Kalmar, part of Cargotec, has published the first application key for Kalmar Key, the terminal industry’s first automation platform with open interfaces launched in September 2017. The Kalmar Application Key opens up Kalmar’s best-practice model for systems integration in terminals that follow the ‘AutoRTG with coupled manual horizontal transportation’ concept. It includes generic interface specifications, high-level business process descriptions to support integration, and access to the Kalmar Key partner forum and a software development kit.
Kalmar Key provides a common system architecture for building end-to-end, customised automation solutions using the Kalmar Terminal Logistics System (TLS) as a basis. By publishing application interfaces, Kalmar aims to facilitate the adoption of container terminal automation and support the development of the entire industry. The goal with the new application key is to enable a smoother path and more predictable end results for terminal automation projects by describing more clearly what kind of application logic is supported ‘out of the box’. This allows customers to take advantage of learnings from previous implementations while minimising the amount of system integration work and the use of customised code. Instead, terminals can take advantage of a proven and tested code base.
Furthermore, Kalmar is aiming to engage in an open discussion with customers, terminal design consultants and competitors about the optimal way to integrate and standardise an automated terminal operating concept.
Kalmar Key will also open up the application-independent core software components of the Kalmar TLS, known as platform keys, for use by developers. This will enable customers to tailor their automation system with the help of a third-party partner in ways that were previously not possible – for example, by extending the system with any brand of equipment. Kalmar will publish first platform keys later this year.
To coincide with the publication of the first application key, Kalmar is also announcing the launch of the Kalmar Key partner forum – a one-stop-shop for developers, customers and partners that will host discussion forums, Q&A resources and document and software downloads. The forum will be developed in phases, with new content added throughout 2018.
Tommi Pettersson, Vice President, Software and Automation Development, Kalmar: “We believe that by sharing our application interfaces and integration models we can facilitate a healthy and open dialogue in our industry that will help speed up the pace of automation adoption and make implementation much smoother. Furthermore, customers will gain even greater flexibility in terms of customisation possibilities, which will help them build complete automation solutions that are exactly right for their business.”
