Project Overview: 1,290 kg Per Load, 70–90 Transport Trips Daily
Real Customer Case | Indonesia | Food & Beverage Manufacturing | Autonomous Forklift | ROS 2
At a leading food and beverage manufacturing facility in Indonesia, the REEMAN Ironhide Autonomous Forklift has been deployed to automate the transportation of large metal dough containers within the factory.
Each loaded container carries approximately 800 kg of dough and weighs another 490 kg, bringing the total transported weight to 1,290 kg (1.29 metric tons).
According to project operating data, the autonomous forklift travels approximately 200 meters per transport trip and completes around 70–90 trips per day.
What makes this application different from conventional autonomous pallet handling is the load carrier itself. Instead of standard wooden or plastic pallets, the factory uses large metal production containers originally equipped with caster wheels.
To support automated transportation, the customer modified the container's underside with metal plates and a welded central crossbeam. The project also uses a ROS 2-based single-robot dispatch system to manage automated transport tasks.
This real-world deployment demonstrates how autonomous forklift technology can support heavy-load, repetitive material transportation in food manufacturing facilities, including applications involving non-standard industrial containers.
Watch the real customer application video:
1. Customer Background: A Leading Food and Beverage Manufacturer in Indonesia
The customer is one of Indonesia's leading large-scale food and beverage manufacturers, with business operations covering packaged foods, snacks, biscuits, chocolate products, dairy beverages, cheese, and other beverages.
In food manufacturing, internal material transportation is an important part of coordinating production processes.
Large dough containers must be moved between working areas according to production requirements. When these containers are heavy and require frequent transportation, repetitive handling tasks can place demands on factory logistics and labor allocation.
At this facility, the customer introduced the REEMAN Ironhide Autonomous Forklift to support automated movement of large dough containers.
Unlike a conventional pallet-based application, the project required the existing production containers to be adapted for autonomous transportation.
2. Real Operating Data: Heavy Loads and High-Frequency Transport
The following figures are based on information provided for the Indonesian customer application.
| Project Parameter | Actual Application Data |
|---|---|
| Country | Indonesia |
| Customer Industry | Food & Beverage Manufacturing |
| Robot | REEMAN Ironhide Autonomous Forklift |
| Material Transported | Dough |
| Dough Weight | Approx. 800 kg |
| Metal Container Weight | Approx. 490 kg |
| Total Transported Weight | Approx. 1,290 kg |
| Transport Distance | Approx. 200 m per trip |
| Daily Transport Frequency | Approx. 70–90 trips |
| Load Carrier | Modified Wheeled Metal Container |
| Dispatch System | ROS 2-Based Single-Robot Dispatch |
Based on the reported distance and daily frequency:
70–90 trips × 200 meters = approximately 14–18 km of task transportation per day.
This calculation represents cumulative reported transport distance and excludes additional travel that may occur between tasks.
If every trip carries the full 800 kg dough load, the calculated cumulative daily dough movement would be approximately 56–72 metric tons. This is a theoretical handling-volume estimate, not independently verified production output.
These operating figures provide a practical reference for manufacturers assessing autonomous forklift applications involving repetitive heavy-load transportation.
3. Main Project Challenge: Transporting a 1.29-Ton Wheeled Metal Container
The main technical challenge was not simply the weight of the dough.
The factory's existing production container had a non-standard structure, with caster wheels installed beneath a large metal body.
This differed significantly from a conventional pallet, which typically provides standardized fork-entry openings and a predictable load-support structure.
For an autonomous forklift application, the container's underside geometry, handling interface, load stability, and weight distribution must be compatible with the vehicle.
Customized Container Modifications
To adapt the existing container for automated handling, the customer modified its underside.
The modifications included:
Caster-Wheel Area Adaptation
The customer adjusted the underside structure around the existing caster-wheel assemblies to accommodate the automated handling arrangement.
Metal Plate Installation
Metal plates were installed over the wheel-related areas and two underside openings as part of the structural modification.
Welded Central Crossbeam
A metal crossbeam was welded into the central underside structure, creating a modified support arrangement for the handling application.
These modifications allowed the existing production container to be used with the autonomous forklift under the customer's specific operating conditions.
The project illustrates how non-standard industrial load carriers can potentially be adapted for autonomous transport without requiring manufacturers to switch entirely to conventional pallets.
However, each application requires engineering evaluation of structural strength, load distribution, clearance, and compatibility with the handling equipment.
4. How the Autonomous Dough Transportation Works
At the Indonesian factory, the REEMAN Ironhide operates with the modified metal container to transport heavy dough loads through the production environment.
The application involves three core activities.
Heavy-Load Container Handling
The autonomous forklift works with a large metal container carrying approximately 800 kg of dough.
Including the container's own weight, the total transported load is around 1,290 kg.
Autonomous Movement Through the Factory
The forklift transports the container along the factory's internal route.
In the customer-site video, the robot can be seen moving the oversized metal container through an active industrial production environment, with machinery, factory equipment, and personnel in the surrounding area.
Repetitive Daily Material Transportation
The reported transport distance is approximately 200 meters per trip, with around 70–90 daily trips.
This recurring workload makes the application relevant to manufacturers seeking to automate repetitive internal material transportation.
The Ironhide product platform supports intelligent navigation and environmental sensing for industrial material handling.
By combining autonomous forklift operation with a customized container and a ROS 2-based dispatch system, the customer has established an automated handling application suited to its production environment.
5. ROS 2-Based Single-Robot Dispatch: Supporting Automated Transport Tasks
The Indonesian food factory uses a ROS 2-based single-robot dispatch system.
ROS 2, or Robot Operating System 2, provides a modular software framework for robotic applications, supporting communication and coordination between software components responsible for functions such as sensing, localization, planning, and control.
Its architectural capabilities include:
DDS-Based Communication
ROS 2 supports DDS-based middleware, enabling flexible communication between robot software modules.
Quality of Service (QoS) Configuration
QoS policies allow developers to configure different communication behaviors for different data streams, such as sensor information and control-related messages.
Node Lifecycle Management
Managed lifecycle nodes provide structured states for configuration, activation, deactivation, and shutdown, supporting system organization and maintenance.
Modular Software Architecture
Navigation, perception, planning, and control functions can be implemented as separate software nodes, allowing more flexible system development and integration.
For this customer application, the confirmed system is a ROS 2-based single-robot dispatch solution, rather than a multi-robot fleet scheduling deployment.
The architectural benefits described above are general ROS 2 capabilities. Project-specific improvements in communication speed, uptime, or reliability would require separate operational measurements.
6. Business Value: Why Automate Dough Container Transport?
For food manufacturers, the value of an autonomous forklift extends beyond the ability to move a heavy load.
The Indonesian project highlights three important opportunities.
Reducing Repetitive Manual Transportation
Moving large dough containers repeatedly can require substantial operator involvement.
Automating suitable transport tasks can reduce the need for continuous manual vehicle operation and provide opportunities to reallocate labor to other production activities.
Supporting Consistent Material Movement
With approximately 70–90 daily transport trips, the factory has a recurring internal material-handling workload.
Automated transportation can help standardize how repeated tasks are organized and executed according to defined operating requirements.
Retaining Existing Production Containers
The customer adapted an existing wheeled metal container for use with the autonomous forklift.
For manufacturers relying on specialized production vessels, adapting existing carriers can be an important alternative to replacing all material-handling equipment with standardized pallets.
Actual efficiency gains, labor savings, and operating improvements should be evaluated using measured project data.
7. ROI Analysis: How to Evaluate the Investment
Return on investment is an important consideration when food manufacturers evaluate autonomous forklift solutions.
The financial impact depends on equipment investment, load-carrier modifications, system integration, operating hours, labor costs, maintenance, and actual task utilization.
The Indonesian customer's 70–90 daily transport trips provide a useful starting point for estimating the amount of repetitive work involved.
Illustrative Manual Workload Calculation
Suppose a comparable manual handling process requires eight minutes of operator time per transport trip and operates 26 days per month.
At 70–90 trips per day, the estimated baseline manual transport workload would be approximately 243–312 operator-hours per month.
This is an illustrative calculation based on assumed manual handling time. It is not a measured labor saving achieved at the Indonesian facility.
The actual recoverable labor time would need to account for remaining manual interventions, equipment supervision, and differences between the original and automated workflows.
A simplified financial model is:
Estimated Payback Period (Months) = Total Project Investment ÷ Monthly Net Operating Savings
Monthly net operating savings should reflect demonstrable cost reductions, less additional electricity, maintenance, software, and other operating expenses.
The customer's actual project ROI and payback period have not been disclosed.
Nevertheless, the confirmed combination of heavy loads and frequent transport tasks makes this project a relevant reference for evaluating autonomous material handling in food production environments.
8. What Can Other Food Manufacturers Learn from This Application?
This project demonstrates that autonomous forklift applications are not limited to conventional pallet transportation.
Food manufacturers often rely on specialized production carriers, including dough containers, ingredient bins, metal vessels, and wheeled material carts.
For these applications, the key question is not simply whether the forklift can lift the required weight, but whether the entire handling arrangement is compatible with the factory's operating requirements.
Manufacturers considering similar automation should evaluate:
- Actual load weight and weight distribution
- Container dimensions and underside structure
- Compatibility with the forklift's handling interface
- Factory aisle width, floor conditions, and turning space
- Required navigation and obstacle-avoidance capabilities
- Daily transport frequency and scheduling needs
- Container modification and system integration costs
- Expected labor utilization and long-term operating expenses
The Indonesian deployment provides an example of combining an autonomous forklift, modified production container, and ROS 2-based task management to support repetitive industrial transportation.
9. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: Can an autonomous forklift transport dough containers in a food factory?
A: Yes. Autonomous forklifts can transport suitable dough containers when the load carrier, handling interface, and operating environment are compatible. At this Indonesian facility, the REEMAN Ironhide is used to transport a modified metal container carrying approximately 800 kg of dough.
Q2: What is the actual transported weight in this application?
A: The dough weighs approximately 800 kg, and the metal container weighs approximately 490 kg. The total transported weight is around 1,290 kg, or 1.29 metric tons, per loaded trip.
Q3: How many trips does the autonomous forklift complete each day?
A: According to project data, the forklift performs approximately 70–90 transport trips daily, with a reported distance of around 200 meters per trip.
Q4: Can an autonomous forklift handle wheeled containers instead of standard pallets?
A: Yes, depending on the load carrier's structure and compatibility with the forklift. In this project, the customer modified the wheeled container's underside by installing metal plates and welding a central crossbeam to accommodate the autonomous handling arrangement.
Q5: Why was the dough container modified?
A: The original container had a wheeled underside structure that differed from a standard pallet. The modifications were made to adapt the existing container for the autonomous transport application.
Q6: What is ROS 2-based single-robot dispatch?
A: It is a robot task-management approach built on ROS 2 software architecture for an individual robot. ROS 2 provides a framework for modular software components, configurable communication policies, and node lifecycle management. This project uses a single-robot dispatch configuration rather than a confirmed multi-robot fleet system.
Q7: Does the video show a complete 200-meter transport route?
A: The customer video shows the REEMAN Ironhide moving a large metal container through the production environment. The approximately 200-meter trip distance and 70–90 daily trips are project-reported operating figures, not measurements demonstrated in the short video.
Q8: What are the potential ROI benefits of autonomous forklift automation in food manufacturing?
A: Potential benefits include reducing repetitive manual transport work, improving the consistency of internal logistics, and adapting existing production equipment. Actual ROI depends on project investment, labor costs, utilization, and ongoing operating expenses.
Q9: Can the same automated handling approach be used in other food factories?
A: Similar applications may be feasible for facilities using dough containers, ingredient bins, or other non-standard industrial carriers. Each deployment requires assessment of load weight, container structure, travel routes, and system compatibility.
10. Conclusion: Expanding Autonomous Forklift Applications Beyond Pallets
The REEMAN Ironhide Autonomous Forklift application at a leading Indonesian food manufacturing facility demonstrates how industrial material handling automation can extend beyond conventional pallet transportation.
By adapting a large wheeled metal dough container and using a ROS 2-based single-robot dispatch system, the customer has implemented an automated transport solution for a specialized production load carrier.
With a total transported weight of approximately 1,290 kg, a reported transport distance of 200 meters per trip, and 70–90 daily transport trips, this project provides a practical example of high-frequency, heavy-load automation in the food manufacturing industry.
For factories exploring autonomous material handling, the application offers valuable insight into container customization, robot integration, and the operational considerations behind automated internal logistics.
Watch the real application: REEMAN Ironhide Dough Container Transport – Indonesia Customer Video
Explore the product: REEMAN Ironhide 3.0 Autonomous Forklift
Contact REEMAN Robot to discuss autonomous forklift solutions for heavy production containers, special load carriers, and repetitive factory material transportation.