Archive

In front of an audience of numerous high-ranking representatives from politics, industry, administration and the media, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML demonstrated the initial results of the “Digital Testbed Air Cargo” (DTAC) research project at Munich Airport on May 13 - a groundbreaking presentation of solutions that will make optimal use of the potential of digital technologies and actively shape the future of air cargo.

An end to paper-based freight documents, more digitalization in freight transport and logistics services and a uniform legal framework at EU level so that authorities can accept relevant freight transport information in electronic form: These are the three main objectives of the European Union's eFTI Regulation, which was adopted in 2020.

Change at the top of the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML: As of April 1, Prof. Alice Kirchheim is taking over the Material Flow Systems department at Fraunhofer IML, along with the Chair of Material Handling and Warehousing at TU Dortmund University.

This white paper takes a closer look at two racking systems for high-density storage: the Pallet Flow System (pallet flow racking) and the semi-automatic Pallet Shuttle System (shuttle racking).

The German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) has launched the "Forestguard" pilot project to support deforestation-free supply chains as part of the Export Initiative for Environmental Protection (EXI). The Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML in Dortmund is working with the REWE Group and Schirmer Kaffee GmbH, among others, to develop an open source solution, initially for tracking the coffee supply chain. The solution combines blockchain technology with other technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and geographical information systems.

Food, car parts and building materials are continuously crossing Germany and the rest of Europe by truck. Each journey involves administration and there are also papers to be signed at various points. At least, that is how it has been until now. The Silicon Economy digital consignment note is bringing these paper-based processes into the digital age and, thanks to its open-source approach, is creating the first uniform solution for the whole of Europe.

With its reduced-infrastructure and automated logistics, the smart factory is no longer just a vision. It has long been a reality in the automotive industry and among its suppliers. Now, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML are demonstrating how simulation-based artificial intelligence can take the smart factory to the next level. With the highly dynamic autonomous transport robot “O³dyn,” which debuted at LogiMAT in Stuttgart, the future of material flow has arrived.

Not only climate change, but also the current worldwide crises and conflicts underline the necessity of concepts and solutions for the economical and efficient use of energy. Logistics has been a driver of innovations and models in the field of sustainability for many years. Currently, Lucas Schreiber, scientific employee at Fraunhofer IML, is working on a “Planning concept for an energy-efficient supply chain design” for his dissertation. This could solve many problems for industry.

The best time for store deliveries is at night. Congested cities finally want to capitalize on the opportunity offered by night logistics, but there must be some way to indicate reliably whether delivery vehicles and handling equipment are quiet enough. Fraunhofer IML has published the “Quiet Logistics Guide,” which forms the basis for finally getting night logistics rolling.