It could also be called "RoboCap" or "RoCapture". But now it's the "RoCaP", with which Linde MH and Rossmann, one of the largest drugstore chains in Europe, are launching a novel robotic vehicle with a multi-axis gripper arm for autonomous order picking in the warehouse.
The robotic case picker removes individual packages of goods from the shelf and assembles them on a portable carrier. Following successful testing, Rossmann is investing in the first units.
Picking mixed pallets or roll containers is one of the most labor-intensive tasks in the warehouse.
The breakthrough in the camp
For years, companies have been searching for solutions to automate the manual assembly of orders onto pallets or roll containers, thereby not only relieving the burden on employees but also reducing error rates and counteracting the growing labor shortage. The Linde RoCaP, it is said, promises to be the breakthrough in this regard.
According to company communications, the preliminary development of the new robotic vehicle at Linde MH was completed in March of this year. The "proof of concept" marked the next milestone in validating the market viability of the innovative vehicle under real-world operating conditions at a customer's site.
The internationally operating family business Rossmann immediately showed interest in the concept, as those responsible there had been looking for a solution for some time to employees, especially when picking the outer packaging which weighs up to 25 kilograms relieve
As a first step, the company-specific requirements for use at the Burgwedel regional warehouse were defined. This was followed by a test deployment lasting several weeks, after which those responsible at Rossmann were pleasantly surprised.
Multi-week test deployment
“The Linde RoCaP has the potential to represent a significant advancement for warehouse logistics. It can help counteract the existing shortage of skilled workers and relieve employees of physically demanding tasks ,” says Hendrik van Duuren, Managing Director of Rossmann Logistics.
For Linde MH, the collaboration with Rossmann is also extremely valuable. "The joint further development of the vehicle with our customers ensures long-term market success," confirms Frank Wiezorek, Senior Director IKA Solutions for Linde MH.
The new Linde RoCaP is based on the Linde L-MATIC HD k automated high-lift pallet truck with a 1.6-tonne lifting capacity and a travel speed of up to 7.2 km/h. The vehicle, navigation, and safety technology, as well as the battery compartment, mast, and automation arch, were adopted from the standard production vehicle. This ensures cost advantages and robustness.
Lots of high-tech
New is the four-axis, intelligent robot arm, permanently attached to the forklift, which picks the packages and places them on the goods carrier. The load handling unit for roll containers was specially designed for use at Rossmann. It is supported by steel columns and also features a foldable ramp attached to the vehicle. Roll containers can be pushed up and down this ramp, which also secures them firmly in place during transport.
The Linde RoCaP receives its orders via a server interface from Rossmann's warehouse management the RoCaP management system determines such as the size and weight of the order items, as well as the optimal route, shelf position.
Once there, the robotic arm springs into action. It is equipped with a 3D camera featuring NVIDIA AI chips. In real time, the camera recognizes the pallets, verifies their correctness, performs optical measurements, and defines the three-dimensional "workspace." This is followed by a complex surface scan. The system determines the precise location of the packages on the pallet and selects the appropriate one according to defined operational specifications. The robotic arm then grasps the package using vacuum suction and lifts it.
Ideal for brownfield use
“The collaboration with Rossmann has shown how much potential the Linde RoCaP has. We now want to further exploit this potential with the company, which operates nearly 5,000 stores across Europe,” says Peter Krumbholz, project manager from the Advanced Robotic Solutions division, who oversees the development for the Linde brand. The aim is to gradually reduce the time-consuming manual order picking process in Rossmann's warehouse.
Cleverly, the Linde RoCaP is designed to be adaptable to other warehouses and distribution centers . "The concept is modular, meaning we can also equip other automated vehicle models with the gripper arm," explains development engineer Krumbholz. It is ideally suited for brownfield automation with established warehouse layouts and mixed operations.
Thanks to sophisticated safety technology for the vehicle and robotic arm, the Linde RoCaP can work side-by-side with human colleagues in the same aisle. "The mix of manual and automated or autonomous vehicles in warehousing and production will become increasingly common in the future ," explains Frank Wiezorek.
With 65,500 employees in Europe and 4,966 stores, including 2,311 in Germany, Rossmann is one of Europe's largest drugstore chains. Offering 23,000 drugstore items, 5,500 of which are under its own 28 brands, Rossmann presents a comprehensive product range. Revenue in 2024: €15.3 billion (Germany: €9.9 billion).
