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How and When to Buy a Mobile Robot

The CB 18 from Bastian Solutions is a commercially-available AGV counterbalance forklift for pallet handling throughout manufacturing and distribution facilities.

Look closely at safety, application, integration and more.

by Kim Phelan

Introducing or expanding mobile robots into your warehouse is a people-first decision. It’s about (1) determining what to automate for the sake of your people, and (2) it can also be a matter of offsetting the shortfall of people to maintain or increase productivity.

On the first point, distributors simply ought to automate where it makes sense: tasks that can cause ergonomic and other injuries or those that are repetitive and boring – which can also lead to injury, according to Michael Marcum, senior director for autonomous vehicles at Bastian Solutions, a designer and integrator of industrial robotic systems.

“Those are perfect places to put automation,” he said, “and don’t try to put it in a place that’s very chaotic and dynamic. That’s a better place for humans to do the work – let them make the complex decisions and deal with all the abnormalities. Look to use automation in a wise and fruitful way in your operations – and don’t look to automate everything. You need to move slowly and methodically in what you’re automating.”

Zebra's Symmetry AMR is integrated with Zebra wearable computers and scanners to orchestrate fulfillment operation. The wearable is like a portable teacher - a new employee can learn what to do in minutes.

But there’s also the workforce shortage to consider. “At some point, there’s a pivot point in your business where you say, ‘I just can’t get enough people to do the volumes I need – I’ve got multiple shifts and I still don’t have enough people,’” said Matt Wicks, vice president and general manager of automation at Zebra Robotics, which offers a robot as a service model in the area of order fulfillment. “There’s a natural progression toward, ‘how can I automate some of these operations?’ And mobile robotics can take you from these manual push cart picking systems to being able to extend the operation without a huge capital investment. Flexible automation solutions allow you to add some more robots and some more wearables and double your capacity.”

AMR VERSUS AGV – WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

As the novelty of bots in the warehouse wears off, distributors are getting more serious about utility, efficiency, and ROI. Head into the procurement process armed with your own priorities and ready to identify features and vendors that will fit with your environment and goals.

The KUNA KMP 1500P incorporates cutting-edge SLAM navigation (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping), precision positioning, advanced load identification, 3D cameras, and innovative charging technology, the AMR offers a package of high-performance features, safety, and flexibility.

Mobile robots used to move material around a distribution center come in two categories: automated mobile robots (AMRs) and automated guided vehicles (AGVs). AGVs, which came first, follow a designated pathway, originally via wire guidance – then inertia guidance with magnetic pucks or following a magnetic tape or bar on the ground. It could also be following QR codes, according to Marcum. “There’s even the newer technology, which we’re pretty big fans of, where you’re using 2D LiDAR to recognize where it is in space and following a virtual designated path,” Marcum said.

By contrast, an AMR is not constrained by a specific pathway. “It’s allowed to move freely in the space, and it can avoid obstacles – it does what the industry calls dynamic path planning,” he continued. “It goes from Point A to Point B, and on the way, if it encounters an aisle that’s blocked, it can navigate to another aisle, whereas an AGV would be stuck until you remove the obstruction. That’s really the key distinction.”

E80's intelligent vision systems improve their Laser Guided Vehicle (LGVs), and their SmartDect proprietary safety device uses ultra-wideband (UWB) technology to detect and locate people in real time within the LGV's operational area.

WHAT SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR?

Bots come with various bells and whistles, but resist the temptation to chase shiny objects. Suppliers recommend creating a solid checklist to take on your shopping journey, and the No. 1 consideration that trumps all else is safety.

“Hopefully you have corporate safety teams, or you may have to get third parties involved that have expertise in safety – you really should evaluate the safe design of the automated products you’re thinking about putting in your space,” said Marcum. “The No. 1 feature I would look for is, how did this company design the safe operation of this vehicle? What is it rated for? Know your use case and understand if it’s safe in that particular application. The product safety and the application safety – those are the two most important things I would consider if I were bringing mobile automation into my space.”

Once products are thoroughly vetted for safety, vendors recommend these additional considerations as you venture into the mobile robot marketplace:

You must be able to control, modify, and fix it. Unless you’re leasing or subscribing to a robot as a service, Marcum advises you should look for products that are easy to learn and use. “And look for companies that want to give you ownership – companies that don’t want to keep you on the on the hook.” Your team should be able to troubleshoot problems rather than wait for someone else to come in and fix it. However, you do want to calculate a supplier’s after-sales support and the total cost of ownership, says Andrea Pongolini, executive vice president of sales, North America, E80 Group. Another question you’ll want to answer: How accessible are spare and wear parts,” advises, Aaron Zimmerer at K. Hartwall.

Big Lit's BPM44 Pallet Mover is an AMR that makes autonomous solutions accessible. It's designed to operate like a standard end-rider forklift that warehouse workers already know how to use.

Intuitive user interface. The product design should embody a core principle of Industry 5.0, according to Nick Malewicki, general manager, autonomous, at Big Lift LLC. “Even the most advanced autonomous solutions fail if users struggle to operate them effectively,” he said. “Too often, automation initiatives emphasize technical capabilities while overlooking the importance of human-machine collaboration.”

It should fit your application. “Think about the robustness of the application,” says Wicks. Warehouses are very dynamic and challenging – evaluate the utilization of the robotic solutions themselves and how well the robots will provide value to your use cases.

A recent industry trend is mobile robot picking, says John Saltzman at S&H. Their Brightpick is an AMR that can pick where the inventory is stored - just as a person might do.

Alongside application, consider the SKUs involved. “Robots tend to be most effective across a narrow range of SKU parameters,” said John Saltzman, vice president, design engineering, S&H Systems. “They are not as flexible as people, and this may or may not be a detractor, depending upon the customer’s SKU base.” To evaluate whether a bot is appropriate for your application and SKUs, look at the base unit of storage is has. “Whether it be a pod, tote, pallet, bin, tray, box, bag, or something else, the base unit of storage will be the primary driver of what can and cannot be handled by the system,” he added.

Speed of deployment. Malewicki says this directly impacts the ROI timeline but also affects employee adoption. Solutions that can be integrated into existing operations with minimal disruption are more likely to gain workforce acceptance, which is often the biggest hurdle in automation projects.

Does it integrate with your existing systems? The vehicle must fit into a broader automation ecosystem, according to Pongolini. “It should communicate effectively with software, warehouse management systems, and other technologies involved in logistics operations.”

Swisslog's new AMR platform can carry 1,300 to 6,500 pounds. It's equipped with SLAM navigation (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping), optional QR-code navigation, 3D cameras for obstacle detection and a bumper to detect small items on the floor.

Scalability and flexibility. Choose a solution that allows for long-term adaptation and will support future changes in volume, layout, and SKUs without requiring a complete redesign, Pongolini added.

Real-time intelligence and navigation. The most effective systems gather and process data continuously to support better decision-making and performance optimization. Ultimately, these decisions should not be based on short-term needs alone. “The right technology partner provides not just a product, but a strategy that grows with your business,” said Pongolini.

Depending on your application, it may be important for a robot to automatically maneuver around obstacles like pallets in the driving path, says Odo Weiermueller, senior sales consultant, AMR, Swisslog Logistics. And Malewicki adds, “Without reliable spatial awareness and dynamic mapping, even the most sophisticated AMR is ineffective. The combination of LiDAR and cameras provides redundant sensing that ensure consistent safety and operational reliability.”

The A-MATE Counter by K. Hartwall is a compact counterbalanced AGV engineered for smart pallet transport and seamless integration into existing workflows. Its agile design and intelligent navigation are ideal for boosting efficiency.

Financial considerations such as leasing. While many AMR installations are scalable, consider whether the investment capital required also scales dynamically. According to Saltzman at S&H, some manufacturers offer options where customers can lease additional robots for peak periods. Distributors can save money by using only the horsepower required to fit the need.

Robust and fully-loaded product. The AMR hardware is only as good as the software that is controlling it, according to Tyler Britcher, sales manager North America AMR, KUNA Robotics. The fleet manager is the lifeline of the AMR system that choreographs the AMR routes, communication to higher level systems and creates an overall efficient system. He says the hardware must also be robust. "You must look ‘under the hood’ of the AMR to see what it is truly made of. And finally, make sure you know what’s included with your purchase. Does it include the lift, 3D cameras, QR code cameras, and all safety features integrated as a standard unit. How much more will you have to spend on accessories that aren’t included?"

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