Quicktron Robotics recently demonstrated a unified approach to warehouse automation, combining tote and pallet operations within a shared robotics and software platform.
In November, the company introduced its QuickBin Ultra tote fulfillment system and QuickCube pallet technology to the U.S. market, alongside QuickMix, a modular solution that integrates both. The setup handles both piece-picking and pallet movement within the same operation.
Automated Warehouse spoke with Iris Ren, head of global marketing and overseas channel at Quicktron Robotics, on the show floor at MODEX last month.
“We hope customers can use our modules like Lego bricks. They can combine based on budget or request,” she said. “Even today, they use one single solution when their business is booming. In the future, they’ll consider the extension. They will always have the option.”
The tote system is built for goods-to-person (G2P) workflows, while the pallet system focuses on full-load storage and movement.
Quicktron uses dual-robot design
Within the tote system, Quicktron is separating robot roles to improve efficiency across warehouse operations. The Shanghai-based company highlighted a dual-robot setup that assigns picking and transport tasks to different machines, reducing non-value-added movement across the facility.
“For the tote handling, we use a combination of big and small robots because the logic of the design is to try to leverage the most advantages of these two types of robots,” said Ren. “Big robots are focused only on the high-efficiency work, the picking job, and the small robots’ job is to deliver the tote from the buffer stand to the workstation.”
The approach allows the system to maintain throughput as travel distance increases, with transport handled independently from picking.
The smaller autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) can reach speeds of up to 4.5 m/s (10 mph) and operate for more than 11 hours on a single charge, supporting continuous movement between storage and workstations.
Workstation optimizes operator-robot interaction
Quicktron is also focusing on how robots and operators interact at the workstation. The systems shown in Atlanta allowed robots to drop off totes and return to storage without waiting, while operators can move between tasks with minimal delay.
Ren said the design was intentional.
“The robot doesn’t need to wait for the operator picking,” she said. “Secondly, when you see the double presence, that means if the operator finished one tote picking, he can directly switch to the others.”
Quicktron said these configurations can support throughput rates of up to 600 totes per hour at a single workstation.
QuickBin, QuickCube offer control and scalability
Across both systems, the company emphasized control over hardware and software within the same platform, rather than relying on multiple third-party components.
“We design it not only to make it easy to control, but we also consider the customer, especially in Europe and North America,” said Ren. “They have a very high safety standard. They hope that you are able to control each main component.”
She added that Quicktron expects its systems to evolve over time as warehouse needs change.
“We are the first Chinese company to design this kind of robot,” said Ren. “Each year, we make some innovations, no matter the single product or no matter the system design. We would like to call it ‘progressive automation.’”