Agile Robots, Audi, Dassault Systèmes and NVIDIA announced a proof-of-concept at NVIDIA GTC Berlin that puts mobile humanoid robots on parts sequencing at Audi's Ingolstadt plant. The partners call the approach a potential "gamechanger for future logistics." Audi's logistics operation runs around one million picks a day to get the right parts to the right workstation in the right order for assembly.
In Audi's Production Lab, the Agile Robots humanoids pick parts from material containers and place them in sequence carts for final assembly of Audi premium vehicles. Audi's supply chain staff define the operational requirements so the use case can be tested under real-world conditions. The work is already underway.
Picking is the hard part. The press release names two persistent automation problems: high-variant or semi-rigid parts, and unsorted components in containers. Agile Robots says its new mobile humanoids pair humanoid reach and dexterity with a mobile base and work at human height, so they fit Audi's existing environment. Dual-arm manipulation handles large and flexible parts, and AI-based perception identifies and grasps components in mixed containers or varying positions and packaging. Gerd Walker, board member for production and logistics at Audi AG, said picking within sequencing "has remained one of the toughest automation challenges in automotive logistics."
For automation engineers, the order of work is the notable detail. Before any robot deploys in Audi's smart intralogistics environment, Dassault Systèmes is building a virtual twin of it in DELMIA. Feasibility, timings, ergonomics and safety get tested in that twin on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, using Dassault's Industry World Models and NVIDIA Omniverse libraries. Deepu Talla, vice president of robotics and edge AI at NVIDIA, said the approach tackles the sequencing workflow "with minimal changes to existing operations."
Dassault also plans to add LEO, its AI-powered Virtual Companion, to assist engineers in the virtual twin. Philippe Laufer, executive vice president of 3DS Global Brands at Dassault Systèmes, said the combination can cut work that can take months down to days. Agile Robots, based in Munich, says it has more than 20,000 robot solutions installed worldwide.
