Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) from Linde Material Handling

An autonomous mobile robot (AMR) is able to transport goods from A to B without human intervention. Depending on the model, AMRs use different types of technology as a guide, such as track-guided navigation by means of QR codes or laser-assisted natural feature navigation. Autonomous mobile robots are generally designed as compact platform trucks. Thanks to their low heights, they can pass directly under transport racks and trolleys, or lift pallets from transfer racks, taking them to the defined destination independently.

Generally, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) are used primarily in logistics and in industrial environments to automate delivery and transport processes. Depending on the model, they can move loads of between 600 and 1500 kilograms. They can even be used in mixed operation, whereby they are involved in complex processes alongside people and other vehicles.

AMR vehicles are classified as autonomous if they can complete tasks independently without the need for human intervention. However, the tasks to be completed must already be known and clearly defined. There are different approaches for controlling AMRs. In some, the control software is located on the vehicle itself, while in others the robots are integrated into a central control system that coordinates transport jobs and calculates optimum routes for any task.

Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) increase handling capacity and thereby reduce goods handling times. At the same time, they reduce error and accident rates and minimize staff injuries as well as damage to goods and infrastructure. AMRs are compact and versatile, as they do not take up more room than the transported load carrier. This means that they are also fully efficient in tight spaces. In addition to the high cost efficiency, AMRs can also compensate for staff shortages, as employees are deployed elsewhere to carry out value-adding tasks. They can be easily integrated into existing processes and adapted in terms of quantity and configuration to meet the needs of the site.

AMRs achieve the greatest gains in efficiency in areas in which monotonous warehouse and transport tasks are continuously repeated. The driverless robots free up employees from tedious, time-consuming transport tasks that do not add value. They can be integrated into warehouse logistics across shifts, in round-the-clock operation. Freed-up staff can then be deployed in another, more productive, area. Furthermore, they provide increased transparency and maneuverability in the flow of goods.

Nowadays, there are barely any limits to the possible uses for AMRs. They are particularly widespread in industrial applications, such as for warehouse transport or supplying production lines. They are becoming more and more important in logistics and intralogistics, too.