Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs)
Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs): A flexible automation solution for order fulfillment and product transport
As e-commerce demands continues to grow, retailers must choose how best to respond to consumer expectations for accurate, on-time delivery. The goal is to scale operations for future growth within existing facility layouts while optimizing labor resources. To meet this goal, retailers must look to intelligent automated solutions such as AMRs to provide the flexible and scalable technology necessary to grow their operations.
AMRs are industrial robots that lift and transport materials within your facility. They reliably navigate throughout the workspace by reading QR codes on the facility floor, responding to changing traffic conditions and adapting accordingly. Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) scanners mounted on the AMRs allow them to sense and avoid obstructions.
Typical applications and uses of AMRs
AMRs provide flexible automation for a wide range of applications across various industries that can be implemented based on customer needs. Dematic features two types of AMR solutions:
- Goods-to-Person Order Fulfillment: AMRs transport inventory to and from workstations to support good-to-person picking operations. These AMRs carry either bins or shelves.
- Point-to-Point Transport: AMRs transport materials between different areas within warehouses or distribution centers, improving efficiency and reducing labor costs. These AMRs transport materials in totes or on pallets.
Key features and benefits of AMRs in supply chain automation
Supply chain automation solutions that feature AMRs come with several advantages:
- Flexibility: AMRs scale up or scale down operations as needed to accommodate changes, growth, or processes. They do not require fixed routes, so they adjust quickly to accommodate new routes or to create room in the workspace. They can seamlessly find alternative paths to any obstacle.
- Safety: LiDAR technology on each AMR detects and avoids obstructions. CE certified — meet health, safety, and environmental standards to work with humans.
- Labor: Frees up limited labor resources for value added tasks.
- Streamlined Implementation: Commissioning is minimally disruptive to your operation. Lower cost to operate/maintain in comparison to manual fork trucks. Less time and effort for installation than traditional automated solutions.
- Trusted Technology and Service Support: Supported by holistic approach (solution development, software, customer service), maximizes return on investment. Enhances current operations and provide better service levels to end customers.
- Built for the Future: Easily add AMRs to increase throughput as your operational needs change or grow.
Types of Dematic AMRs
Goods-to-Person AMRs
Goods-to-Person AMRs automate the retrieval and transport of goods directly to workstations where workers can quickly pick items as part of an order fulfillment. This contrasts with traditional systems where workers travel to pick items from shelves or storage locations.
What are Bin-to-Picker AMRs?
Bin-to-Picker AMRs automatically lift and transport product SKUs in totes to and from workstations. They are a key part of a flexible and cost-effective good-to-person process that efficiently handles order fulfillment operations and can scale quickly to meet rapid changes in business needs and customer demand.
Key features and benefits of Bin-to-Picker AMR solutions
- Reduced Order Fulfillment Cycle Times: Real-time inputs with on-demand methodology constantly balance workflows for the most efficient mix of labor and automation.
- Increased Operational Efficiencies: Adapts to changing operational needs to support highly efficient order fulfillment, maximizing use of resources and providing clear visibility into operations so you can make informed decisions.
- Improved Customer Satisfaction: Reduces cycle times and quickly adapts to changing priorities to provide the speed and flexibility necessary to meet consumer expectations for order delivery.
Applications and use cases of Bin-to-Picker AMR solutions
- Decanting: When inventory is received into your facility, Bin-to-Picker AMRs automatically moves totes from decanting workstations to storage.
- Storage and Retrieval: When inventory needs to be stored or retrieved, Bin-to-Picker AMRs equipped with masts automatically puts totes into storage racking or takes them from storage racking.
- Picking/Outbound: When inventory needs to be brought to picking workstations, Bin-to-Picker AMRs brings totes to the workstations so operators can pick the required number of SKUs into outbound packages.
What are Shelf-to-Picker AMRs?
Shelf-to-Picker AMRs automatically lift and transport a rack with shelves of SKUs and delivers them to picking workstations where workers can assemble orders. These AMRs are particularly beneficial in environments such as warehouses and fulfillment centers where efficiency and speed are crucial for order fulfillment.
Key features and benefits of Shelf-to-Picker AMR solutions
- Order Fulfillment Efficiency: Automates inventory retrieval and transport to workstations, increasing throughput and ensuring high inventory accuracy.
- Modular Design: Easily customized with different attachments or configurations based on the specific operational needs, making them versatile for multiple warehouse layouts.
- Improved Customer Satisfaction: Reduces cycle times and quickly adapts to changing priorities to provide the speed and flexibility necessary to meet consumer expectations for order delivery.
Applications and use cases of Shelf-to-Picker AMR solutions
- Storage and Retrieval: When inventory is to be stored or retrieved, Shelf-to-Picker AMRs automatically pull a shelf from the inventory field.
- Order Picking and Packing: Shelf-to-Picker AMRs transport inventory to packing stations, significantly speeding up the order fulfillment process. They can handle multiple orders simultaneously, optimizing efficiency.
| Feature | Bin-to-Picker | Shelf-to-Picker |
| Optimal Use Case | Operations with high volume, high number of SKUs | Operations with large or irregularly shaped items |
| Automation Level | Medium to high (existing automation and conveyors) | Low to moderate (manual or manual with robotics/tech aid) |
| Order Volume | High | Moderate |
| SKU Variety | Higher | Lower |
| Worker Travel Time | Minimal | Minimal (but dependent on shelving size) |
| Investment Level | Higher | Lower |
| Storage Flexibility | Less (fixed bin sizes) | More (accommodates bulkier items) |
| Speed & Efficiency | Best for fast-pick items | Best for bulkier or larger item retrieval |
EBook
The GTP Handbook: Evaluation of Goods-to-Person Solutions for Optimized Item Order Picking
Download to for insights into the best, most cost-effective choices for your operation.
Transport AMRs
Transport AMRs transport materials within environments such as warehouses, manufacturing facilities, and distribution centers. Unlike traditional material handling, these AMRs do not rely on fixed paths or predefined routes, using advanced navigation technology to operate autonomously and navigate around obstacles in real time.
What are Tote Transport AMRs?
Tote Transport AMRs automatically move totes, containers, or bins within various operational environments, such as warehouses, distribution centers, and manufacturing facilities. They autonomously navigate predefined paths or adapt to changing environments, helping streamline the movement of goods, materials, and inventories.
Key features and benefits of Tote Transport AMR solutions
- Increased Operational Efficiency: By automating the transport of totes, Tote Transport AMRs significantly improve the speed of material handling and increase overall throughput in operations. They operate continuously without breaks, maximizing productivity.
- Enhanced Accuracy: Tote Transport AMRs minimize the likelihood of human errors in material handling and order fulfillment, improving inventory accuracy.
- Improved Workplace Safety: By taking on heavy lifting and repetitive tasks, Tote TransportAMRs decrease the physical strain on workers, reducing workplace injuries. On board safety features allow them to operate without posing risks to people or equipment.
Applications and use cases of Tote Transport AMR solutions
- Inbound Logistics: Tote Transport AMRs can transport incoming totes from receiving docks to storage locations, reducing manual handling and improving the speed of inventory management.
- Sorting and Staging: In distribution centers, Tote TransportAMRs can move totes from one area to another based on sorting requirements, ensuring that items are organized efficiently for shipping.
- Work-in-Progress (WIP) Management: In manufacturing facilities, Tote Transport AMRs can move WIP totes between various stages of production, helping maintain an organized workflow and reduce bottlenecks.
What are Pallet Transport AMRs?
Pallet Transport AMRs automatically move pallets within warehouses, distribution centers, factories, and other storage facilities. They are part of the broader category of automated material handling systems aimed at improving efficiency, safety, and productivity in supply chain operations.
Key features and benefits of Pallet Transport AMR solutions
- Increased Operational Efficiency: By automating the transport of pallets, Pallet Transport AMRs provide greater efficiency by automating split-case and full-case order fulfillment, optimizing material flows to meet ongoing customer demands.
- Enhanced Accuracy: Pallet Transport AMRs minimize the likelihood of human errors in material handling, improving inventory accuracy.
- Improved Workplace Safety: By taking on heavy lifting and repetitive tasks, Pallet Transport AMRs decrease the physical strain on workers, reducing workplace injuries. On board safety features allow them to operate without posing risks to people or equipment.
Applications and use cases of Pallet Transport AMR solutions
- Pallet Transportation: Pallet Transport AMRs can autonomously transport palletized goods within warehouses, moving items from receiving docks to storage areas or from storage to shipping zones, optimizing workflow.
- Picking Support: Pallet Transport AMRs can assist picking operations by delivering pallets with required items to designated picking locations, reducing travel time for manually operated processes.
- Cross-Docking: Pallet Transport AMRs can support cross-docking operations by ensuring that incoming goods are quickly moved to outgoing transportation areas without lengthy storage times.
Why you should choose Dematic AMR solutions
Dematic is a trusted partner with deep experience in advanced robotics, warehouse systems, and intelligent software. Dematic’s end-to-end approach optimizes workflows and maximizes operational agility.
Dematic AMR solutions specifically reduce costs, boost efficiency, and pave the way for a smarter future.
- For low automation operations, Dematic AMR solutions provide a cost-effective improvement to worker productivity that requires minimal training.
- For high automation operations, Dematic AMR solutions can scale to handle spikes in demand while providing exceptional accuracy, smooth throughput rates, and additional operational efficiencies.
- The Dematic Software goes beyond integration — it builds efficiency by optimizing inventory management, accelerating order fulfillment, and streamlining operations.
- The Dematic global network of experts provides the service and support your operations need to confidently navigate evolving business conditions.
What criteria should you use when evaluating an automation partner?
It is critical to select the right supplier - one that will be a trusted partner throughout the entire process.
As a company that’s led innovation in Supply Chain for more than 200 years, Dematic provides the widest range of solutions and the expertise to build the solution you need for complete control and visibility over your operation.
Our solutions are tailored to your business challenges. Using standardised sub-systems and industry-leading insight and expertise, Dematic provides world-class integrated hardware, software, and support to help you empower people, optimise space, drive growth and improve efficiency.
With Dematic, you can grow your business to compete locally, retain customer loyalty, and deliver with speed and accuracy on a global scale.