Palfinger

The Supply Chain Network

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The Development Networks

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"This partnership-based approach benefits both sides. However, in the initial phase, it often requires intensive effort to ensure that both parties are equally committed to investing in working together. "

Gerhard Mühlbacher,

Head of Supply Partner Development at PALFINGER

“The development of automated machines is a central part of our long-term research strategy,” says Manfred Gruber, Head of Competence Unit Assistive & Autonomous Systems at AIT. Especially when transporting outdoors, bottlenecks often occur because a lack of infrastructure or manpower prevents fast loading of goods. Automated machines can help here.  

“They bridge infrastructure and personnel gaps by mastering so-called unorganized situations such as tasks in open areas where there are neither defined routes nor markings and, particularly, tasks in hazardous areas,” says Gruber.  
 

Safe functions and testing in real conditions 

It takes more, however, than simply detecting tree trunks. Systems need to function safely. To this end, PALFINGER is working together with Digitrans on a consortium project. At the Digitrans Test Center for Automated Driving in St. Valentin in Austria, a wide variety of weather conditions are simulated to test environment recognition under realistic and challenging conditions. “We test how rain, strong solar radiation or other weather influences affect the sensors,” Wimmer explains. “We analyze how the solutions would work in different situations and climate regions around the world.” 

 

"We are working closely with customers such as the Franz Mayr-Melnhof-Saurau Forest Company. What we develop is directly trialed and tested during live operation, which makes for very valuable feedback. That’s why we involve customers throughout the entire development process. The result is a clear win-win situation. "

Sebastian Wimmer,

ACES Program Leader at PALFINGER

remoTe offshore cranes

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