Empowering Food and Beverage Plants with AI-Driven Autonomous Material Movement Technology
Ati Motors, a global leader in AI and autonomous robotics, announces the launch of its groundbreaking Sherpa XT Lite, an autonomous electric tug that automates the transport of ingredients and finished products to transform material handling in food and beverage manufacturing. This innovative self-driving vehicle is set to redefine efficiency, safety, and productivity in the food and beverage industry.
The Sherpa XT Lite boasts an impressive 3500 lb (1500 kg) tugging capacity, enabling the effortless movement of heavy pallets of raw materials and packaged goods. This robust capability enhances productivity in manufacturing processes, effectively automating the transport of ingredients and finished products, reducing manual labor and increasing operational efficiency in production lines. Its compact size of 55 x 25 x 43 in (1395 × 640 × 1096 mm) allows for easy navigation in tight spaces within food manufacturing facilities, optimizing workflow and minimizing disruption during production activities. The ability to tug up to three carts increases efficiency by enabling simultaneous transport of multiple loads, reducing the number of trips required on the production floor.
Safety is paramount in food and beverage manufacturing, and the Sherpa XT Lite delivers on this front with its advanced 3D Lidar and Camera sensors. These features improve safety by providing real-time obstacle detection, reducing the risk of accidents in environments where sensitive materials are handled. The robot’s IPX4 rating provides protection against rain and water splashes, making it suitable for various industrial environments within the manufacturing facility. The ISO 3691-4 compliance ensures adherence to safety standards specific to industrial trucks, promoting a safer working environment in food and beverage manufacturing settings.
Designed for continuous operation, the Sherpa XT Lite is equipped with a swappable 48V NMC Lithium-Ion battery, offering an impressive 8-hour run time. This feature minimizes downtime during shifts, allowing for continuous operation and efficient material handling throughout production cycles. The extended run time supports operations without frequent recharging, which is essential for maintaining high productivity levels in food and beverage manufacturing.
The Sherpa XT Lite’s auto un-hitch functionality streamlines the connection and disconnection of trolleys carrying ingredients or finished products, improving efficiency during loading and unloading processes. Its custom hitch and trolley design adapts to various types of food containers and packaging trolleys, ensuring compatibility with existing processes without significant infrastructure changes.
In line with Industry 4.0 principles, the Sherpa XT Lite is designed for seamless integration with manufacturing execution systems. This ERP integration enhances coordination with production schedules and inventory management systems, leading to better resource allocation and planning specific to food and beverage needs. It operates effectively in temperatures from +41°F to +113°F (+5° to +45°C) and in various lighting conditions, including twilight and dark mode operations, ensuring consistent productivity across diverse indoor and outdoor settings. The robot’s natural navigation capability eliminates the need for additional infrastructure investments, making it cost-effective to implement automation solutions in existing facilities.
The Sherpa XT Lite is compatible with various fleet management systems, including Ati Motors’ own Fleet Manager. This feature provides insights into fleet performance and maintenance needs, optimizing material flow specific to food and beverage manufacturing tasks. Additionally, its VDA 50-50 compliance ensures it can connect with any VDA 50-50 compliant fleet manager, offering flexibility in fleet management solutions.
Demonstrating its versatility, the Sherpa XT Lite can operate on inclines of up to 10% gradient (with deration), with full payload capacity maintained on inclines up to 2%. This capability increases its adaptability to various manufacturing facility layouts and environments typical in food and beverage production.
As food and beverage manufacturing plants continue to embrace automation, the Sherpa XT Lite stands at the forefront of this transformation. By reducing reliance on manual labor, improving safety, and enhancing overall operational efficiency, it allows manufacturing staff to focus on higher-value tasks.
For more information about the Sherpa XT Lite and its applications, visit https://atimotors.com/robot/
About Ati Motors
Ati Motors is a leading autonomous mobile robot manufacturer, revolutionizing industries with AI-powered robotics inspired by self-driving cars. Specializing in manufacturing facilities, Ati’s product range includes Tugs, Bin Movers, Pallet Movers, and Lifting Platforms. Their flagship Sherpa Tug, featuring 3D navigation and outdoor capabilities, has logged over 500,000 kilometers across 50+ factories. Serving global leaders in automotive, appliances, aerospace, and electronics sectors, Ati Motors has secured over $37M in funding.
