Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) and the Fraunhofer Center for Maritime Logistics and Services (CML) have successfully completed the “Pin Handling mR” project – the development of a mobile robot for the automatic rearrangement of locking pins on container wagons. The tests were carried out under real conditions at the HHLA Container Terminal Tollerort (CTT), where the robot demonstrated its ability to move autonomously along a train and perform tasks precisely using a manipulator.
The system is controlled via the HHLA Sky center and eliminates manual labor when preparing wagons for loading, increasing the safety and efficiency of processes. The robot receives data from the control center, finds the required pins and moves them using a magnetic gripper. The development is based on a modular ROS architecture and the integration of standard equipment, which makes it flexible for further scaling.
The project was coordinated by HHLA with the participation of HHLA subsidiaries Sky, Metrans and Hamburg Port Consulting and was supported by the German Federal Ministry for Digitalisation and Transport under the IHATEC programme. The next step will be to further develop the technology for industrial use and integrate it into operational processes in rail logistics.