 The LBR iiwa robot |
Robots interacting seamlessly with humans will be one of the big attractions at the Materials Handling Middle East exhibition next month, as automation takes another step toward revolutionising the regional warehouse and intralogistics landscape.
Automated Item Pick, a solution developed by Swisslog, will feature a lightweight robot, LBR iiwa, picking items from AutoStore's storage ports and placing them in delivery bins under the direction of a human operator.
Visitors to Materials Handling Middle East 2015 will see live demonstrations of the ground-breaking system during the three-day trade show from 14-16 September at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The demonstration will underline the potential of the latest warehouse automation technologies that provide customised storage and distribution solutions for a wide range of industries.
Automation in materials handling has been a significant theme in the build-up to Materials Handling Middle East 2015, the region's only dedicated trade and networking event for intralogistics, warehousing, supply chain management, freight and cargo.
A recent survey by analysts Frost & Sullivan indicates that logistics end-users across a range of industries show a strong intent to adopt automation to help streamline operations. However, the initial expense remains a barrier.
"Automation has a cost," says Ahmed Pauwels, CEO of Messe Frankfurt Middle East, organiser of Materials Handling Middle East, "but companies can achieve competitive advantages due to higher productivity, increased throughput and flexibility with scalable solutions.
"With more than 150 brands from 17 countries, Materials Handling Middle East 2015 will feature a range of automated solutions that can work to the advantage of various industries, from retail, hospitality, FMCG and pharmaceuticals to oil & gas and automotive."
Materials Handling Middle East 2015 will include the inaugural Warehousing and Materials Handling Conference, a two-day summit from 15-16 September, analysing key growth drivers and restraints, and emerging trends and their impact on the regional materials handling industry.