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Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) are playing an integral role in transforming the business landscape. In recent times, automation has enabled businesses across various industries to take their companies ahead even in the face of challenges posed by COVID-19, Brexit, the international crisis and high consumer demand and labour shortages.
Key Takeaways:
- Understanding Autonomous Mobile Robot Definition and what are their types
- The recent advancements in technology have facilitated the development of AMRs that are more efficient, flexible, and cost-efficient.
- AMRs can operate with minimal human intervention, reducing the need for manual labour and saving on labour costs.
- AMRs can pick and move goods with high precision and accuracy, reducing the risk of errors and improving the overall quality of service.
- AMRs can save the effort and time of the human workforce by taking up mundane tasks and allowing them to concentrate on more valuable tasks
Understanding Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs)
In simple terms, the Definition of Autonomous Mobile Robots is that the robot can move and function within a warehouse setup without direct intervention from a human operator. It provides a simple, cost-effective yet efficient way to automate in-house transportation and material handling tasks in almost any kind of situation where the workforce would earlier have been required to move carts around the facility.
AMRs interpret and move around the environment without being directly supervised by a human operator or a fixed predetermined path. These robots are equipped with a range of advanced sensors that allow them to accept and understand their surroundings, which subsequently enable them to perform their tasks most efficiently while avoiding or detecting any fixed or variable obstructions. While Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) operate at fixed, rigid routes, AMRs choose the most efficient route to do each task and are appointed to form a collaboration for picking and sortation operations. Usually, AMRs can be classified into three varieties:
- AMRs that help in the process of picking
- AMRs that transport inventory within the facility
- AMRs that provide a flexible sortation solution
The Rise of Autonomous Mobile Robots
The use of Robotics in warehouses is not a newly arrived concept. However, recent advancements in technology have facilitated the development of AMRs that are more efficient, flexible, and cost-efficient. AMRs are equipped with software and sensors that allow them to navigate independently, preventing errors and adapting to changes in the environment. This makes them ideal for use in complex and dynamic warehouse environments.
Autonomous Mobile Robots: Accuracy, Safety, Adaptability and Efficiency
Already being used in the supply chains of logistics, e-commerce, textiles, food, beverages, electronics, pharmaceuticals, machinery, and printing organisations, Autonomous Mobile Robots are utilising the power of digitalisation to unlock several benefits for businesses and their customers.
By leveraging the potential of the latest technology to determine optimal routes and ensure enhanced productivity, autonomous mobile robots are well-trusted for their accuracy, safety, adaptability, and efficiency. From carrying out pick strategies to moving materials and goods, AMRs are capable of performing numerous warehouse and order fulfilment functions. Let us find out some of the ways autonomous mobile robots are transforming warehouse management systems and making them safer, smarter, and more efficient.
Decrease walking time: In conventional warehouses, associates have to walk to the picking area, distinguish different SKUs (Store Keeping Units) required to be picked and then go back to sorting stations. This back-and-forth movement adds up to the overall time spent on picking activities.
AMRs, specifically collaborative robots, substantially increase productivity in order fulfilment operations by automating the movement of products from one end of the facility to the other end. By automating product movement within the facility, businesses not only can reduce overall transportation time through the warehouse but also minimise the chances of mental/physical fatigue thus making fewer mistakes and incurring accidents.
Making integration of automation simple: In comparison to other automation systems, it is relatively easier to integrate AMRs in order fulfilment centres and warehouses. Furthermore, there is no need to make expensive, permanent, or operational changes when deploying AMRs. They can be seamlessly integrated during working hours since implementation does not obstruct the day-to-day functions of your facility.
Directing workflows to enhance efficiency and accuracy: AMRs are highly versatile. Not only do they contribute to expediting the picking process by managing the tiresome task of transporting products around, but some collaborative robots can navigate inventory locations, display the quantity of the items to be picked, direct workflows and keep associates on track leading to greater efficiency and accuracy of order fulfilment operations. They prioritise tasks and assemble similar work to maximise overall productivity and decrease the time taken for order fulfilment while also minimising human error.
Making capital expenses flexible: AMRs can be integrated without the need for any permanent or costly infrastructural changes to distribution and warehouse facilities. They utilise maps to navigate through the floors of warehouses, independently detecting and avoiding obstacles. There is no need to insert magnetic strips and tracks, establish dedicated paths or even impose limits on forklifts and humans to operate in spaces where the robots have been deployed. This simply implies that there are no hefty capital investments needed to deploy collaborative robots within your setup. Easy deployment also means that they can seamlessly be moved from one facility to another.
Improving human labour: Instead of moving across the warehouse and carrying items along as soon as they pick them up, human workers can concentrate on other more important tasks and let AMRs transport products between workers and stations. This alleviates the physical stress on human workers since they no longer need to transport orders from one place to the other.
Bottom Line
Warehouse automation has come a long way in the last few years. With the arrival of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), warehouses are going through a transformation unlike ever. AMRs have revolutionised the way warehouses operate, from receiving and storing inventory to order fulfilment and shipping.
Looking for a collaborative robot that can help your workforce handle monotonous, time-consuming order fulfilment and warehouse operations? Check out Dynamo, our resilient autonomous mobile robot equipped with natural navigation that allows optimal and effortless material movement of up to 100 kg. Visit our website today addverb.com or contact us to know more about our solutions and how our solutions can transform the way your business operates.
