Supply chain disruptions, persistent labor shortages, and sudden shifts in consumer demand are pushing warehousing operations to adapt faster than ever. But within these challenges lie powerful opportunities, particularly when it comes to adopting new technologies.
Autonomous mobile robots have become one of the practical ways to respond. These intelligent systems are already transforming warehouses and distribution centers, with their impact rapidly expanding across various industries.
This article covers several questions:
- What autonomous mobile robots are and how they work.
- How different types are used in warehouse environments.
- How AMRs fit into the broader warehouse automation strategy.
What Are Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs)?
Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) are self-navigating robots that use sensors, onboard computers, and artificial intelligence to understand their surroundings. They plan their own routes and complete tasks without fixed tracks or direct human control.
In warehouse environments, autonomous mobile robots handle material transport, support order picking, move pallets, and scan inventory. They do all of this while working safely alongside people and equipment.
Autonomous mobile robots should not be confused with automated guided vehicles (AGVs). While these technologies seem similar at first glance, there are key differences.
AGVs rely on specific lanes, limiting their operational flexibility. Their predetermined routes mean that they are limited in scope. This is true even for the most advanced models that have some limited abilities to detect obstacles. In contrast, AMRs are designed to adapt in real time, navigating around obstacles and dynamically adjusting their routes based on their surroundings.
How Do Autonomous Mobile Robots Work?
Autonomous mobile robots combine sensor technology, mapping, and onboard decision-making to move safely and efficiently. Some AMRs also incorporate auditory sensors, such as microphones, which can detect and respond to sound cues. While less common than visual perception, this can support intelligent navigation in noisy or complex environments.
AMRs Use Sensors to Perceive Their Surroundings
AMRs “see” with LiDAR (light detection and ranging) scanners, 2D and 3D cameras, ultra-wideband (UWB) sensors, and proximity sensors. Together, these navigation technologies allow the robot to detect and navigate around shelving, racking, conveyors, people, forklifts, and other robots.
They Use SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping)
Many AMRs rely on simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) to build a digital map of the facility while continuously tracking their own position within it. The map captures fixed elements like racking and conveyors, while live sensor data detects moving obstacles.
Onboard Computers Plan Safe, Efficient Paths
Onboard navigation software processes sensor data in real time. It uses navigation and path-planning algorithms to determine an efficient route. Built-in obstacle avoidance lets the AMR slow, stop, or reroute automatically when an aisle is blocked or a worker steps into its path.
Fleet management software can coordinate multiple robots and assign tasks. Integration with a warehouse management system (WMS), and often an ERP, ties every move to real orders and inventory.
Types of Autonomous Mobile Robots
AMRs come in several forms, each built for a different material handling job:
- Collaborative picking AMRs travel with pickers, cutting walking time and directing workers to the next pick.
- Goods-to-person AMRs bring totes, carts, or other goods to workers.
- Autonomous forklifts and pallet movers transport full pallets between receiving, storage, and shipping.
- Towing and cart AMRs pull carts of material between zones or to production lines.
- Inventory scanning robots capture stock levels and locations.
- Cleaning AMRs handle floor care to keep facilities safe and hygienic.
Benefits of AMRs in the Warehouse Environment
A natural fit for the modern warehouse environment, autonomous robots promise to deliver huge improvements in efficiency, accuracy, and productivity. They also make today’s warehouses as flexible as possible.
The following are just a few of the many advantages these high-tech solutions promise to deliver:
Addressing Labor Shortages
Labor shortages are a huge source of concern across businesses of all types. Warehouse facilities, in particular, struggle to get enough workers on board.
AMRs can help fill these labor gaps by taking over repetitive, time-consuming tasks such as transporting materials and reducing long walks between picks. They can also operate for extended periods and handle tasks that may be mundane or physically demanding, allowing employees to focus on more complex, higher-value work.
For example, AMRs can significantly improve the picking process by navigating warehouse aisles, transporting picked items, and reducing the amount of walking and manual material movement required of employees. By using their advanced sensors and AI to map the warehouse layout, avoid obstacles, and optimize routes, these robots can help move picked items to the appropriate locations faster and with greater accuracy than human pickers.
Accuracy
Human workers are prone to errors, especially under the current pressures of the competitive labor market. There’s only so much employees can handle when they’re limited to manual processes.
This is particularly evident when examining metrics for manual versus automated order picking. For example, AMRs can navigate to the correct location, scan barcodes, and exchange data with warehouse systems to help verify that materials are moved to the appropriate destination. This reduces the chances of picking the wrong product, especially in a high-volume environment where errors can occur due to manual handling.
AMRs can also cross-check orders in real-time with the warehouse management system (WMS), ensuring that every item picked matches the order specifications exactly. By automating these tasks, AMRs help maintain consistent order fulfillment accuracy, reducing costly returns and enhancing overall customer satisfaction.
Safety
With their sensor technology, obstacle avoidance, and controlled speeds, AMRs reduce the manual material handling behind many warehouse injuries. Their use can also lower forklift traffic in pedestrian areas.
Increased Flexibility
AGVs can streamline a variety of warehouse operations, but they are locked to fixed routes, making them less flexible.
AMRs bypass this issue because they are free to move wherever and whenever they need. They are not limited to a single route and are therefore better able to carry out a variety of tasks.
Warehouse automation strategies that rely on AMRs can easily implement new processes as needed to respond to changes in demand or SKUs. The AMRs themselves can meet these changes; simply add more when they are required or use fewer until it’s time to scale up again. Their inherent flexibility extends to multiple locations, as relocation is uniquely easy when they are involved.
Better Operational Data
AMRs generate data on travel paths, task times, congestion, and throughput. Robot health data from the fleet can also support predictive maintenance, so issues are addressed before they cause downtime. Combined with visibility from the rest of the facility, this data drives continuous improvement.
Partner With Peak for AMR Solutions and Warehouse Automation
Interested in embracing autonomous mobile robots but unsure where to begin? With so many variables to consider, getting started can feel overwhelming, but partnering with the right vendor can make all the difference.
Peak Technologies helps warehouses and distribution centers plan, deploy, and integrate AMR solutions around their existing workflows and operational needs. From assessing the right applications to implementation and integration, Peak helps businesses use AMRs as part of a broader warehouse automation strategy.
Through Peak Automation Intelligence, Peak extends that strategy with AI-powered solutions that use machine vision, real-time operational data, and analytics to provide greater visibility into material movement and warehouse operations. Together, these capabilities help businesses connect robotics with the rest of their automation environment and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, accuracy, and productivity.
