Driving Operational Efficiency with Autonomous Mobile Robots

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For a more in-depth look at autonomous solutions, register for AutoGuide Mobile Robots webinar on Jan 14, 2021 04:00 PM: Introducing Autonomous Storage and Retrieval For All As deployment times quicken and significant efficiency gains are realized, the pace of automation adoption is accelerating. According to a recent McKinsey study, 30% having fully automated one or more business operations processes, with 59% of respondents having piloted automation for at least one function or business unit (1) . With numerous applications, crossing several verticals, automation has become an integral part of improving operational efficiency, driving down costs and improving margins. Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), fully autonomous vehicles guided by sensors that use the natural features of a facility to navigate, deliver one of the most clear-cut justifications for automating a facility with a quick return on investment. Conceptualizing how you can deploy automation in your operation requires an understanding of the tasks which most lend themselves to being automated, which can vary by industry. Let’s look at a couple of use cases in different operational environments. Manufacturing Facilities Manufacturing facilities are full of repetitive, dangerous tasks that can, and should, be automated. Utilizing collaborative robots (cobots) on the assembly line is often an operation’s first foray into automation and can have significant business impact. What is often overlooked is the fact that much of the business revolves around moving materials in a facility – traditionally a completely manual task. Forklifts move pallets of material from finished goods to warehousing or shipping; or raw materials to assembly lines for re-stocking. To be moved, all materials must be touched by a manually-driven forklift, which in and of itself, is dangerous. Every year one third of the deaths caused by workplace accidents in the EU are related to transport (2) . But consider […]