Regardless of the economic conditions, there never seems to be a shortage of good new materials handling ideas. And that was once again the case this spring at the CeMat materials handling show in Hannover, Germany.

Billed as the "World Fair for Materials Handling and Logistics," the week-long event attracted 80,000 visitors from around the world to see the latest technology advances from 1,000 exhibitors. CeMat, held biennially, ran in conjunction with other industrial shows at the Hannover Fair (www.messe.de).

Automation figured prominently. Europeans have long used automated systems from storage to monorails to a greater extent than Americans. However, even in Europe, return on investment (ROI) for automation systems has been an issue of late. That is changing, said Juhani Anttila, president and CEO of Swisslog (www.swisslog.com).

"We are seeing a renaissance in automation because we can now show a two to three year payback," he explained. "People who never thought of automation are now interested."

And those looking for automated equipment and systems that move faster, accommodate greater throughput, and require less maintenance were not disappointed at the show.

Automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS), vertical lift modules and high-density storage systems all offered new twists on the storage/staging and orderpicking productivity equation. Pick-to-light systems, already widely used in the U.S. but not in Europe, showed up on the show floor in unprecedented numbers. Meanwhile, high-speed sortation systems were on hand.

There were also new developments in equipment and systems for moving inventory at both factories and distribution centers. Inductive-powered monorails that eliminate electrical contacts, reducing maintenance without sacrificing efficiency, were touted. Meanwhile, many of the world's largest lift truck suppliers made their case for improving efficiencies with AC-power.

Elsewhere in the halls, software was on the minds of other exhibitors. New warehouse management systems were unveiled including the first open source WMS, which was developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (www.myWMS.de), a Dortmund, Germany based university.

Despite the breadth of equipment-specific developments announced at CeMat, there was certainly an emphasis on systems too.

Broad-based suppliers such as Siemens Dematic (www.siemens-dematic.com), FKI Logistex (www.fkilogistex.com), Vanderlande (www.vanderlande.com) and Swisslog all emphasized the breadth of their equipment offerings and the impact this range has on systems integration. At the same time, all acknowledged the increasing imperative to successfully interface and integrate all handling equipment with software to create systems that realize their full potential.

As Pete Metros, member of the managing board of Siemens Dematic, put it, "most companies don't know how to optimize the interface between materials handling and information systems. But those that can will truly optimize the total solution."

And as Swisslog's Anttila explained, "end users are most concerned with the final solution and the benefits they get from it not the elements that go into it."

Along those lines, Vanderlande announced what it was calling a "new approach to distribution" called VIsion. Central to this solution set is a warehouse control system for handling equipment that features standard certified interfaces for several WMS and enterprise resource planning systems.

Meanwhile, control systems that bridge the gap between a WMS and automated materials handling equipment were featured as FKI Logistex announced its launch into Europe at the show. Steve Jones, the newly appointed managing director of FKI Logistex, pointed out that the company's Cleco Group through its Io Systems subsidiary in the United Kingdom focuses on interface issues that have led to successful systems at several blue chip enterprises.

Just as fulfillment requirements range from full pallet loads to eaches, CeMat exhibitors approached the challenge of storing, picking and sorting from many different angles but usually with some form of automation.

High-density storage was featured at Compact Racks (www.compact-racks.de). The system stores pallet loads in deep lanes on double-strand chain conveyor. This first-in/last-out system has no aisles between storage lanes, maximizing storage capacity of the cube.

Another new automated storage idea from Siemens Dematic allows cartons to be stored individually in an AS/RS. Each location holds a carton on flat rails. The storage/retrieval mechanism uses suction cups to move cartons.

A single-mast, mini-load storage retrieval machine from TGW (www.tgw.at) is all about speed. Both a bottom and top drive ensure the mast remains in alignment despite a maximum acceleration of 4 meters/second squared and top speeds of 7 meters/second.

When it came to orderpicking, there was a strong emphasis on bringing items for picking to workers at rapid rates while making the item selection process as streamlined as possible. In many cases, AS/RS was involved.

At the psb booth, a high-speed AS/RS known as the Selektor retrieved and putaway totes on demand to support an orderpicker's needs. The storage/retrieval mast, which is a maximum of 12 meters tall and runs in an aisle up to 22 meters long, has both a top and bottom drive to maintain alignment during high-speed runs. The system feeds the pick station.

Orders are filled by the worker following instructions displayed at a terminal or by pick-to-light.

Along similar lines was an order storage retrieval (OSR) system from Knapp (www.knapp.com). In a twist on conventional AS/RS technology, Knapp runs a storage/retrieval shuttle on each level of a storage aisle. The shuttle delivers picked totes to the front of the system and a conveyor that delivers them to designated locations at a nearby picking station. Picking is directed by a pick-to-light or put-to-light system.

Combining the storage density of an AS/RS with an orderpicking station in a single unit is one of the trademarks of vertical lift modules (VLMs).

At CeMat, LogiMat (www.handler.dk) introduced a VLM that makes it especially easy for workers to pick items and fill orders. To begin, the picking station angles the tray of parts ergonomically for the worker, and a beam of light highlights the items to pick, making 300 picks an hour possible. The module's inventory management software interfaces with other enterprise software using the company intranet. The line of VLMs is available starting this month in the U.S. from White Systems of FKI Logistex.

Worker ergonomics were also a focus of the Shuttle XP from Kardex (www.theshuttletakesoff.com). Trays are delivered at various heights to the pick window, accommodating different-sized workers. The system also stages a second tray for fast change overs.

Also on display were new automated sortation systems using four different technologies to handle high throughput and maximize handling efficiencies.

While Swisslog's Transnorm division has offered SmartSort technology for two years, the company introduced it as a complete system at CeMat for the first time. It combines horizontal sortation using urethane divert wheels that handle 6,000 packages an hour, and vertical belt-sortation technology at half that throughput. Sort units are self-contained functional units with controls and interfaces.

A tilt-tray sorter mounted overhead from Durkopp Fordertechnik (www.duerkopp.com) frees up floor space without compromising sort speed. Both manual and automatic infeeds can be mixed in the same system.

Crossorter from Vanderlande uses two cross belts on one carrier to handle both large and small products. Linear motors, one per belt on each carrier, as well as contactless energy transfer ensure high reliability with less wear and tear.

Also of interest was EuroSort's (www.eurosort.com) bomb-bay door sorter. It handles up to 14,000 items an hour using a dual-tray design. The aluminum trays are light weight, and a special carrier track minimizes noise.

New ways to move inventory and goods by monorails and lift trucks received particular attention.

The big news in automated electrified monorails (AEMs) was the announcement by two companies - Siemens Dematic and Jervis B. Webb (www.jervisbwebb.com ) - of inductive power technology.

Traditional AEMs use a bus bar to carry electricity that powers the carrier's movements. Shoes on the carriers contact the bus bars to transfer the electricity, but that also creates wear and requires maintenance.

Inductive systems replace the bus bar with a single wire. The carrier has a collector that draws in, or induces, electricity from the wire without actually touching it. Because there is no contact, there is no wear.

Interestingly enough, electric power was also a focus of certain lift truck introductions at the show. While AC powered models have only been available in the U.S. in the recent past, the technology has long been used in Europe. Nevertheless, suppliers continue to find ways to improve on AC performance.

Jungheinrich (www.jungheinrich.com) announced the second generation of its proprietary three-phase AC technology. It is said to extend the acceleration, top speed, reversing and braking capabilities of the trucks. An energy management system features a high efficiency ratio, lower energy costs and reduced investment in batteries.

The bottom line, says Jungheinrich, is a lower cost system. Compared to traditional DC systems, the first generation technology was 20 percent more expensive. This new generation cuts that premium to just 7 percent.

The company's ECE 20 orderpicker is the first model outfitted with the second generation AC technology. Jungheinrich also announced it has extended first-generation AC technology to its line of three-wheel lift trucks."

At the same time, Clark (www.clark.de) introduced its own 24-volt, three-phase AC technology on a three-wheel truck.

Still (www.still.de), on the other hand, took a different approach. Calling its technology Optispeed, the company uses CAN (controller area network) bus technology to control data movement onboard and ensure the truck runs within the optimum range for all conditions. As a result, the truck always moves at maximum speed, automatically adjusting acceleration and deceleration. Turning as well as load lift and lower are similarly controlled. In the end, says the company, battery depletion rate is reduced 40%.

Another supplier highlighting CAN bus technology was Toyota (www.toyotaforklift.com) with five models of its Generation 7 stackers. Two separate motors, one for travel and the other controlling lifting and lowering provide smooth, controlled AC power that results in more predictable maneuverability in all directions.

Several other AC powered lift trucks were unveiled too. Atlet (www.atlet.se) featured a stand-on stacker for very narrow aisles. A counter-balanced model with fingertip controls was from BT (www.bt-deutschland.com). And Hyster (www.hyster.com) showed off a reach truck with a new mast design featuring high lift and lower speeds.

But AC power was not the only hot spot. Linde brought to the show its new 39X generation of diesel and LP gas trucks with a 2,000 to 2,500 kilogram capacity. Features include ergonomic controls, a fourth-generation hydrostatic transmission and a control system that keeps engine speed the lowest possible rpm for maximum fuel efficiency.

Managing the storage, orderpicking, sortation and movement of inventory is what warehouse management systems (WMS) are all about. And at CeMat, there were some new entries.

Siemens Dematic, for instance, announced its own WMS. This internally developed system, ProX4 WM, complements the company's material flow control system. Its scalability facilitates use in large as well as small warehouses.

In addition, lift truck supplier Jung-heinrich introduced its WMS for small- and medium-sized warehouses. The scalable Findex system links to enterprise information systems and communicates with wireless terminals onboard lift trucks.

Breaking entirely new ground in WMS is a package available from the Fraunhofer Institute. Known as myWMS, this open source package is available for a nominal licensing fee. Configured at this point for only a two-aisle storage system, the software can be modified by licensees as needed to accommodate warehouse operations.