Sensor-equipped Glove Improves Logistics Processes

2023 Author: Hannah Pearcy | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-26 11:39

With an intelligent glove from Pro Glove, Festo improves the logistics connection in its technology factory in Ostfildern-Scharnhausen. The glove contains a barcode scanner that enables the worker to document his work steps ergonomically and easily when loading and unloading the tugger train. He gives direct feedback to the people: This means that the employee knows whether the system has booked their work steps.

Better ergonomics - faster processes

While the material containers were previously gripped with one hand and scanned with the other using a handheld device, tugger train drivers can now use both hands to grip the boxes thanks to the Pro Glove. The work process becomes much more ergonomic. At the same time, the glove protects against injuries. It is very well received by the employees. "The colleagues in logistics are all enthusiastic - and so am I personally," says tugger train driver Blerim Krasniqi.

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Another advantage is that the workers can work faster because scanning with the glove takes considerably less time than with the additional scanning device. “With the Pro Glove, we have significantly fewer routes. This makes the train driver more efficient, the route faster and we become more productive,”says Markus Ottmayer, project manager for the tugger train in logistics.

Supplementary information about Pro Glove

Pro Glove develops wearables for industry. The Munich-based company was founded in December 2014 by engineers and innovation consultants after winning the Intel Make It Wearable competition. Intel Capital, GettyLAB and Bayern Kapital invested a total of $ 2.2 million in the startup in 2016. Pro Glove integrates wearables into the industrial environment in order to guide the worker into Industry 4.0. Pro Glove's first product is called Mark. It is an intelligent glove that improves and simplifies production and logistics processes.

Accepted by employees

"The added value through Pro Glove and the acceptance of the employees is so clear that, in my view, there is nothing standing in the way of using Pro Gloves in our production facilities - also in areas other than logistics," said Alfons Riek, Head of Technology and Innovation from Festo Holding. Further areas of application are already planned.

The light and handy tool makes barrier-free scanning possible. Codes can be read both vertically and horizontally. The employee receives feedback on his work step through an optical, acoustic and haptic signal. So he knows that the item has been scanned without constantly looking at the display. This minimizes sources of error. With the plug & play solution, no changes need to be made to the existing systems. Pro Glove thus leads to a rapid improvement in ergonomics, efficiency and process quality. (jv)