VisionNav Robotics has introduced an autonomous stacking system engineered specifically for large container environments where accuracy, stability, and safety are paramount.
The company’s VNE40-66 Autonomous Precision Stacking Solution can stack 8.8 ft. (2.6 m) wide cages weighing up to 6,150 lb. (2,879.5 kg) at heights of up to 22 ft. (6.7 m).
“After years of working in real warehouse and manufacturing environments, one thing is clear: Automation doesn’t happen in isolation,” said Ahmad Stokes, senior director of sales at VisionNav Robotics. “You’re always dealing with mixed traffic, especially manual forklifts, and something as simple as forks left on the ground can create serious risk.”
“The VNE40-66’s ability to detect those forks and respond in real time adds a critical layer of collision prevention, making automation more practical, flexible, and ultimately safer to deploy at scale,” he added.
Autonomous stacker uses proprietary sensor fusion
To achieve high performance while maintaining stability and accuracy, the VNE40-66 uses VisionNav’s proprietary sensor fusion technology. This technology provides millimeter-level precision compatible with various post types, ensuring each placement is exact despite differing container sizes or environmental conditions.
VisionNav said the system is suitable for the exceptionally heavy, wide containers common in automotive and other heavy-duty settings.
Another VNE40-66 feature is its Smart Retry Functionality, which continuously monitors for misalignments and anomalies in real time. If the system identifies misaligned containers, incorrect position posts, or other adverse issues, it aborts and retries without requiring operator input.
This reduces downtime, minimizes risk of product damage, and supports fully autonomous operation in high-throughput environments where human intervention would create untenable bottlenecks, said VisionNav.
VisionNav prioritizes safety features
The VNE40-66’s safety capabilities are as sophisticated as its stacking precision, VisionNav claimed. The company said the system’s intelligent, context-aware safety envelope ensures that it responds appropriately to real operating conditions rather than relying on static safety margins.
For example, during straight-line travel, a dynamic brake zone scales to the size of the load being carried, with larger goods generating wider, deeper boundaries. Through corners and curves, zones reconfigure to match the vehicle’s turning geometry.
A key differentiator of the VNE40-66 is its dedicated manual forklift fork-protection system. This system detects approaching lift forks across three distinct scenarios. It can detect whether other vehicle forks are on the ground or lifted. This capability is especially valuable in mixed human-robot environments, noted VisionNav, whose U.S. headquarters are in Lawrenceville, Ga.
Dedicated protection zones are applied during the forklift lifting cycle itself, with distinct profiles for both empty and full load conditions. The module’s protection zone geometry adjusts depending on whether the forklift is carrying a load, ensuring the right level of protection across various operational states.
VisionNav said the Autonomous Precision Stacking Solution can reliably identify obstacles as small as 4×4 in. (103.2 sq. cm). Equally important, its dedicated personnel-protection functionality employs multi-layered 3D sensing to identify the presence of workers in the vehicle’s operating area and respond accordingly.
A departure from conventional standalone 2D or lidar obstacle protection, the VNE40-66 integrates both into a single system. said the Shenzhen, China-based company. A mechanical safety design ensures structural integrity throughout all operational scenarios, with safety lasers providing 360-degree assessment – a comprehensive awareness perimeter regardless of approach direction.
Complementing these features, an auxiliary 3D protection system adds a dynamic layer of spatial intelligence based on real-time monitoring of the vehicle’s maximum operating length and width.