vaux Freight Movement System, a mobile platform can be pulled off a trailer at the dock in one movement, allowing an entire trailer to be completely unloaded in under five minutes. Once the Vaux mobile platform is off the trailer and on the dock, Vaux Smart Autonomy forklifts and reach trucks can access all four sides to complete the material handling processes autonomously.
