7 Advantages of Autonomous Mobile Robots

How AMRs are revolutionising warehousing and boosting efficiency across industries

The supply chain industry is under immense pressure due to rising demand, labour shortages, and increasing operational costs. Warehouses, in particular, face challenges in keeping up with rapid order fulfilment while maintaining efficiency and accuracy.

In the middle of these challenges, Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) are at the forefront of transforming logistics and optimising supply chain systems. These are driverless transport vehicles, often used in material handling and intra-logistics. AMRs are transforming warehouse operations and logistics.

AMRs are different from AGVs(Autonomous Guided Vehicles). The main difference is their navigation as AGVs follow a fixed, determined path and cannot deviate without human intervention, while AMRs have advanced sensors to navigate their path without human assistance.

The current global AMR market is USD 2.25 Billion and is expected to grow at a 15% CAGR, reaching USD 4.56 Billion by 2030. This is a significant growth, especially when we compare it to the global industrial robotics market, which is valued at USD 33.96 billion. To understand this rapid expansion, we must observe how companies benefit from AMR’s navigation and automation capabilities for streamlining their warehouse operations.

Moreover, with rising labour shortages and competitive cost pressures, SEC’s Warehouse integration with AI & Machine Learning has significantly increased demand, especially in warehousing and logistics.

Let’s look at the 7 Key Advantages of Autonomous Mobile Robots and how they can help your business.

1. AMRs Increase Efficiency

AMRs are a good example of how robots can increase efficiency. They are designed to move without any human intervention, making it easy to handle routine operations. This helps AMRs streamline operations by taking over repetitive tasks and making sure that the workforce can spend their time solving complex problems.

One of the main reasons warehouse owners are rapidly adopting this technology is that AMRs eliminate routine tasks and can work continuously without errors.

2. AMRs Enhance Productivity

Small businesses often need to manage close-knit teams and tight finances. Autonomous Robots are a game changer for such organisations, bringing in continuous operations without production downtimes, and enhancing productivity. The workforce can focus on other essential tasks requiring human management.

With AI and automation, integrating autonomous mobile robotics into supply chain systems optimises the movement of materials, enhancing overall productivity and minimising delays. SEC Group’s DIDO AI Technology helped streamline warehouse operations from 25 picks to 200 picks an hour.

3. AMRs Are Safer Than Manual Vehicles

AMRs follow strict navigation protocols designed to reduce errors. They comply with safety regulations like EN 1525 (“Safety of Industrial Trucks, Driverless Trucks and Their Systems) and ANSI 56.5:2012 (“Safety Standard for Driverless, Automatic Guided Industrial Vehicles and Automated Functions of Manned Industrial Vehicles”).

AMRs can handle extreme conditions and high-risk environments where a small mistake can lead to fatal accidents. Now, dangerous tasks can be done by autonomous robots. Thus, minimising workplace injuries.

4. AMRs Are Less Expensive Over Time

Initial automation with autonomous robots is not cheap. But with time, the cost of implementing AMRs has significantly decreased as their popularity skyrocketed and technology has grown.

AMRs increase the efficiency of operations, although initially, they may require fixed costs. However, they also reduce the long-term labour and operational costs and significantly reduce employee productivity lost due to employee fatigue, absenteeism or turnover.

They also have lower maintenance costs compared to human-operated vehicles. Many businesses can generate an ROI by recovering their costs in 2 Years or less.

5. AMRs Are Easily Scalable

AMRs are easier to install, and seamlessly adjust to new configurations and increased workloads. Unlike AGVs, AMRs don’t need any permanent infrastructural changes. It’s easy for businesses to adjust workflows as demand changes quickly.

Another useful feature of AMRs is unlike human staff, if you add an AMR to your fleet, the availability, cost and quality of AMR are consistent. On the other hand, if operational demand decreases, AMRs can be easily removed from the fleet, since they have no fixed infrastructure costs. Hence, AMRs are easily scalable.

6. AMRs Make Good Cobots

AMRs make better Cobots (Coworker Bots) than AGVs as they are designed to work alongside human workers. As cobots, AMRs can carry out what we call unskilled work, like moving materials or goods from station to station or picking up goods to hand over human picker.

Since the workers are largely unskilled, they are unlikely perceived as ‘taking away jobs’ from the current staff. Their small stature is physically less intimidating than large vehicles, thus complementing human workers, than replacing them.

7. AMRs Are Sustainable

Unlike diesel-operated manual vehicles, almost all AMRs are battery-powered, reducing harmful emissions. The functioning of AMR supports “lights-out manufacturing” that is fully automated production without human presence required.

AMRs use advanced algorithms to find the most efficient routes. With task batching, they can combine multiple tasks in a single journey, thus reducing the total distance travelled and lowering energy consumption.

Common Challenges Faced By Businesses

Challenge 1: Initial Investment Cost

AMRs require an initial investment from £350,000, depending on capabilities with an additional cost of charging stations, fleet management software and maintenance contracts. This can be a heavy upfront cost but leads to long-term savings.

Challenge 2: Integration with Existing Infrastructure

Many AMRs are plug-and-play, but some may require adaptation to the environment like uneven flooring, poor wifi coverage and lighting can interfere with AMR’s sensor functioning.

Challenge 3: Training And Workforce Transition

Employees may resist the introduction of AMRs due to concerns about working alongside automated systems. It’s important to train and educate them for a smooth transition.

AMR Use Cases Across Industries

Manufacturing

AMRs keep things moving on the production line, from hauling materials to assembly assistance. Thus streamlining material transport and production.

Warehousing & Logistics:

AMRs handle all unskilled physical work from inventory to picking orders, optimising fulfilling centres and supply chain systems.

Health Care

Hospitals use AMRs to transport supplies & samples, especially medications, giving staff time to focus on patient care.

Retail & E-Commerce

AMRs can significantly help with fast-paced inventory management like fetching out inventory for online orders and restocking.

Final Thoughts

AMRs mark a fundamental transformation in logistics 4.0 for supply chain optimisation. Logistic workflows related to the transport of materials are repetitive and don’t provide any major value to operators. SEC’s Autonomous Robots can successfully address supply chain challenges, swiftly providing automated solutions to many operational tasks within a warehouse or distribution centre and saving time plus supply chain budgets in the long run.

Next Steps

At SEC Storage, we specialise in crafting tailored automation solutions to meet your unique needs, regardless of your warehouse size or complexity. Read the case study on how SEC’s DIDO AI Technology enabled order line picking to increase from 25 to 200 picks per hour.