Egemin Automation, Inc. is showing what it says are the first vehicles designed to automatically unload trailers.

Automatic trailer loading with AGVs was the talk of ProMat two years ago. This year, Egemin Automation, Inc. (Booth 2347) is expanding that concept with what it says are the first vehicles designed to automatically unload trailers. “We call our approach to the AGV market Human-Way solutions,” said Mark Stevenson, vice president of business development. “If a man aboard lift truck can do it, then an AGV can do it.”

Trailer unloading is more difficult for automatic guided vehicles than trailer loading because trailers aren’t always centered at the dock and because loads can shift in transit. The vehicles don’t easily sense and adjust to those changes. Egemin’s vehicles solve that problem by using forks that can be automatically adjusted to the position of a load once the onboard sensors and software calculate the location of a pallet.

Stevenson added that Egemin’s technology uses advanced software and the application of common, off-the-shelf control components. The suppliers said the payback for these systems is typically in the 1 to 2 year range with an ROI in excess of 45%.

In addition, the vehicles have been designed to work with push-back racking applications as well as deep lane storage racking systems.

“Push-back racking is one of the most common and efficient storage methods for palletized and unitized loads, with millions of pallet locations currently installed,” Stevenson said. “In the past, AGVs have not been used to service push-back racking due to the challenge of loading and unloading the rack with automation. This system has overcome those challenges.”