A moveable ramp and method of moving cargo using a moveable ramp. The moveable ramp includes a ramp structure comprising a plurality of planar portions including a lower inclined portion, an upper inclined portion, a first horizontal portion extending between the lower inclined portion and the upper inclined portion and a second horizontal portion extending from an upper end of the upper inclined portion wherein the horizontal portions act as landing zones for a delivery tug moving the cargo onto and off of the ramp. The ramp also includes a locking mechanism at the top end to secure the ramp to a pallet, for sample. The ramp may further include automatic struts such as gas struts.

A method for operating a robotic system includes determining a discretized object model representative of a target object; determining a discretized platform model representative of a task location; determining height measures based on real-time sensor data representative of the task location; and dynamically deriving a placement location based on (1) overlapping the discretized object model and the discretized platform model for stacking objects at the task location and (2) calculating a placement score associated with the overlapping based on the height measures.

In a cell with linked horizontal processing machining centers, each with two swivel arms for manipulating and changing pallets, which can be conveyed to and from a support in a conveying direction, each horizontal machining center is assigned at least one multi-storey pallet rack which is offset in the conveying direction relative to the front side and in which a pallet through-path is provided, and at least one rack storage and retrieval device with a lifting function transverse to the conveying direction is moveable at least between the pallet racks.

A carrier for transporting goods includes a supporting mechanism, a lifting mechanism, a first detection component, and a controller. The supporting mechanism includes at least one entrance and connected to a mobile robot. The lifting mechanism includes a lifting driving member and a bearing part. The lifting driving member is arranged on the supporting mechanism, and the bearing part is arranged on the lifting driving member to be driven to be elevated or lowered by the lifting driving member. The first detection component is arranged on the bearing part and is located in front of the at least one entrance for detecting a position of the goods. The controller is arranged on the supporting mechanism and is respectively communicatively connected with the lifting driving member, the first detection component, and the mobile robot. A mobile lifting conveyor having the carrier is also provided.

A grouping station includes first conveyor tracks for moving loading pallets to the grouping station and second conveyor tracks for forwarding the loading pallets from the grouping station. The first conveyor tracks and the second conveyor tracks are both arranged for two different handling directions of the loading pallets.

Apparatus, systems and methods for monitoring loads on a pallet, each apparatus using one or more force sensors placed under and along a single side of a loaded pallet. In embodiments, each apparatus comprises one or more low profile force sensors in one or more housings mountable on an underlying floor surface, carrying self-contained power supplies and having an associated Bluetooth transceiver. The apparatus force sensors output signals corresponding to pallet loads and load changes. Multiple apparatus may comprise a system including a base station having a Bluetooth transceiver for communicating with each the Bluetooth transceiver of each apparatus.

Several embodiments of turntable systems for loaded pallets are disclosed. In some embodiments, a first ramp leads up to the turntable and a second ramp leads down from the turntable on the opposite side. In other embodiments, at least two turntables are positioned adjacent one another, optionally with a bridge surface connecting them so that a pallet lift can be driven from one turntable to the other to place one pallet on one turntable and another pallet on the other turntable according to a method disclosed herein. A validation system without a turntable includes a plurality of cameras about a periphery of a platform weight sensor.

Several embodiments of turntable systems for loaded pallets are disclosed. In some embodiments, a first ramp leads up to the turntable and a second ramp leads down from the turntable on the opposite side. In other embodiments, at least two turntables are positioned adjacent one another, optionally with a bridge surface connecting them so that a pallet lift can be driven from one turntable to the other to place one pallet on one turntable and another pallet on the other turntable according to a method disclosed herein. A validation system without a turntable includes a plurality of cameras about a periphery of a platform weight sensor.

A method of operating a stacking head of a sod harvester includes: (a) repeatedly transferring sod slabs from a transfer station located along a conveyor assembly of the sod harvester to a pallet station of the sod harvester to form a loaded pallet at the pallet station; (b) during replacement of the loaded pallet with an empty pallet, forming a stack of slabs at the transfer station; and (c) transferring the stack of slabs from the transfer station to the pallet station for deposit on the empty pallet when received at the pallet station, and repeating (a) to (c) in a continuous sod harvesting process.

A pallet inspection system includes a conveyor to move a pallet that is to be inspected. The pallet includes a top deck and a bottom deck separated by spaced apart support blocks positioned therebetween, with nails being used to secure the top and bottom decks to the support blocks. Cameras are positioned to generate images of the pallet as the pallet is moved on the conveyor. A processor is coupled to the cameras and receives the images for processing. The processing includes executing a first algorithm on the images to tag the images having support blocks visible therein, and executing a second algorithm on the tagged images to detect nails having exposed tips.