Yale, Balyo partner for robotic lift truck

The Yale MPE080VG end rider uses “Driven by Balyo” technology to operate as a robotic lift truck. The robotic lift truck independently picks up, transports and drops off pallets anywhere on the floor, according to Yale.

The robotic lift truck offers quick start-up and flexibility to accommodate changing demands and layouts. The infrastructure-free navigation technology requires no tape, wire or magnets for guidance, according to the company. Instead, it relies on existing structural features such as walls, racking and columns to self-locate and navigate.

Balyo’s technology selects structural elements of the facility to build a map. Once the map is created, each self-guided truck compares, in real time, what its navigation module sees against the stored map, allowing the truck to self-locate, and move along its intended path.

The truck is equipped with both manual and automatic modes for operation in shared environments alongside employees and manually operated trucks. The Balyo architecture can also scale according to operational demands, according to Yale.

In addition to autonomous navigation, the built-in management system works to reduce total cost of operation. Its advanced obstacle-detection features control truck speed in real time, affording smooth movement while minimizing unnecessary stops and shocks, allowing up to 20,000 hours of use, according to the company.

The Driven by Balyo technology can interface with a facility’s warehouse management system for advanced integration, and the 7-inch LCD touch screen, referred to as “Robot Manager”, provides all necessary controls, status and information for operation.

Operations can receive comprehensive support for the robotic lift truck from the Yale dealer network, offering remote monitoring, maintenance and service.

Hyster-Yale Group announced a preferred vendor cooperation agreement with Balyo earlier this year to market self-guided trucks in North America. Through this agreement, Hyster-Yale Group, the manufacturer of Hyster and Yale lift trucks, will offer robotic high-productivity solutions for the materials handling industry, while Balyo aims to accelerate adoption of its innovative robotic solutions.