automation & robotics
En-routE to automatED intErnaL transPortation
By Ross Lacy, mobile robot product manager at RARUK Automation
production and warehousing environment. Even in otherwise automated manufacturing plants, much of this transportation is heavily dependent on manual labour, from forklifts to manual carts, making it subject to human error. moreover, labour costs continue to rise, as do indirect insurance costs for injury and property damage claims. For these reasons, increasing numbers of
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facilities are now using autonomous mobile robots (amrs) to optimise workflows throughout manufacturing and warehouse environments. amrs require no additional infrastructure, and instead use built-in sensors, cameras and intelligent software to navigate efficiently and safely around workers and equipment. importantly, it is easy to program, update and
optimise robot missions following the introduction of new workflows or when production requirements change. it is also simple to integrate the software into existing systems such as ErP, mEs and Wms to ensure the automatic lineside delivery of materials. alternatively, the robots can be set up to travel regular ‘bus routes’, stopping at defined areas to deliver and/or pick-up raw materials or sub-assemblies.
RoUte to efficiency raw material storage workflows begin with amrs that autonomously deliver materials to the warehouse. From there, the robots can feed high- reach equipment for long-term storage, or deliver pallets to racks where they can be unpacked and binned as needed to support lineside delivery. in the warehouse, smaller and highly customisable
amrs can transport and deliver a wide range of carts and totes out to the manufacturing floor. material transport workflows for production and
assembly lines typically take place in dynamic and highly populated environments, making them inappropriate for forklifts. Even manual carts can be difficult for workers to navigate in these areas. conversely, amrs can move safely and efficiently through even the busiest manufacturing environments, automatically stopping to avoid collisions and manoeuvring around people or other obstacles. Larger amrs with lifters can deliver pallets around
the clock to docking stations where robotic arms can de-palletise and feed other automated systems. For smaller processes, materials can be manually or automatically loaded and unloaded using compact amrs that are equipped with a hook to pull carts, or with a rack or conveyor top module for other functions.
y the time a manufactured product is ready for shipping to a customer it may already have travelled miles, just within its own
14 novEmbEr 2021 | FactorY&HanDLinGsoLutions
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