Mobile Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs)

Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) are a type of technology that is swiftly growing in popularity in material handling facilities worldwide. These robots are designed to navigate a warehouse or distribution center by themselves without requiring human supervision. They include software and sensors that allow them to move about the premises, track down and grab products and transport them to their destination.

Autonomous Mobile Robot Benefits

A main benefit of using AMRs in material handling facilities is the heightened productivity they are able to contribute. Through automating duties such as material handling and transportation, AMRs can drastically lessen the time and labor required to finish these jobs. This results in better order processing and distribution times in addition to reduced costs for labor.

Another benefit of AMRs is their constant operation without a requirement for breaks or rest. This enables material handling facilities to optimize their throughput and productivity because the robots can work constantly without experiencing any exhaustion.

AMRs can also increase safety in warehouses, as they have installed software and sensors that enable them to avert impacts with people and objects. This limits the possibility of injuries and accidents in the workplace, which is extremely important in operations that include heavy lifting and other physically demanding jobs.

Types of AMRs

There is a variety of unique types of AMRs on the market specifically engineered for particular jobs and workspaces. Customary implementations of AMRs include:

• Order Picking AMRs: AMRs come in a wide array of configurations that are intended to limit picking-related retrieval time. Having AMRs take goods to the picker gets rid of travel time for hourly staff members and can be transformative when it comes to efficiency and cost.
• Sortation AMRs: Sortation can benefit significantly from the use of autonomous mobile robots. Varying styles of AMRs possess a range of handling technologies. They can be equipped with anything from tilt trays to cross belt systems, and they can be used in returns handling, e-com fulfillment and high-speed parcel sortation.
• Inventory AMRs: Modern order fulfillment is dependent on having accurate, transparent inventory visibility—understanding exactly where the item is in the 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 directly integrated with an inventory database can significantly reduce the time and money required to sustain maximum productivity and order integrity.

AMR Implementation

Configuring AMRs in a warehouse or distribution center demands extensive consideration and planning. It is critical to thoroughly examine the jobs that the robots will be performing and ensure that they are equipped with the correct software and sensors to handle these tasks properly. It is also important to consider the layout of the material handling facility and the possible effect on different processes and systems, like the storage and material handling systems.

One of the obstacles of configuring AMRs is the need to consolidate them with present systems and processes. AMRs often should be connected to warehouse management systems (WMS) and other computer systems in order to run properly. This can need significant effort and resources and might mean the development of proprietary software or connection with third-party systems.

Another obstacle is the requirement for ongoing support and maintenance. AMRs require consistent maintenance and software updates in order to continue operating correctly, and it is necessary to make a plan to make sure that such duties are done in a routine and efficient manner.

Talk to A Warehouse Automation Expert

To summarize, autonomous mobile robots are able to bring substantial gains to warehouses and distribution centers, including enhanced efficiency, productivity and safety. To learn more about designing and deploying an AMR project, contact a warehouse automation expert at Carolina Handling now.