Industrial Truck Traffic Control for Priority Routing and Speed Limits
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing industrial truck control systems in logistics facilities are limited in efficiently managing multiple driver-operated trucks, as they lack centralized control and prioritization, leading to suboptimal routing and speed management, especially in areas with fragile or heavy goods and varying task urgency.
Innovation Solution
A method and system where industrial truck drive control devices are connected to a central control apparatus, allowing for wireless communication and independent decision-making based on travel movement commands and truck identifications, enabling prioritization and efficient routing of trucks according to the type, weight, and urgency of goods, as well as driver capabilities and traffic conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If industrial trucks are moved with greatest possible speed to transport goods efficiently, then productivity increases, but safety and collision risk worsen in areas with fragile or heavy goods
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the maximum permitted speeds of industrial trucks based on real-time conditions. The central control apparatus receives data about fragile or heavy goods from goods data and automatically limits speeds in specific zones or for specific trucks, allowing fast transport where safe and slow transport where necessary to prevent damage
Solution Approach 2:
The drive control devices continuously receive feedback from the central control apparatus regarding permitted maximum speeds. The system monitors truck positions, goods types, and traffic conditions, then provides real-time speed recommendations or limitations to drivers through the drive control devices, enabling adaptive speed management that balances productivity and safety
2Productivity
If multiple industrial trucks operate simultaneously in a goods logistics facility, then productivity increases, but traffic management and collision avoidance become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges individual drive control devices of multiple trucks with a central control apparatus into an integrated traffic management system. This centralized coordination enables efficient routing and speed management for multiple trucks simultaneously, preventing traffic jams and collisions while maintaining high throughput
Solution Approach 2:
The drive control devices serve multiple functions: they control truck movement, receive and process goods data, determine permitted maximum speeds, provide driving recommendations to drivers, and communicate with the central control apparatus. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized systems while managing multiple trucks efficiently
3Reliability
If driving assistance systems are used to guide industrial trucks with local limitations, then safety in specific zones improves, but overall facility-wide coordination deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The drive control devices are designed to handle both local zone-specific safety requirements and facility-wide coordination. They process goods data to determine zone-specific speed limitations while simultaneously receiving facility-wide traffic information from the central control apparatus, enabling them to coordinate movements across the entire facility while maintaining local safety standards
Data Source
AI summary
A method for controlling at least two movable industrial trucks (30.1, 30.2, 30.3, 30.4, 30.5) in an area of a goods logistics facility (10). The industrial trucks each have an industrial truck drive control device for controlling the travel movements of the respective industrial truck, which is connected, preferably by wireless means, with a control apparatus (40) of the goods logistics facility, which is central and/or stationary. Individual travel movement control commands and/or individual industrial truck identifications are sent by the control apparatus to the respective industrial truck drive control devices of the industrial trucks so that in a local region (25) of the areas of the goods logistics facility, in which the industrial trucks are moved simultaneously, and preferably driven, the industrial trucks are moved or are drivable in a manner dependent on the individual travel movement control commands and/or dependent on the individual industrial truck identifications.