Tokyo, Japan (September 1, 2021) — Mujin was awarded the Robotics Innovation Prize of the Logistics Grand Prizes 2021 for its development of “MujinRobot Palletizer”.
The Logistics Grand Prize, organized by Japan Institute of Logistics Systems, is given for outstanding achievements in the area of logistics promotion by supporting the development of logistics in society and raising the consciousness of those involved in the field of logistics.
In spite of the heavy workload involved, the automation of mixed case palletizing at logistics centers had been technically difficult in the past. Mujin has realized the automation by developing MujinRobot Palletizer, and was highly evaluated as an excellent initiative to realize “people-friendly logistics” that eliminates high-load work.
The Development of MujinRobot Palletizer
MujinRobot Palletizer is an automated solution for mixed case stacking in the shipping process of logistics centers.
Automation of mixed case palletizing with a robot has been considered technically challenging despite the high demand, because it is necessary to consider the optimal packing for the shipping source and the destination, the robot’s range of motion, and the assurance of speed and quality.
Mujin has developed MujinController (the brain), Mujin 3D Vision (the eyes), and MujinHand (the hands) for industrial robots to create the “MujinRobot Palletizer,” an intelligent robot solution to handle the palletizing process.
In the logistics industry, where the labor shortage is becoming increasingly serious, Mujin received recognition for its efforts to realize “people-friendly logistics” so that people can work more comfortably.
Learn more about the MujinRobot Palletizer, which has been used by many logistics centers.
Another challenge was the need to upgrade the distribution center’s operations without causing significant disruption. Given the critical role of this facility in the retailer’s supply chain, minimizing downtime was essential. Mujin’s team meticulously planned the installation process, coordinating work during off-peak hours to ensure that the distribution center could continue its operations with minimal interruption. This strategic approach allowed for the seamless integration of the new system, demonstrating Mujin’s commitment to both innovation and operational continuity.
By leveraging the capabilities of the MujinController platform and a strategic approach to system integration, Mujin successfully overcame these obstacles. The result was a robust automation solution that met the retailer’s needs and set a new standard for efficiency, accuracy, and reliability in mixed-SKU depalletizing.
Judge’s Comments
As the working population in Japan continues to decline, the logistics industry is facing a serious shortage of manpower. In addition, there is a need to create a working environment where people can work more easily, and there is a need to free people from heavy work in the warehouse. However, automation has not yet been achieved for operations such as shipping to retail stores, where multiple products with different dimensions, etc., are stacked in a cart rack for shipment.
Under these circumstances, Mujin has developed a robot that can palletize cases of different sizes and weights in a cart ruck, etc., taking into account the rules such as placing heavy items underneath to avoid crushing the load and to prevent it from collapsing, as well as the display efficiency of the destination and the loading efficiency of the truck. In addition to being able to handle multiple loading units such as pallets and cages with a single robot, the robot can detect the distortion of the fixtures and correct the robot’s movement, thus achieving versatility and availability.
This initiative was recognized as an outstanding effort to realize “people-friendly logistics” by eliminating high-load work for people.
(Cited and translated from Japan Institute of Logistics Systems website)
