Modern airports have an automatic baggage handling system, which transports baggage items from the check-in ­counter to the luggage presentation belt for the flight. On the way to this point the luggage items are automatically X-rayed, temporarily stored and sorted. However at the provision point, the heavy manual work begins. The baggage items are generally manually placed in a flight container (ULD) or stacked on a luggage trolley ­ (ramp cart). During this process, one worker typically lifts about 16t per shift.

The automated baggage loading cell completes this work step using a ­robot. The remarkable part of the process is the robot‘s patented „gripper“. It comprises a telescopic surface with a stop. Consequently the telescopic surface precisely matches the size of the baggage item. This is advantageous for the actual ­loading process, as the manoeuvrability of the­robot in the container, ­especially behind the forward non-accessible area, is considerably increased. The robot travels with its load precisely to the precalculated container position. The robot gripper very quickly retracts its telescopic surface again and the baggage item is set down in the desired place (due to gravity).

The patented system fulfils the ­requirements from around the world for a ­future-proof baggage logistics system -both in terms of safety, performance and ergonomics.