The 2021 Modex conference brought about a noticeable trend: truck unloading is now the focus of many companies in the warehouse robotics industry. What was once a task taken on by a select few has now become a priority for all. The majority of solutions involve a robotic arm attached to a mobile base, allowing for movement in and out of crates.
But among all the similar systems, there was one that stood out – TruckBot. At first glance, it was difficult to understand what I was looking at when I saw the system for the first time at last year’s show. From the vantage point of the Mujin booth’s mezzanine meeting rooms, my attention was immediately drawn to the large industrial robot arm in the foreground – a familiar sight in this industry.
However, instead of the usual setup, TruckBot sat on top of a conveyer belt. In fact, it can even be considered a part of the belt itself. This unique system has the ability to move vertically (up to 10 feet), horizontally, and has a 52-foot reach that allows it to access containers without ever leaving its spot on the belt. Interestingly, the company uses robotic terminology when referring to the system, including terms like “wrist articulation” and “gripper” – which in reality, is a series of pneumatic suction cups that attach to the side of the box.
Truck unloading is an incredibly physically demanding task in warehouse work, leading to the recent focus on developing solutions by companies like Pickle Robotics and Boston Dynamics. Not only is it repetitive and exhausting, but unloading containers located outside of warehouses can also be dangerous due to extreme temperatures depending on the season.
TruckBot may not have the agility of Boston Dynamics’ Stretch, but its clever design seamlessly integrates the picking process into the conveyor system. The system is capable of handling a variety of sizes, with each box weighing up to 50 pounds. Mujin boasts the ability to process up to 1,000 boxes per hour with this system, which reminded me of a large, metallic herbivorous dinosaur in action.
“TruckBot is a game-changer for warehouses looking to streamline their operations and reduce costs,” the company proudly states. “The dock door is the largest bottleneck in our supply chain and unloading trailers is back-breaking work. TruckBot will improve safety and effectiveness for warehouses across the globe while unlocking the possibility for true fully autonomous operations.”
This impressive robot is the latest addition to Mujin’s ecosystem, which also includes robots for palletizing, depalletizing, and piece picking. The company’s next goal for TruckBot is to figure out how to load trucks, although this may require some adjustments to the “gripper” system.
