Modular Mobile Intralogistics for Flexible Production in Circular Factories

Abstract

Circular production requires adaptable manufacturing and intralogistics systems capable of responding to uncertainty in the arrival, configuration, and condition of returned products and in the resulting process sequences. This paper presents the hardware implementation and operational concept of a modular intralogistics system that separates mobility from task-specific functionality. Omnidirectional mobile platforms autonomously couple to interchangeable transport and manipulator modules through a standardized mechanical and electrical interface. The platforms can transport and set down the modules, which may operate while coupled or as stationary resources. This separation allows mobile platforms and functional resources to be dimensioned and assigned independently. The system's broader flexibility is illustrated through three representative scenarios: an in-motion product handover, cooperative transport using heterogeneous mobile platforms, and a moving temporary production cell with internal material flow. To coordinate the resulting configurations, the established Omni-Curve Parameter framework is applied as a common motion interface. A desired motion specified at a common reference point is mapped to platform- and wheel-level commands while accounting for the geometry and kinematic constraints of the participating platforms.