The new Flexley Stack F712 autonomous forklift can work in storage and retrieval. Source ABB Robotics.
ABB Robotics today launched the Flexley Stack F712, an autonomous forklift. The company said the latest addition to its mobile robot portfolio creates a more complete, interoperable ecosystem.
ABB said it designed the Flexley Stack F712 for demanding material handling, end-of-line storage, and warehouse operations across industries, including automotive manufacturing. The company said its new autonomous mobile robot (AMR) can increase efficiency, flexibility, and scalability.
“Across intralogistics operations, businesses are being asked to process greater volumes in less time, while working with increasingly limited resources,” stated Marc Segura, president of ABB Robotics. “They are under pressure to move goods faster and with greater flexibility, while labor availability is becoming a critical constraint.”
“As part of our journey to more autonomous versatile robotics — AVR — we have combined advanced vision, mobility and intelligence in the Flexley Stack F712 forklift, completing our scalable, AI-powered AMR portfolio,” he said. “This is a turning point in industrial robotics. AVR enables robots to operate in a reactive way in unstructured environments, redefining what they can do.”
Flexley Stack uses vSLAM rather than installed infrastructure
The Flexley Stack F712 can handle multiple load types and sizes, thanks to adjustable forks, according to ABB Robotics. This includes open and closed pallets, containers, or racks, with loads up to 2,000 kg (4,409.2 lb.) and heights of up to 8.5 m (27.8 ft.).
Unlike conventional automated forklifts on the market, the F712 uses visual simultaneous localization and mapping (vSLAM) to navigate its environment, said ABB. This eliminates the need for pre-installed infrastructure like markers or reflectors.
“Traditional localization looks at the world with thin 2D lidar slices, but now we have a rich 3D view and can share maps across our fleet of stackers, movers, and tuggers,” said Renaud Dubé, head of research and development at Sevensense by ABB, during a press briefing.
The AI-enabled system supports the autonomous decisions required to operate in complex, dynamic warehouse operations with a market-leading positional accuracy of ±10 mm (0.3 in.), asserted the company.
The new AMR joins the Flexley Tug and Flexley Mover in ABB Robotics’ growing vSLAM fleet. The P604 is an omnidirectional platform that can carry two pallets, while the smaller P2603 AMR works with different top modules, explained Ricardo Martinez, R&D product technology manager at ABB Robotics. The F712 can also work with the company’s industrial robot arms.
“Across the globe, companies share with us their problems with hiring forklift drivers. SLAM enables flexibility,” said Alfonso Gonzalez, global AMR product line manager at ABB Robotics. “By integrating all our AMRs with the same navigation technology, we enable them to work seamlessly together. There’s an advantage for AMRs to be able to work on the same project — they’re no longer limited or isolated.”
The more agile AMRs can reduce operational costs, improve return on investment (ROI), and operate safely around the clock, asserted ABB Robotics. The ability of different AMR types to collaborate on the same workflows will translated into greater flexibility for logistics processes including line feeding, pallet handling, and scalable storage, said Martinez.
Applications include intralogistics tasks such as warehouse storage and retrieval, as well as line supply, end-of-line handling, body- and press-shop, and drive-in and light buffer in the automotive and industrial sectors.
F712 complies with standards, works with AMR Studio
The Flexley Stack F712 is fully integrated with the AMR Studio software and is VDA 5050-compatible, enabling interoperability with ABB Robotics’ other AMRs, all of which will now have vSLAM. Its integration with other systems makes it easy to manage complex projects with different types of mobile robots, the company said.
Together with AMR Studio, this can shorten commissioning times by up to 20% and adapt instantly when a warehouse or production floor layout changes. The no-code, drag-and-drop software suite supports rapid setup, fleet coordination, traffic management and real-time visualization. ABB said its tugs, movers, and forklifts can operate together in the same layout for “scalable, turnkey” automation projects.
“Customers can design workflows in a single, user-friendly interface,” said Ainhoa Narváez, UX/UI designer and industrial design engineer at ABB Robotics. “AMR Studio democratizes automation. It allows true collaboration for operational efficiency based on real-time data, and it can expand as needs evolve.”
Certified to the latest ISO and ANSI safety standards, Flexley Stack F712 can safely operate at speeds of up to 1.7 m/s (3.8 mph) while loaded, the company said. The new lift truck is now available, said Martinez.
ABB Robotics innovations earn recognition
By combining autonomous forklifts, tugs, and movers on one platform, ABB Robotics said it enables customers to automate a broader range of material handling and intralogistics processes. As one of the world’s leading robot producers, ABB Robotics’ portfolio includes industrial robots, cobots, and AMRs for a range of industries, including automotive, electronics, and logistics.
In October 2025, ABB Group announced plans to sell its robotics unit to SoftBank Group for $5.3 billion. ABB Robotics has about 7,000 employees, and its U.S. headquarters and factory are in Auburn Hills, Mich.
ABB Robotics received a 2026 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award for its OmniCore EyeVision system, which enables robots to autonomously adapt to complex environments.
In addition, Ford Motor Co. recently recognized ABB Robotics as a 2026 Ford Supplier of the Year in the Indirect Industrial Equipment and Construction Excellence Category. The automaker said it honored ABB’s performance, dedication, and collaboration during the 2025 fiscal year.
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