The three winners of the BEST PRODUCT Awards 2017

Stuttgart, 14 March 2017. For the 14th time, as part of the opening ceremony to LogiMAT 2017, the BEST PRODUCT Awards will be presented to products and solutions from the exhibitors at this International Trade Fair for Distribution, Materials Handling and Information Flow. Among the innovations are the Hybrid TAG which covers a range of different radio standards, a software system that permanently monitors the condition of intralogistics equipment, and an order-picking robot that combines excellent performance, maximum flexibility and error-free picking in one system. All three products met the competition criteria, in terms of rationalisation, cost-saving and increasing productivity and they were selected from over 100 entries by a seven-strong jury of scientists and trade journalists in a meticulous judging procedure.

 

1. In the category "Order picking, Conveying, Lifting, Storage technology" the award goes to KNAPP AG, Hart, near Graz, Austria (Stand 3B03 in Hall 3) for the order-picking robot “Pick-it-Easy Robot”.

At the heart of Logistics 4.0 is the smart, integrated intralogistics system. One aspect of this is robot technology. In intralogistics the demands on robotics and sensorics as regards object identification and gripping are highly complex. Many components have to work together harmoniously for proper implementation of these processes.
Pick-it-Easy Robot is a fully-automatic picking robot that is suited to processing a wide variety of articles, especially slow and medium-moving articles that represent a large portion of the SKUs in the warehouse. Despite medium to low turnover rate, the many different items mean there is a large number of order lines to process. The “Pick-it-Easy Robot” cell works reliably and error-free, opening up a new dimension in intralogistics. In permanent use, the Pick-it-Easy Robot brings a considerable increase in productivity while keeping quality high, as compared to manual picking. An ideally designed manual goods-to-person workstation can produce a picking performance of up to 1,000 articles per hour – but maintaining this performance over a longer period of time is hardly possible for a human operator. In warehouse environments where high throughput is required on a permanent basis, the Pick-it-Easy Robot is a sensible alternative to human operatives.

 

2. In the category “Software, Communication, IT” the winner is Swisslog AG (Hall 1,Stand 1B51) with the software solution “Condition Monitoring”.

The idea behind “Condition Monitoring” is to equip the mechanics of new intralogistics plant with modern sensorics that constantly monitors the condition of all elements in the warehouse through measurements, visualisation and modern analysis methods. From this, over a certain period of time, there emerges a clear picture of which components in the warehouse are particularly susceptible to wear; this information in turn means it becomes possible to reduce to a minimum any system downtimes resulting from the need to carry out maintenance. The entire productivity and efficiency of logistics systems is thereby enhanced. Ideally “Condition Monitoring” is combined with “System Availability Service” to deliver specific information on the ideal maintenance intervals for individual trades or entire logistics facilities.
The particular advantage of Condition Monitoring is not only the immediate identification of problems in the logistics system which can then be remedied promptly – this applies also to control systems. Rather the continuous and comprehensive monitoring of the condition means that the conventional maintenance method used so far can be replaced by a targeted preventive strategy, step by step.

 

3. In the category “Identification, Packaging and Loading technology, Load securing” the prize goes to the innovative start-up company conbee GmbH, Wehrheim, Germany (BMWi Pavilion, Hall 6 Stand 6C61e) for the “LoRa™/BLE Hybrid-TAG”.

The hybrid TAG is based on LoRa™ and BT-4.1 specification – with a range of 1m up to 25km. The TAG has authentication functions, is tamper-proof and can be fitted with various sensors e.g. for 3D acceleration, temperature, light and with a magnetometer. In a definable interval, or event-controlled, the TAG automatically reports upon demand its identification number, temperature, movement, light and acceleration data as well as the battery status and position. The hybrid TAG has GNSS position data which can be read out via a smartphone/Tablet or gateway connection. The TAG operates without a SIM card and is compatible with various applications and cloud software, as well as common smartphones and Tablets.
Also the TAG is suitable for private / public LoRa™ WAN networks. Big-data access via LoRa™ WAN network providers and cloud providers are also possible. Each TAG is remotely configurable and reusable. The conbee TAG is quickly integrated and ready for use. It offers ideal conditions for applications in container management, pallet tracking, storage optimisation, telematics, asset scenarios, location, theft protection, facility management, indoor & outdoor positioning and much more.

 

Background information:
The 'BEST PRODUCT' Award was launched fourteen years ago by the organiser of LogiMAT, as a way of highlighting the achievements of its exhibitors, many of which are small and medium-sized companies. Since then the award has been presented to innovative products that make a significant contribution towards rationalisation, cost-saving and to increasing productivity in intralogistics. The BEST PRODUCT Award is presented in three categories:

∙ Software, Communication, IT
∙ Order picking, Conveying, Lifting, Storage technology
∙ Identification, Packaging and Loading technology, Load securing

The winners are selected by an independent jury who critically assess all the entries in line with the above-mentioned criteria ahead of the trade fair. The jury is composed of representatives from industry, science and the media. The award is now one of the most coveted accolades in the intralogistics sector. The winners are presented with their awards – a certificate and a medal – at the official opening ceremony to LogiMAT.

The members of the BEST PRODUCT Awards jury:
Jan Kaulfuhs-Berger, trade magazine, Hebezeuge Fördermittel
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Willibald A. Günthner, VDI-Gesellschaft Produktion und Logistik (VDI-GPL)
Prof. Dr.-Ing Rolf Jansen, Institut für Distributions- und Handelslogistik (IDH) des VVL e.V.
Thilo Jörgl, trade magazine, LOGISTIK HEUTE
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolf Michael Scheid, VDI-Gesellschaft Produktion und Logistik (VDI-GPL)
Tobias Schweikl, trade magazine, LOGISTRA
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Karl-Heinz Wehking, Institut für Fördertechnik und Logistik, University of Stuttgart

 

About LogiMAT
The next LogiMAT will take place at Messe Stuttgart, directly adjacent to Stuttgart airport, March 14–16, 2017. LogiMAT 2016 drew 1,280 international exhibitors from 32 countries, filling eight exhibition halls with the latest solutions and product developments for smart, sustainable intralogistics. The three-day trade show attracted 43,466 trade visitors from 60 countries in 2016. It offers a complete overview of the market and is now regarded as the largest annual event of its type in the world. Within the framework of LogiMAT, TradeWorld features exhibitors showcasing e-commerce and omnichannel solutions for businesses in the manufacturing, commercial, and service sectors. The exhibition, and the accompanying programme of forums at TradeWorld represent a strategic competence of LogiMAT. Alongside the exhibition LogiMAT also offers a diverse program of lectures each day, staged in the heart of the halls, on a wide range of themes.

 

Munich, 14.03.2017 Reproduction free of charge. Copies of publication to: EUROEXPO GmbH, Presse- und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit, 80912 Munich, Germany.