China's Litian Intelligence Releases 3-Ton Unmanned Forklift for PV Modules

en.Wedoany.com Reported - China's Huzhou Litian Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. unveiled the AFR autonomous navigation forklift robot in Dubai, UAE, targeting module pallet handling operations at large-scale ground-mounted PV power plant construction sites. The equipment has a rated load of 3,000 kg and a maximum lifting height of 3 meters. It adopts a tracked electric chassis and integrates high-precision satellite positioning, LiDAR simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM), and 3D machine vision technologies, enabling it to autonomously complete module pallet identification, fork alignment, loading and transport, and unloading operations.

The AFR navigation system combines real-time kinematic (RTK) satellite positioning, LiDAR, and 3D visual recognition to obtain the pallet position, orientation, and 3D coordinates of the fork pockets in real time, and automatically plans the fork insertion and withdrawal paths. The equipment can identify whether a pallet is loaded with materials and is compatible with European EUR/EPAL and Japanese JIS pallet specifications. Onboard multi-line LiDAR provides 360-degree obstacle detection, complemented by a three-level safety system comprising electronic braking, mechanical braking, and parking braking.

The machine measures 4.8 meters in length, 1.8 meters in width, and 2.15 meters in height, with a curb weight of 5,500 kg and a standard load center distance of 600 mm. It is equipped with a two-stage full free lift mast and laterally adjustable forks. The tracked chassis is powered by two independent 4 kW drive motors and can perform pivot steering. The maximum travel speed is 3 km/h when fully loaded and 4 km/h when unloaded. The equipment has a gradeability of 30 degrees on hard surfaces and a maximum wading depth of 0.3 meters.

The power system uses a 48 V, 400 Ah lithium battery with a nominal energy storage capacity of 19.2 kWh, providing a runtime of no less than 8 hours under standard operating conditions, and supports automatic charging and manual fast charging. The equipment offers autonomous, semi-autonomous, and remote manual control modes to suit different material transport requirements at PV construction sites.

The AFR features real-time vehicle tilt monitoring, which automatically triggers an alarm and stops the machine when the tilt angle reaches a preset limit. The equipment operates within a temperature range of minus 10 degrees Celsius to 50 degrees Celsius, and certain configurations can achieve IP67 protection rating. Litian Intelligence also showcased products including a PV module installation robot, a module cleaning robot, and a power plant inspection robot, among which the AFR is responsible for transporting module pallets from the material storage area to the installation work area.