Birmingham Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs)

Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) are a kind of technology that is very quickly growing in popularity within material handling facilities all over the world. These types of robots are designed to navigate a warehouse independently without involving human assistance. They include sensors and software that let them move about the storage location, locate and retrieve items and take them to their destination.

Autonomous Mobile Robot Benefits

A great benefit to utilizing AMRs in warehouses is the increased capability they can bring. Through automating duties such as material handling and transportation, AMRs will considerably lessen the time and effort necessary to complete such tasks. This can result in better order processing and distribution times as well as decreased labor fees.

A second benefit of AMRs lies in their ability to work at all hours, without a requirement for breaks or rest. This means warehouses are able to increase their productivity and throughput because the AMRs can work around the clock without becoming tired.

AMRs can also increase safety in material handling facilities because they are configured with sensors and software that allow them to prevent impacts with people and objects. This can reduce the risk of injuries and accidents in the facility, which is especially significant in environments that include heavy lifting and other physically demanding tasks.

Types of AMRs

There are several different styles of AMRs available on the market, specifically created for particular tasks and environments. A sample typical implementations of AMRs include:

• Order Picking AMRs: AMRs are available in an extensive range of styles that are meant to limit picking-related travel time. Having AMRs bring objects to the picker removes travel time for hourly employees and can be transformative in terms of efficiency and cost.
• Sortation AMRs: Sortation can benefit substantially from implementing autonomous mobile robots. Different styles of AMRs have a range of handling technologies. It’s feasible to outfit them with everything from cross belt systems to tilt trays, and they can be used in high-speed parcel sortation, returns handling and e-com fulfillment.
• Inventory AMRs: Contemporary order fulfillment is dependent on having accurate, transparent inventory visibility—being aware of where the product is within your warehouse, distribution center and collective supply chain. However, arranging inventory transportation and reconciliation can be difficult and time intensive for particularly large and complicated operations. AMRs that are integrated directly with an inventory database can significantly reduce the time and expenditures necessary to maintain maximum efficiency and order accuracy.

AMR Implementation

Implementing AMRs in a warehouse or distribution center requires extensive consideration and forethought. It is critical to painstakingly examine the tasks that the robots will be completing and make sure that they are equipped with the required software and sensors to perform these jobs effectively. It is also necessary to account for the layout of the material handling facility and the potential effect on different processes and systems, such as the storage and material handling systems.

One of the possible difficulties of deploying AMRs is integrating them with existing systems and processes. AMRs often must be connected to warehouse management systems (WMS) and other computer systems in order to run effectively. This sometimes takes substantial time and materials and may require the development of custom software or integration with third-party systems.

One more obstacle is the need for continual support and maintenance. AMRs must have regular software updates and maintenance in order to keep running properly, and it is important to make a plan to guarantee that such tasks are completed in a systematic and capable way.

Talk to A Warehouse Automation Expert

Collectively, autonomous mobile robots are able to bring substantial gains to material handling facilities, including enhanced efficiency, productivity and safety. To learn more about configuring and deploying an AMR project, talk to a warehouse automation professional at Carolina Handling today.