During a Tuesday morning press conference at ProMat, Mount Washington, Ky.-based material handling systems provider MHS Global showcased its latest robotic innovation, a robotic singulation solution that's designed to handle high-volume e-commerce orders and address labor challenges facing distribution centers. The solution combines advanced robotic technologies to pick individual items from bulk flow to feed downstream processes.

The robotic solution is ideal for parcel processing operations that handle large quantities of smaller-sized packages, according to the company. The robot uses vision software and algorithms to pick individual items from bulk flow, and then properly orient and place them in a single-file stream. The solution uses vacuum-based end effectors (suction cups) to handle packaging types commonly found in e-commerce and parcel-processing environments, from corrugate cases to polybags.

"The focus of our research and development initiatives is to create solutions for the most pressing challenges our customers face and bring them to market as quickly as possible," said Dean Terrell, senior vice president of product development at MHS, in a statement. "As order volumes grow and labor availability continues to be a challenge, the robotic singulation solution is primed to make a meaningful impact for a wide range of customers."

More information at: www.mhsglobal.com.