Advantages

1. AMRs can be highly autonomous

One of the biggest advantages of an AMR is its autonomy, meaning that it can scan an area for obstacles on its own. This also applies to environments that might change over time by e.g a group of people coming into the warehouse, posing as obstacles for the robot. For example, instead of a whole path, the robot is given the starting point and the final point, creating its own path instead, while scanning and avoiding whatever gets in its way.

In addition, a map of the warehouse can be uploaded to the robot beforehand, saving time and making the process safer. With such a map, the robot can more easily detect obstacles, i.e. things not in the map, which brings flexibility and more up-time.

2. AMRs are flexible

An AMR does not need to follow a specific route when going from point A to point B. Unlike AGVs that follow magnetic tape or wire, AMRs create their own route and avoid obstacles. This means that AMRs are more flexible in terms of new tasks. They can more easily be reprogrammed for new routes or new warehouse layouts. Assigning an AGV a new route or changing its environment requires more time and money. For example, wire needs to be installed along new driving paths.

3. AMRs are quick to install

All software needed for the robot’s operation is included. There is no need for establishing a connection between the mobile robot and a production line’s existing software (e.g a warehouse execution system -WES). The connection is already there since the interfaces to a WES system have become an industry standard.

Simply put, a WES system is a way to document and track the process of transforming raw materials into final products in a warehouse production line.

This means that if a warehouse already manages orders through a WES system, orders to be carried out by AMRs can be easily passed into this system, although it is still considered optional.

Depending on the operation and the complexity of the task, an AMR (or a group of them) can work together with the rest of the components of a production line within 2-6 weeks. This is not a long time compared to AGVs, that require more preparation in the facility to set up entire driving paths.

4. Various grippers and peripherals are compatible with AMRs

Different top modules can be mounted on the robot, such as racks, bins, lifts, conveyors, grippers, hooks or a collaborative robot. The latter is actually part of a slightly different robot category called AIMM (Autonomous Industrial Mobile Operator). AIMMs can be used to move objects between different production lines or serve as a substitute of a malfunctioning robot, reducing downtime for replacing or fixing the robot instead. Both cases could significantly increase OEE (overall equipment effectiveness), which is the usual standard for measuring manufacturing productivity.