US warehouse asset tracking systems provider Sky-Trax Inc is partnering with Danaher Motion of Saro, Sweden, to produce the world's first indoor collision avoidance system for industrial vehicles.

Sky-Trax president Larry Mahan says the global reach of the Danaher Motion brand and its leadership in innovation make it an ideal partner to use indoor positioning system (IPS) technology in materials handling safety applications.

The indoor collision avoidance system that is being developed uses Sky-Trax's patent-pending IPS to determine industrial vehicles' precise positions and immediately broadcasts it to other vehicles to warn forklift drivers or AGV navigation systems of impending collisions.

The system can improve employee safety and reduce costs incurred through equipment damage. Capital costs of repairing of replacing AGVs are often overshadowed by supply-chain disruption to warehouse operations, Sky-Trax says.

AGVs are precise in the execution of pre-programmed instructions in route, speed and direction, but the random nature of manned vehicles like forklifts creates the potential for collisions.

"Early feedback from customers indicated this solution will be eagerly embraced in modern materials handling operations worldwide," says Mahan.

The two companies will co-operate in technological development and marketing of the indoor collision avoidance system.

Danaher Motion has 6,100 employees and over 2,000 distribution locations worldwide. It manufactures motion control products to improve manufacturing operations' efficiency and productivity. Its brand names include Dover, Kollmorgen, Pacific Scientific, Portescap and Thomson.