The brand new Flexley Stack F712 autonomous forklift can work in storage and retrieval. Supply ABB Robotics.
ABB Robotics at the moment launched the Flexley Stack F712, an autonomous forklift. The corporate mentioned the newest addition to its cell robotic portfolio creates a extra full, interoperable ecosystem.
ABB mentioned it designed the Flexley Stack F712 for demanding materials dealing with, end-of-line storage, and warehouse operations throughout industries, together with automotive manufacturing. The corporate mentioned its new autonomous cell robotic (AMR) can improve effectivity, flexibility, and scalability.
“Throughout intralogistics operations, companies are being requested to course of larger volumes in much less time, whereas working with more and more restricted assets,” acknowledged Marc Segura, president of ABB Robotics. “They’re underneath stress to maneuver items quicker and with larger flexibility, whereas labor availability is changing into a vital constraint.”
“As a part of our journey to extra autonomous versatile robotics — AVR — we’ve mixed superior imaginative and prescient, mobility and intelligence within the Flexley Stack F712 forklift, finishing our scalable, AI-powered AMR portfolio,” he mentioned. “This can be a turning level in industrial robotics. AVR permits robots to function in a reactive manner in unstructured environments, redefining what they will do.”
Flexley Stack makes use of vSLAM slightly than put in infrastructure
The Flexley Stack F712 can deal with a number of load varieties and sizes, because of adjustable forks, in accordance with ABB Robotics. This contains open and closed pallets, containers, or racks, with hundreds as much as 2,000 kg (4,409.2 lb.) and heights of as much as 8.5 m (27.8 ft.).
Not like standard automated forklifts in the marketplace, the F712 makes use of visible simultaneous localization and mapping (vSLAM) to navigate its setting, mentioned ABB. This eliminates the necessity for pre-installed infrastructure like markers or reflectors.
“Conventional localization appears on the world with skinny 2D lidar slices, however now we’ve a wealthy 3D view and might share maps throughout our fleet of stackers, movers, and tuggers,” mentioned Renaud DubĂ©, head of analysis and improvement at Sevensense by ABB, throughout a press briefing.
The AI-enabled system helps the autonomous selections required to function in advanced, dynamic warehouse operations with a market-leading positional accuracy of ±10 mm (0.3 in.), asserted the corporate.
The brand new AMR joins the Flexley Tug and Flexley Mover in ABB Robotics’ rising vSLAM fleet. The P604 is an omnidirectional platform that may carry two pallets, whereas the smaller P2603 AMR works with totally different high modules, defined Ricardo Martinez, R&D product expertise supervisor at ABB Robotics. The F712 may also work with the corporate’s industrial robotic arms.
“Throughout the globe, firms share with us their issues with hiring forklift drivers. SLAM permits flexibility,” mentioned Alfonso Gonzalez, world AMR product line supervisor at ABB Robotics. “By integrating all our AMRs with the identical navigation expertise, we allow them to work seamlessly collectively. There’s a bonus for AMRs to have the ability to work on the identical undertaking — they’re not restricted or remoted.”
The extra agile AMRs can cut back operational prices, enhance return on funding (ROI), and function safely across the clock, asserted ABB Robotics. The flexibility of various AMR varieties to collaborate on the identical workflows will translated into larger flexibility for logistics processes together with line feeding, pallet dealing with, and scalable storage, mentioned Martinez.
Functions embody intralogistics duties equivalent to warehouse storage and retrieval, in addition to line provide, end-of-line dealing with, body- and press-shop, and drive-in and lightweight buffer within the automotive and industrial sectors.
F712 complies with requirements, works with AMR Studio
The Flexley Stack F712 is absolutely built-in with the AMR Studio software program and is VDA 5050-compatible, enabling interoperability with ABB Robotics’ different AMRs, all of which can now have vSLAM. Its integration with different techniques makes it straightforward to handle advanced initiatives with various kinds of cell robots, the corporate mentioned.
Along with AMR Studio, this may shorten commissioning instances by as much as 20% and adapt immediately when a warehouse or manufacturing flooring format modifications. The no-code, drag-and-drop software program suite helps fast setup, fleet coordination, visitors administration and real-time visualization. ABB mentioned its tugs, movers, and forklifts can function collectively in the identical format for “scalable, turnkey” automation initiatives.
“Prospects can design workflows in a single, user-friendly interface,” mentioned Ainhoa Narváez, UX/UI designer and industrial design engineer at ABB Robotics. “AMR Studio democratizes automation. It permits true collaboration for operational effectivity primarily based on real-time knowledge, and it could increase as wants evolve.”
Licensed to the newest ISO and ANSIÂ security requirements, Flexley Stack F712 can safely function at speeds of as much as 1.7 m/s (3.8 mph) whereas loaded, the corporate mentioned. The brand new raise truck is now obtainable, mentioned Martinez.
By combining autonomous forklifts, tugs, and movers on one platform, ABB Robotics mentioned it permits clients to automate a broader vary of material handling and intralogistics processes. As one of many world’s main robotic producers, ABB Robotics’ portfolio contains industrial robots, cobots, and AMRs for a variety of industries, together with automotive, electronics, and logistics.
In October 2025, ABB Group introduced plans to promote its robotics unit to SoftBank Group for $5.3 billion. ABB Robotics has about 7,000 workers, and its U.S. headquarters and manufacturing unit are in Auburn Hills, Mich.
ABB Robotics acquired a 2026 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award for its OmniCore EyeVision system, which permits robots to autonomously adapt to advanced environments.
As well as, Ford Motor Co. lately recognized ABB Robotics as a 2026 Ford Provider of the Yr within the Oblique Industrial Gear and Development Excellence Class. The automaker mentioned it honored ABB’s efficiency, dedication, and collaboration through the 2025 fiscal yr.
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