Vecna Robotics Partners with Forklift Leader Big Joe to Introduce a New Co-Bot Pallet Jack that Augments Throughput by 45%

Entry-level Vecna CPJ Brings Intelligent, Flexible Material Handling Robotics Solutions to Labor-intensive “In-between” Workflows That Have Been Long Ignored by Automation

March 28, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time
ATLANTA–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Vecna Robotics, the leader in flexible material handling automation solutions, today jointly announced at MODEX 2022 with Big Joe, the market leader in pedestrian material handling equipment, its latest autonomous offering for labor-intensive material-handling workflows called the Vecna CPJ. This revolutionary co-bot pallet jack is uniquely designed to bring human-assisted robotics to warehouses and manufacturing facilities with labor-intensive workflows that have been long ignored by robotics automation, including shorter distances, lower throughput, and tighter spaces. Internal simulations and field tests reveal up to 45% improvement in throughput versus human work only.

“Bringing solutions to market that empower workers to better manage in-between material handling tasks is a core to who we are”There are over 5 billion pallets in circulation and nearly 5 million manual pallet jacks at work moving them every day. With 70% of the total cost of moving those pallets being labor – and severe labor shortages crippling supply chains – Big Joe and Vecna Robotics identified a clear need for an autonomous material handling solution to handle “in-between” loads. The new offering combines Vecna Robotics’ proven expertise in autonomous mobile robots and orchestration with Big Joe’s trusted material handling hardware. Together, the two companies provide an easy-to-use, on-demand labor automation service that frees up human workers to focus on higher-value tasks.

“The last 18 months had driven huge demand for AMRs like autonomous forklifts, but current offerings are typically only accessible to very large facilities,” said Craig Malloy, CEO at Vecna Robotics. “Our CPJ is a game-changer as it allows facilities of varied sizes to address their immediate labor shortages with intelligent material handling robots. The new solution works seamlessly alongside human workers and automates a broader range of payloads, workflows, and environments that the market is not currently addressing.”

To maximize the accessibility of the product and help with immediate labor shortages, Vecna CPJ will be available through a Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS) pricing model that is designed to support easy onboarding of robotics solutions and deliver rapid savings without the need for large CapEx budgets.

“Bringing solutions to market that empower workers to better manage in-between material handling tasks is a core to who we are,” said Bill Pedriana, CMO of Big Joe. “We are thrilled to be working with an industry leader like Vecna Robotics to bring our first robotics offering to the masses together. Their intelligent and easy to deploy system will help our joint customers make moving workloads far more efficient day one.”

Vecna Robotics’ customers, including GEODIS and Shape Corp., trust the company’s material handling automation solutions to simplify workflows and increase throughput.

“Vecna Robotics’ new co-bot platform is an innovative, accessible solution for improving productivity in labor-intensive, underserved workflows across the warehouse. We look forward to future tests of the platform and continued innovation from Vecna Robotics on automating material handling workflows,” said Andy Johnston, Senior Director of Innovation at GEODIS in Americas.

“Vecna Robotics’ CPJ is a versatile platform that complements our future deployments, while the flexibility and simplicity of operation allows us to tackle new use cases. We look forward to expanding our work with Vecna and incorporating this into our other workflows to automate our material handling processes,” added Mahesh Nikam, Shape Excellence Systems Manager, Shape Corp.

Vecna Robotics also collaborated with industry leader Quanergy Systems (NYSE: QNGY) on the lidar technology used by the CPJ to enable mass-market adoption and democratize access to automation.

“The time to democratize automation in material handling is now. This technology has long been exclusive to early adopters or those in select industries with large budgets for innovation,” said Enzo Signore, CMO at Quanergy. “In collaboration with Vecna Robotics, we have a unique opportunity to deliver a true co-bot solution to help companies overcome dire labor shortage issues with technology that can be immediately deployed, virtually out-of-the-box.”

Available for purchase by the end of 2022, Vecna CPJ will offer the following:

Flexible configurations for moving a variety of pallets, carts, racks, bins, and other payloads up to 3,300 lbs. / 1,500 kg
Full AMR functionality, including intelligent route planning, obstacle circumvention, and transport at an accessible entry point
Seamless switching between autonomous and manual control, easy onboarding, user-friendly UI/UX for intuitive programming and collaborative workflows
Enterprise-class automation to historically underserved workflows, including pallet and tote consolidation, pick-to-packout, QA/QC/rework, and dunnage retrieval
Productivity boosts with collaborative human-robot workflows at large, multi-shift enterprise sites with tight spaces
Intelligent human-robot orchestration, autonomy, interoperability, remote monitoring, and analytics powered by Vecna’s Pivotal™ software
To learn more about the Vecna CPJ and test drive the new offering, stop by showcase booth #C7485 or demo booth #B8837 at MODEX or visit www.vecnarobotics.com/MODEX22.

About Vecna Robotics

Vecna Robotics is an award-winning flexible, intelligent material handling automation company with solutions engineered for seamless work between autonomous mobile robots (AMR) and the labor, equipment, facilities, and systems that make business go. Our self-driving forklifts, pallet trucks, pallet jacks and tuggers –– powered by Vecna’s Pivotal™ orchestration software and 24/7/365 Command Center –– help distribution, warehousing, and manufacturing organizations automate their most critical workflows, maximize throughput and scale operations fast. For more information, visit www.vecnarobotics.com. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About Big Joe

Big Joe is an industry leader in pedestrian lift trucks having pioneered their designs and development for over 70 years. Today, Big Joe manufactures and distributes a broad line of compact electric pallet jacks, walkie stackers, forklifts and Joey task support vehicles throughout North America and Australia. Many of the latest Big Joe models feature advanced lithium battery technologies and automation ready designs which are a strategic focus for the brand moving forward. For more information, visit www.bigjoeforklifts.com.

Contacts
Jason Vancura
fama PR for Vecna Robotics
P: 617-986-5016

Extending Staff in a Labor Shortage with Self-Driving Equipment

How Self-Driving Forklifts Can Help Alleviate the Labor Shortage to Enable Humans to Make Fulfillment a Fulfilling Career

The labor shortage for distribution, warehousing, and manufacturing organizations started long before the 2021 “Great Resignation” of employees voluntarily leaving their jobs. In fact, U.S. manufacturing is expected to have 2.1 million job vacancies by 2030.

For these organizations that are crucial to our livelihood, technology has been hugely impactful in not only enabling better throughput for companies and increased quality of products for consumers, but it has also significantly impacted job retention and satisfaction for factory workers – here’s how.

Why is there such a strain?

There are roughly 5 billion pallets in circulation every day worldwide. In the U.S. alone, the industry relies on more than 4.5 million human operators to move these pallets. The problem? These jobs are repetitive and mundane so in a competitive job market, these positions can be hard to fill and have high turnover rates. Many humans prefer to take on more complicated tasks with creativity and problem solving.

While robots are well suited for simplified tasks like transporting goods inside a factory, less than 10% of warehouses currently utilize automated equipment, like self-driving forklifts.

What is a self-driving forklift?

Self-driving forklifts, otherwise known as Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs), are intelligent fork trucks powered by technology. Think of the pallet handling industrial trucks that are used in a warehouse setting to lift and move materials, but with the smarts to operate independently without a human operator.

One human worker can oversee the work of several self-driving forklifts at one time, so inside the warehouse robots can help support human workers significantly by independently executing tasks like:

• Moving finished goods to and from conveyors and wrappers
• Moving lightweight trash, dunnage, and empty pallets off the production floor
• Moving goods to and from staging lanes and put-away locations
• Delivering parts to manufacturing assembly lines, putting away loads from warehouse receiving and transporting oversized packages throughout distribution centers
• Clearing dock doors quickly and efficiently

Will the robots take my job?

Think of it like this – when the sewing machine was invented it didn’t reduce jobs, it made people more efficient. Autonomous equipment does the same thing for people working in warehouses.

So, despite the concerns that some may have over technology’s impact on jobs, technology is actually driving the development of the job market for manufacturers by introducing new roles and making work-life better for humans.

By taking on the mundane, dirty and dangerous jobs humans were once tasked with, technology enables workers to find more fulfillment by upskilling and pursuing new opportunities – sometimes even alongside these innovative solutions by working with robots to complete tasks.

Not to mention, intelligent equipment can work three shifts continuously around the clock. This can help operations run more effectively and during the less desirable shifts to allow organizations to extend operations into hours that had previously not been accessible due to lack of available staff.

What are the other benefits?

The data being collected by automation solutions is also furthering innovation to aid humans. These intelligent forklifts are connected to most warehouse management systems and work to improve workflows to reduce wasted downtime. With more insights into what works and doesn’t, and a real-time pulse on manufacturing organizations overall, operations managers can pinpoint the best use of human creativity and skill. This is a significant area for career opportunities for those with an interest in manufacturing, supply chain, and logistics.

In fact, after intelligent equipment is adopted, new positions are often created in those same facilities for humans that are more sought after – positions with titles like “Robot Manager” or “Robot Expert.” People are often more satisfied with these roles and they can come with a higher wage too, together helping to reduce turnover rates and lessen the frequency of costly training.

How do I get started with intelligent equipment and how do I know if they’re right for my organization?

Starting your automation journey can start with a call. Our team is here to help. We start by learning about your facility, needs, and workflows to identify your unique requirements before offering customized solutions.

If interested, you can reach our team by emailing team@vecnarobotics.com, calling us at (617) 444-9263 or sending us a message through our website: https://www.vecnarobotics.com/connect-with-vecna-robotics/

Webinar: “How to Solve Your Labor Shortage Problems Right Now with Autonomous Forklifts”

Learn how including intelligent, self-driving forklifts into your workforce can help relieve disrupt caused by a labor shortage. Discover how intelligent equipment can extend your staff, make your current workforce more productive, and create flexible workflows that adapt with intensifying demand.

Facing rapidly increasing wage requirements, scarce skilled labor and supply shortages, companies are under intense pressure to find solutions, quickly. Manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution facilities are seeing that the need to augment their workforce with intelligent automation is no longer optional, it’s needed for growth and longevity.

Listen as SupplyChainBrain shares a roundtable discussion with Vecna Robotics’ industry leading team. Join Matt Cherewka (Director of Strategy), Jeff Huerta (SVP of Solutions) and Denis Lussault (Chief Enterprise Engineer) as they discuss the future of automated pallet handling. Learn how autonomous forklifts have evolved from line followers to advanced free navigating equipment and why that matters for your bottom line.

Key topics covered:

• How advancements in automation can help address current labor concerns
• Where self-driving equipment can be best applied to optimize operations
• What is needed to deploy and operate autonomous forklifts and how fast facilities can get started
• How new financing models are eliminating CapEx budgeting, making autonomous equipment accessible to more facilities
• How smart forklifts can drive continuous improvement

Speakers:

David Soffer, Product Management Lead, Vecna Robotics
Matt Cherewka, Director of Strategy, Vecna Robotics
Van Garrett, Director of AMR Solutions, Vecna Robotics

Moderator:

Robert Bowman, Editor-in-Chief, SupplyChainBrain

If interested, you can reach our team by emailing team@vecnarobotics.com, calling us at (617) 444-9263 or sending us a message through our website: https://www.vecnarobotics.com/connect-with-vecna-robotics/

Your AMR Robots Are Flying by the Seat of their Pants (if They Had Pants)

Cloud Mapping of Your Facility is the Key to Smart Warehouse Robotics

Summary: Most Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) use teach-and-repeat learning that limits their effectiveness. Cloud Mapping unleashes true robot intelligence and maximizes facility throughput.

Have you ever heard the expression, “measure twice, cut once”? It’s better to do a little extra work now, and save yourself a lot of extra work later. This concept applies to autonomous mobile robot (AMR) installation in a very tangible way. When integrating these self-driving vehicles into your logistics workflows, you should take into account how different installation processes can affect their ability to function in dynamic, fast-paced environments.

The Need for Flexibility within Dynamic Logistics Workflows and Changing Environments

Nearly everyone working in material handling can attest to the fact that industrial facilities are dynamic environments, with dynamic logistics workflows that can vary quarter to quarter, week to week, or even day to day. With recent trends showing increasingly rapid shifts in consumer demands, one never knows how a facility may have to adapt.

What is “Teach and Repeat”?

The teach and repeat is AMR programmed to follow specific routes cannot adjust to layout changes. As they only know how to copy – rather than how to adapt – they may be put out of service until remapped. This interruption wastes a good deal of time, one of the more valuable resources in many operations.

Right now, many warehouse robots are trained using “teach and repeat”. This method consists of:

1. Driving a robot to a designated point
2. Hitting record
3. Playing back the recorded route

Essentially, the AMR copies the route where it is driven, and is able to repeat the exact route once it’s shown. Seems easy, right? Well, it might be too easy. This method may get your robot up and running in no time, but you’ll be missing out on a lot of the benefits that a more in-depth installation process can provide.

Robots taught using teach and repeat can only remember individual routes, taking the same path from point A to point B. It will not be able to connect routes on its own, and every path selected must be chosen from a very limiting list of pre-programmed options. Unable to navigate outside its chosen path, the robot will need a little more guidance in decision-making. Someone will always have to choose what the robot does at each location, and it will need specific instructions and more oversight.

Perhaps one of the more costly drawbacks of this method is that the robot is often left to drive back from its job without any transports. Finishing one task only to return to start empty-handed is again, a waste of time and other valuable resources. The time this trip takes could be better spent, but Teach and Repeat AMRs cannot multi-task.

Logistics Workflows Benefit from Comprehensive Mapping and Path-Planning

In contrast to Teach and Repeat, Vecna Robotics’ intelligent AMRs use onboard processing power and comprehensive maps to make decisions. Combined with path-planning technology, AMRs are not only able to multi-task, but can choose the most efficient way to accomplish their assigned task, avoiding traffic jams and factoring in multiple pallet assignments.

Cloud-based Mapping Offers Unique Scalability

Vecna Robotics’ installation and deployment process involves mapping the entire facility once. Because the robots share information with one another, the mapping is done with one robot and then uploaded to the entire fleet, or any added robots later on – making fleet expansion easy. Instead of needing to remap robots every a route changes, the robots already knows every possible route. A fleet of Vecna Robotics’ AMRs can handle over a hundred assignments – and will figure out the best way to complete them. The robots answer to a Fleet Control Dashboard, managed by floor workers, in which tasks are assigned. Here, routes can be altered or “turned off” if necessary.

Rather than taking the time to remap – robots can be told to go anywhere at the click of a button.  They are also able to intelligently navigate changing environments and dynamic logistics workflows using sensor data and advanced topological reasoning.

Learn more about the advanced navigation features of AMR technology here. 

Read the full original article here.

As e-commerce demand spikes and labor shortages strain operations across industries, its becoming increasingly apparent that traditional logistics models are ripe for disruption. Companies are now refining their strategies – with supply chain automation at the forefront of this effort. These days, robotic systems are common fixtures in industrial facilities, setting the stage for a new role to emerge: the robot expert.

Business leaders are starting to recognize how employing a robot expert and coordinator can maximize the value that robots provide. In a recent interview with ZDnet, Bryan Siegal, VP of customer success at Vecna Robotics, and Mahesh Nikan, Shape Corp Excellence System Manager, discuss how Vecna Robotics’ solutions are managed with a robot expert.

What is a Robot Expert?

When a company’s growth rate, ability to find labor, or competitive environment leads them toward automation, they can appoint a team of robot experts to manage the shifts that fleets will be working. Robot experts can also play a key role in the initial deployment process, working with Vecna to plan and implement the robots into workflows. In this stage and throughout operation, robot experts will be well-versed in the robots’ capabilities .

Internal robot experts are trained associates that interact with and operate fleets of robots at an advanced level. Beyond oversight, the expert also serves as the point of contact for Vecna Robotics’ Network Operations Center (NOC) , – a 24/7 online monitoring team that keeps the fleet running continually, automatically and remotely solving any issues that arise.

This role is just starting to take shape, but robot experts should be excited to work with cutting edge technology and comfortable working with industrial equipment and software. Often, these qualifications are learned on the job. In fact, robot experts are not typically degreed engineers but rather associates or supervisory level individuals with an understanding of day-to-day operations.

“The robot expert is the key to ensuring that the productivity gains enabled by a fleet of robots is returned to the company” says Siegal.

The Future of Supply Chain Automation

The role of their robot expert is expanding as supply chain automation becomes more prevalent. Automated facilities are growing in number, and the vehicles themselves are becoming more advanced.

As Shape Corp. grows, so does their fleet. The company is gradually scaling their automated solutions with periodic deployments, readying for high-level automation in the near future.

This push towards supply chain automation includes a commitment to teaching their employees the best operating practices for working with robots, as well as granting AMR certifications. “Shape is developing current team members specializing in forklift operation by utilizing their proficiency in this area to mold them into Autonomous Mobile Robot experts. ” says Nikan, “We want to ensure our team is set up for success for all development opportunities we provide at Shape.”

Read the full article at ZD.net

See Vecna Robotics autonomous tugger, pallet truck and fork truck.

New challenges have arisen as more factories and warehouses add logistics robots to keep up with e-commerce demand and compensate for staffing turnover and shortages. Until now, logistics robots from varying manufacturers have been unable to coordinate movements, serving as a barrier to the adoption of warehouse robotics. With MassRobotics‘ release of the first open-source interoperability standard, this is no longer the case. Interoperable autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) are able to effectively communicate and coordinate on the facility floor.

Autonomous Mobile Robots and the Demand for Interoperability: Live Panel Hosted by MassRobotics

Find out what happens when logistics robots from different vendors are on the same floor at the same time. Tune in July 22, 2021 @ 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm to hear CIO and Founder of Vecna Robotics, Daniel Theobald speak about what’s driving the need for interoperability, how the MassRobotics Interoperability Standard can help, and other efforts in the field. Other featured speakers include Vecna Robotics’ CTO Zachary Dydek, Tom Ryden, President of MassRobotics, and many other industry experts. For those looking to automate, Prat PremSakar will be speaking on behalf of Proctor and Gamble to shed light on the customer perspective and how interoperability impacts their operations.

Agenda:

• The Customer’s Perspective and Benefits

• Overview of the MassRobotics Standard

• Implementation Insights and Challenges Panel

• Implementation Applications Explained

• What’s Next and Other Efforts for Robots

Register Here

The benefits of interoperability will extend to both those in the robotics industry and customers who aim to automate at any level. Interoperable autonomous mobile robots are now able to update and share data that facilitates the highest success of automated operations. Not only will efficiency increase, but valuable, actionable insights will be captured and made available to managers.

MassRobotics is the first organization to address the interoperability challenges that affect the adoption of AMRs into the market. The independent non-profit is driven by a mission to create an innovation hub and startup cluster focused on the needs of the robotics community, fostering innovation and shared growth in the field.

Daniel Theobald has been an outspoken advocate for AMR interoperability. Vecna Robotics has been dedicated to producing AMRs with interoperability capabilities, such as the autonomous warehouse tugger, counterbalanced fork truck and pallet truck.

Daniel Theobald, founder and CIO of Vecna Robotics, was named a 2021 Pro to Know by Supply and Demand Chain Executive (SDEC). Out of hundreds vetted for the annual award, only a handful of industry executives were recognized for achieving excellence in the supply chain industry. Theobald spoke with Mackenna Moralez of SDCE about common misconceptions of automation, why robots cannot successfully replace humans, and the future of a combined workforce.

Watch the full interview below or at SDCE to hear Theobald discuss these topics and more.

Robots cannot do it alone.

Over the last decade, consumer demands have rapidly shifted. The modern shopper is accustomed to pressing a button on their phone and receiving their package nearly immediately – “Like Magic” Theobald says. He believes robotic technology is key to meeting the incredibly high expectations being placed on the material handling industry.

Throughout history, there has always been a drive to make our daily lives more productive. Technological progress has given rise to a better quality of work and of life. However, while there is a limit to what adding more manpower can achieve, there is also a limit to what robots can reach on their own.

“It becomes pretty clear that you can’t just throw people at these problems,” said Theobald on the need for supply chain robotics, “But, we also can’t just throw technology at these problems. Having robots replace humans isn’t ideal.”

Convenience drives innovation, innovation improves lives.

Theobald states that the goal of Vecna Robotics is to increase human prosperity by maximizing human productivity. Robotic solutions are being implemented not to replace jobs, but to improve them. As consumers demand more products and faster delivery, many material handling workers must complete repetitive, tedious tasks just to keep up. These jobs are not satisfying and are not always safe, leading to high turnover rates and labor sourcing costs.

Robots are perfect for repetitive functions, quality precision and around-the-clock work, but humans have unmatched strategic decision-making skills. Automation allows robots to do what robots do best, while providing an opportunity for employees to engage critical thinking in high-value tasks.

“Hollywood has led us to believes robots are perfect and better than humans in every way, which is so far from the truth,” says Theobald, “Humans are amazing, technology is amazing — both have unique skills. When you bring these skills together is when you have a winning team.”

Workflow Orchestration is the future of efficient, multi-agent labor.

The past year has put a great deal of pressure on supply chain leaders to adapt their strategies and prepare their networks for future disruption. Flexibility and efficiency are vital to long term success, and by orchestrating workflows and utilizing the strengths of humans and robots, both can be achieved.

Theobald describes orchestration as having the right resources in the right place, at the right time. When employed, the technology redesigns and optimizes workflows of both humans and robots to achieve maximum efficiency.

Vecna Robotics is recognized as a thought leader in this field and has developed Pivotal, an award-winning multi-agent orchestration engine. A recent study conducted on the implementation of Vecna Robotics’ AMRs showed that end-to-end orchestration of robot and human teams doubles throughput, increases accuracy and reduces injury rates.

Read more on the unique strengths of humans and robots here.

The adoption rate of “self-driving” industrial vehicles such as autonomous forklifts, pallet trucks, and tuggers continues to rise. Warehouses are making the shift towards automation for many reasons – including a lack of available labor and a need to increase efficiency as demand fluctuates and e-commerce grows. However, safety is not to be overlooked as a major benefit of autonomous vehicles. In recognition of National Forklift Safety Day, it is important to note the current incident rate of manually operated vehicles and consider ways in which automation can reduce this.

Dynamic Workflows lead to safety challenges with heavy machinery.

Any warehouse is a complex system of moving parts. A dynamic warehouse environment will pose many challenges when it comes to keeping workers safe, as dangers are bound to arise in any situation that brings people and machines together.

Forklifts are one of the greatest hazards in the warehousing industry. OSHA estimates that on a yearly basis, forklifts cause about 85 fatal accidents, 34,900 accidents resulting in serious injury, and  61,800 non-serious accidents. According to the Industrial Truck Association, there are about 855,900 forklifts in the U.S. If we assume one accident per vehicle, over 11% of all forklifts will be involved in a harmful incident each year.

Current industry conditions have created the perfect storm.

A shift in economic conditions has led to drastic workflow changes. According to industry forecasts, rising e-commerce will cause the sale of manual industrial forklifts in the U.S. to surpass the industry’s 2018 record high by more than 16,000 units. This new equipment will require more labor in an industry that already struggles with staffing and high turnover. With rush hires and inexperienced workers handling high-stress order fulfillment, accident rates are likely to increase.

Autonomous forklifts are safer and more reliable.

By making the switch to autonomous forklifts, you’re not only solving for the current labor shortage, you’re introducing a reliable and thoroughly tested navigation element. Using high-technology sensors and recognition, autonomous forklifts can detect, report, and even solve for obstacles and workflow issues consistently. (With the help of orchestration, autonomous mobile robots can even prioritize completing tasks or solving issues as they arise, so efficiency will increase following implementation.)

With automation, workers can be moved off tedious and dangerous machinery operation and be assigned high-value tasks – offsetting staffing issues and reducing turnover rates. Robots are perfect for repetitive functions, quality precision and around-the-clock work, but humans have unmatched strategic decision-making skills. There is no need to make humans carry out robotic tasks, especially those that too often lead to serious injury.

Download our comprehensive guide to the technology that makes our AMRs safe and efficient.

Read more about autonomous mobile robots and warehouse safety here.