After wrapping up a successful week at MODEX in Atlanta, it’s fun to reflect on some of the new and exciting eye-catching products of the show. It was interesting to see how the different companies expressed their interpretations of the industry’s up-and-coming technology and how they felt their products could make processes faster, easier, safer and — in some cases — higher-tech.
Not all too surprising, it seemed the most ubiquitous topics were automation, robotics, new technology and better energy usage. These are all pretty prevalent topics in the industry in general, so it was interesting to see how the companies dealing with material handling were responding to these up and coming trends.
Here are a few things that caught my eye at MODEX this year:
Clearpath’s OTTO
An industrial self-driving vehicle that maps the plant on the first "walk" and can navigate freely afterwards with no need for changes to the facility. OTTO's power system is modeled after the Tesla Model S.
UNEX’s Pick-Plank
Made of industrial steel and able to fit any standard GMA pallet, the guide can slide the back half of the pallet forward so workers don't have to reach and bend to pick items in the back.
Muller LCS’ Yellow Jacket
Designed for oddly-shaped loads, it doesn't require the pallet to leave the forklift, reducing the labor team from a few people to just one. The special "Jacket Film" can wrap tightly around awkward objects on a pallet, saving time as compared to hand-wrapping.
APEX’s Actylus Smart Bin System
In this automated bin solution, each bin can automatically detect low levels on inventory and send an alert to the distributor, eliminating downtime or multiple trips for distributors to check the amount of inventory, retrieve what's needed, and return with the necessary items.
Wildeck’s Wilgard Guard Rails (LT, MT and XT)
Based on varied needs for a plant's specific operations, Wildeck's Wilguard rails come in three levels of toughness: LT (light), MT (medium) and XT (extra tough). The XT is, according to the company, the strongest in the industry and can take a 13,000 load impact traveling at 4 mph.
These are just a few of the innovative products and technologies presented by exhibitors throughout the show held April 4 through April 7.
Were you at MODEX this year? What caught your eye? Tweet me or comment below!
