The brand new Flexley Stack F712 autonomous forklift can work in storage and retrieval. Supply ABB Robotics.
ABB Robotics in the present day launched the Flexley Stack F712, an autonomous forklift. The corporate stated the most recent addition to its cell robotic portfolio creates a extra full, interoperable ecosystem.
ABB stated 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 stated its new autonomous cell robotic (AMR) can improve effectivity, flexibility, and scalability.
“Throughout intralogistics operations, companies are being requested to course of higher volumes in much less time, whereas working with more and more restricted assets,” said Marc Segura, president of ABB Robotics. “They’re underneath stress to maneuver items quicker and with higher flexibility, whereas labor availability is turning into a crucial constraint.”
“As a part of our journey to extra autonomous versatile robotics — AVR — now we have mixed superior imaginative and prescient, mobility and intelligence within the Flexley Stack F712 forklift, finishing our scalable, AI-powered AMR portfolio,” he stated. “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 moderately than put in infrastructure
The Flexley Stack F712 can deal with a number of load varieties and sizes, because of adjustable forks, based on ABB Robotics. This contains open and closed pallets, containers, or racks, with masses as much as 2,000 kg (4,409.2 lb.) and heights of as much as 8.5 m (27.8 ft.).
In contrast to typical automated forklifts available on the market, the F712 makes use of visible simultaneous localization and mapping (vSLAM) to navigate its atmosphere, stated ABB. This eliminates the necessity for pre-installed infrastructure like markers or reflectors.
“Conventional localization seems on the world with skinny 2D lidar slices, however now now we have a wealthy 3D view and might share maps throughout our fleet of stackers, movers, and tuggers,” stated Renaud Dubé, head of analysis and growth at Sevensense by ABB, throughout a press briefing.
The AI-enabled system helps the autonomous choices required to function in advanced, dynamic warehouse operations with a market-leading positional accuracy of ±10 mm (0.3 in.), asserted the firm.
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 prime modules, defined Ricardo Martinez, R&D product know-how supervisor at ABB Robotics. The F712 also can work with the corporate’s industrial robotic arms.
“Throughout the globe, corporations share with us their issues with hiring forklift drivers. SLAM permits flexibility,” stated Alfonso Gonzalez, international AMR product line supervisor at ABB Robotics. “By integrating all our AMRs with the identical navigation know-how, we allow them to work seamlessly collectively. There’s a bonus for AMRs to have the ability to work on the identical mission — they’re not restricted or remoted.”
The extra agile AMRs can scale back operational prices, enhance return on funding (ROI), and function safely across the clock, asserted ABB Robotics. The power of various AMR varieties to collaborate on the identical workflows will translated into higher flexibility for logistics processes together with line feeding, pallet dealing with, and scalable storage, stated Martinez.
Functions embody intralogistics duties similar to warehouse storage and retrieval, in addition to line provide, end-of-line dealing with, body- and press-shop, and drive-in and light-weight 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 is able to now have vSLAM. Its integration with different programs makes it straightforward to handle advanced tasks with various kinds of cell robots, the corporate stated.
Along with AMR Studio, this may shorten commissioning occasions by as much as 20% and adapt immediately when a warehouse or manufacturing flooring structure modifications. The no-code, drag-and-drop software program suite helps speedy setup, fleet coordination, visitors administration and real-time visualization. ABB stated its tugs, movers, and forklifts can function collectively in the identical structure for “scalable, turnkey” automation tasks.
“Clients can design workflows in a single, user-friendly interface,” stated Ainhoa Narváez, UX/UI designer and industrial design engineer at ABB Robotics. “AMR Studio democratizes automation. It permits true collaboration for operational effectivity based mostly on real-time knowledge, and it might probably develop as wants evolve.”
Licensed to the most recent ISO and ANSI 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 stated. The brand new elevate truck is now obtainable, stated Martinez.
ABB Robotics improvements earn recognition
By combining autonomous forklifts, tugs, and movers on one platform, ABB Robotics stated it permits prospects to automate a broader vary of materials dealing with and intralogistics processes. As one of many world’s main robotic producers, ABB Robotics’ portfolio contains industrial robots, cobots, and AMRs for a spread 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 obtained 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 acknowledged ABB Robotics as a 2026 Ford Provider of the 12 months within the Oblique Industrial Tools and Development Excellence Class. The automaker stated it honored ABB’s efficiency, dedication, and collaboration in the course of the 2025 fiscal yr.
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