The logistics, warehouse management and order fulfillment industries have undergone many changes in recent years, with increasing demands for efficiency and productivity.  

Keeping up to date with new processes and adopting the latest technology becomes essential for companies motivated to stay competitive and adapt to new market demands.  

When it comes to increasing efficiency and productivity in warehousing logistics, automation cannot be ignored. Warehouse robots are certainly a competitive lever. The AMR robot is proving to be one of the most innovative technological revolutions.  

What is an AMR robot?

An AMR robot (Autonomous Mobile Robot) is any robot that is capable of moving in the environment in which it is placed, without the need of human operator supervision or a fixed and predetermined path.  

This means that it is a very sophisticated robot, capable of understanding its surroundings thanks to the presence of sensors that allow it to:  

• Perform your duties as efficiently as possible and take the shortest possible path  
• Avoid collisions with fixed obstacles (such as fixed structures, shelves, workstations, etc.)  
• Avoid collisions with moving obstacles (such as operators, forklifts, etc.).  

Other technologies used in warehouse management also perform similar functions (e.g. AGV), but only AMR provides the kind of flexibility that allows choosing the best and safest path when performing a task in its service.  

Integration with warehouse control systems means AMR Robots can create their own routes and make processes and workflows more efficient and productive.  

An AMR can perform tasks such as shipping, picking goods, delivering, and arranging goods, even in hazardous or hazardous environments.  

Types of AMR Robots  

According to the purpose of using AMR robots, there are 3 types:  

AMR robots are designed to transport and organize goods in factories and warehouse systems

Transportation, sorting, and handling of goods are the first activities to be automated where possible. Cargo automation frees up staff to take on more important tasks. Of course, there are different AMR solutions for cargo handling, such as: 

• Roller Conveyor
• Tilted tray
• Crossbelt sorting machine 

Each system enhances warehouse efficiency by handling goods of different weights and shapes, from heavy pallets to small items.  

AMR robots are designed to assist in the picking process

Order preparation can be one of the most expensive activities in warehouse management, not because it requires qualified staff, but because of the time it takes for personnel to travel from place to place to pick up items.

AMR greatly reduces the time it takes to move from one area of the warehouse to another to select different items.  In any case, a certain amount of time can be wasted, as operators have to search for items stored on shelves. With G2P logic (meaning goods to people), the aforementioned waste of time is further reduced.  

In effect, the operator is assigned a picking station to prepare the order, while the AMRs move through the shelves and find exactly where the needed item is.  

AMR robots for inventory and warehousing operations  

Inventory is one of the issues worth noting in the process of managing the warehouse system. Knowing how many items are stored, placed, picked and handled in real-time is critical to minimizing errors during operations.  

Also, in this case, AMRs are a great ally because they can replace employees who often perform time-consuming and error-prone operations like shipping and handling goods.  

When integrated with a warehouse management system, AMR enables the automation of the inventory process, significantly reducing the time required for this activity, and optimizing productivity and accuracy in the fulfillment show order.  

Furthermore, inventory operations can often be managed by a synergistic combination of specific automation solutions, such as RFID technology (and RFID gateways for item identification) and AMR for item handling goods (even pallets or full shelves).  

Advantages of AMR robots

The advantages brought when using Autonomous Mobile Robots in the warehouse:  

• Reduce personnel costs  
• Increase worker productivity  
• More orders to be completed  
• Fewer errors in order preparation and thus fewer returns  
• Increased worker safety, as AMRs perform the most health-demanding jobs and access the most hazardous or unhealthy areas of the warehouse. 

 Read more: Automatic Storage Systems For The Pharmaceutical Sector: Modula’s Solutions