What Are the Functions of the Forklift Robot?

In today's rapidly developing smart manufacturing and intelligent logistics industries, unmanned forklifts (also known as forklift robots or automated guided vehicle forklifts) are becoming a crucial tool for enterprises to achieve cost reduction and efficiency improvements. As a leading brand specialising in the research, development, and manufacturing of intelligent material handling robots, AiTEN Robotics offers a range of intelligent unmanned forklift products that have been widely applied in industries such as automotive, manufacturing, warehousing, food, and 3C, serving as a key enabler for logistics automation upgrades.

This article will provide a detailed analysis of the main functions and core advantages of AiTEN forklift robots, helping businesses stay ahead of technological trends and optimise their logistics investment strategies.

What Is an Unmanned Forklift?

An unmanned forklift is a fully automated material handling device based on a self-developed SLAM navigation system and intelligent scheduling platform, featuring both ‘autonomous driving’ and ‘smart control’ capabilities. Taking the AiTEN AR series forklift robot as an example, this model supports laser navigation, multiple shelf docking configurations, automatic charging, and intelligent obstacle avoidance functions, making it suitable for various operational environments and load requirements.

What is an autonomous forklift? Revolutionizing warehouse operations

The Seven Core Functions of AiTEN's Unmanned Forklift

1. High-Precision Automatic Navigation and Path Planning

AiTEN unmanned forklifts are equipped with a multi-laser SLAM (Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping) fusion positioning system, enabling centimetre-level positioning accuracy in complex dynamic environments. Through pre-set maps and task systems, they autonomously plan optimal paths, automatically avoid obstacles, and operate safely and efficiently. This achieves true flexible mobility, adapting to dynamically changing warehouse layouts, significantly enhancing the intelligence and adaptability of path planning (especially SLAM technology).

2. Intelligent Recognition and Precise Positioning

AiTEN forklift robots support pallet QR code recognition, laser scanning, RFID, and other technologies. Unmanned forklifts can automatically recognise the location, direction, size, and even specific identifiers (such as QR codes/barcodes) of target goods or pallets, ensuring accurate goods recognition and precise positioning, thereby significantly improving handling efficiency and stability.

AiTEN AR series robots support automatic adjustment of fork arm angle, height, and lateral movement, and support dual pallets and irregularly shaped goods.

✅ Precision alignment range error controlled within ±10mm.

3. Automatic Forking and Stacking Operations

The unmanned forklift inherits the core capabilities of traditional forklifts—lifting, transporting, and stacking goods. It can automatically perform a series of standard operations such as picking up goods, transporting them, unloading them, and stacking them. Through automated handling and stacking, it enables the continuous, 24/7 automatic flow of materials between production lines, warehouse areas, and loading/unloading points.

Based on customer requirements, AiTEN unmanned forklifts can be configured with different types of fork structures, including reach-type, high-lift-type, and counterbalanced-type, enabling intelligent stacking operations at heights ranging from 1 meter to 10 meters. They are widely applied in high-rack and narrow-aisle scenarios.

Automated Material Handling (Addressing Labour Shortages)‍

‍Automatic Picking and Placing:

• Precise Fork Control: Utilising depth cameras and laser scanners to quickly identify and locate goods, fully automated pallet picking and placing operations are completed.
• Compatible with Various Conveyors: Supports flexible handling of standard pallets, Euro pallets, and custom racks.
• Clamping-style gripping: Supports stable handling of irregularly shaped items such as paper rolls, tires, and large containers.

‍Lifting and handling:

• Full-stroke automatic lifting: Autonomously performs lifting and lowering actions, supporting high-bay shelf handling (maximum lifting height exceeds 10 meters).
• Unmanned warehousing: Integrates with automatic doors and conveyor line interfaces to achieve unmanned warehouse operation processes.

4. Intelligent Power Management and Automatic Charging

AiTEN unmanned forklifts are equipped with an intelligent battery management system. When the power level falls below the set threshold, it can automatically plan a route to the charging station, dock, and charge. Once fully charged or the specified power level is reached, it automatically returns to working status. This enables 24/7 continuous operation and maximises equipment utilisation.

5. Multi-machine Scheduling and System Integration

The AiTEN scheduling system can be integrated with the customer's existing WMS and MES systems to receive production or warehouse entry/exit instructions from WMS/MES and provide real-time feedback on task execution status, thereby achieving close coordination between logistics operations and core business processes and automated closed-loop management. It is suitable for logistics sites that require multi-device collaboration and high-frequency scheduling.

6. Comprehensive Safety Protection

In addition to obstacle avoidance sensing, the unmanned forklift is equipped with audible and visual alarm devices (warning lights, buzzers), emergency stop buttons, and adheres to strict safety protocols (such as speed zone control and safety distance maintenance).

A comprehensive, multi-layered safety protection system is established to ensure safe and reliable operation under various working conditions, in compliance with international safety standards. This significantly enhances operational safety, prevents collision accidents, and safeguards the safety of personnel, machinery, and cargo. When encountering obstacles, the forklift can automatically decelerate, stop, or manoeuvre around them.

7. Real-time Monitoring and Data Visualization

All AiTEN robots can be remotely monitored via the cloud platform to view their status, trajectories, task records, and fault information. The platform supports data report export and visualisation analysis, enabling centralised and visualised control of devices. This facilitates rapid response to anomalies, improves management efficiency, and enhances operational convenience.

Why Choose AiTEN Unmanned Forklifts?

AiTEN unmanned forklifts utilise 3D laser SLAM navigation technology, offering robust environmental adaptability without requiring significant modifications to the worksite. During actual deployment, simply have a human operator drive the unmanned forklift around the worksite once, and it can quickly complete environmental modelling.

AiTEN unmanned forklifts support modular incremental expansion based on enterprise business needs. Enterprises can gradually increase the number of vehicles according to their business growth without requiring large-scale modifications or upgrades to the existing system, fully demonstrating the flexible adaptability and strong scalability of unmanned forklifts at different stages of enterprise development.

Advantages of choosing AiTEN unmanned forklifts:

• Mature technology: 8 years of accumulated expertise in automated material handling algorithms
• High deployment success rate: Successfully deployed in over 500 scenarios
• Flexible customisation: Supports customised forks, navigation systems, and interaction forms
• Full lifecycle service: Comprehensive support from on-site surveys to remote maintenance

Schlussfolgerung

With the ongoing evolution of Industry 4.0 and smart logistics, AiTEN forklift robots, with their stable, intelligent, and expandable product capabilities, are becoming the preferred solution for smart handling upgrades for all types of enterprises.

These powerful features enable them to:

• Significantly improve logistics efficiency and throughput
• Greatly reduce labour costs and operational risks
• Improve operational accuracy and inventory accuracy
• Enhance workplace safety
• Achieve 24/7 uninterrupted operation
• Provide quantifiable and analyzable logistics data
• Build a flexible and intelligent logistics system

Whether you are a manufacturing enterprise or a large-scale warehouse operator, choosing AiTEN robots means choosing a more efficient, safer, and more sustainable future.

About AiTEN Robotics

As a company specialising in intelligent logistics solutions, AiTEN Robotics has consistently focused on the ‘smart factory’ scenario, deeply integrating technological innovation with industry needs. It has provided comprehensive services to over 200 manufacturing clients worldwide: Leveraging a full range of material handling robot product portfolios to cover diverse material handling scenarios, we have developed an industry-grade intelligent scheduling system to enable efficient collaboration among multiple devices. Through a comprehensive lifecycle service system spanning pre-sales planning, deployment and implementation to operations optimisation, we empower enterprises to achieve logistics intelligence transformation, continuously driving the digital upgrading and high-quality development of the manufacturing industry.

Contact us to explore automation solutions for your factory.