Times have changed. It’s no longer practical to have all operations designed around simply taking items from a Point A to Point B. That may be fine in cases where high volumes and dedicated paths require conveyor or monorail for the solution. 

But if, for example, your operation needs to move materials from multiple Point As to multiple Point Bs. Or if the materials in your operation need to traverse open spaces shared with forklift trucks and people — you need something more flexible, something reliable and safe, something with more options.

Autonomous mobile robots (or AMRs) might just be that better option.

AMRs are industrial robots that lift and transport materials such as pallets, navigating themselves by reading QR codes and sensing obstacles. They have been used in warehouses, distribution centers, and production facilities for about a decade, but they are now attracting more attention as experienced material handling companies have begun integrating them into their solutions.

Dematic AMRs operate with sophisticated software algorithms that determine the best routes and missions for each unit for the fleet to perform as a total system solution. They are similar to automated guided vehicles (AGVs), but with two big differences — AMRs move lighter loads more quickly and are more adaptable, especially in choosing routes and avoiding obstacles.

As compared to other material handling technologies such as conveyor and monorail, AMRs are extremely flexible in their application, so solutions are not limited to what has already been done. That said, when used for pallet transport, AMR solutions have shown great potential for increasing fulfillment speeds either as stand-alone systems or integrated with existing systems.

Because they can be implemented and adjusted quickly, AMR solutions offer an effective way to introduce automation with the flexibility to change as your operation changes. In addition to pallet transport AMRs, Dematic is exploring other applications, including automated tote/case delivery, mobile parcel sortation, and shelf-to-person fulfillment.

AMRs have been available for a number of years, but the pandemic has certainly made clear their value for relieving strains in the supply chain. Part of that comes from thinking of AMRs less as individual bots and more of a complete solution.

Dematic is now offering complete AMR solutions with innovative software that creates, queues, and assigns missions and manages routes for top efficiency. The AMR solutions are backed by reliable, ongoing support services that ensure success throughout all phases of operation — scheduled maintenance, e-Learning programs, support hotline, and more. They can be deployed for pallet transport applications as stand-alone systems or in concert with other new or existing material handling systems.

With consumer demand for more options at greater delivery speeds continuing to grow, companies need new options for fulfilling those demands. At this inflection point, processes, prioritization, and focus areas of supply chains all need to be reconsidered to achieve the best path forward.