How Forklift Mobile Robots Improve Safety and Productivity in Manufacturing
In the manufacturing industry, with the advent of Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) such as Autonomous Forklifts, industrial safety has become synonymous with smart manufacturing solutions. On the other hand, compared to pickers and manned forklifts, these AMRs facilitate quicker Good-to-Person (G2P) or material transfers between workstations/workflows.
Forklift Mobile Robots can also carry loads that are as heavy, if not heavier, thus proving to be a central part of the Automated Material Handling System in the automation suite of manufacturers.
Topics Schema on Forklift Mobile Robots: Industrial Automation, Safety and Productivity with Smart Manufacturing Solutions
Here are some of the key points about Autonomous Forklifts, which we aim to cover in this blog:
- What are Autonomous Forklifts? Their Use Cases in the Manufacturing Sector
- The navigation mechanism of the Forklift AMRs
- The key advantages of Forklift Mobile Robots, which make them safer and more efficient than pickers and manned forklifts
- The potential of Quinta’s automation consulting and solution-building services in the effective adoption of Autonomous Forklifts
What are Autonomous Forklifts?
Much like traditional forklifts, the autonomous variants are also used for heavy-duty material transfer with the help of different types of carriers, including prongs, clamps, dippers, rotators, etc. Built for transporting several crates and totes, and large pallets, Autonomous Forklifts, which usually run on hydraulic motors, feature:
- A mast for manoeuvring and adjusting the height and pick range of carriers
- A carriage doubling as a counterweight and a platform for attaching carriers
- Wheels
However, a noticeable difference between the operator-driven and semi-automatic forklifts and the widely used models of Forklift Mobile Robots is the absence of a cabin. The self-navigation features of the AMR replace the controls housed in the forklift cabin, allowing the robot to move pallets around.
Before diving into the advantages of Autonomous Forklifts at length, it suffices to mention that accidents are frequently caused by forklifts or the pallets they carry crashing into employees. Similarly, employees on the floor can be too engaged in their tasks to notice other heavy machinery being operated, thereby becoming victims of factory floor mishaps. This is where the self-driving and anti-collision mechanism of the Forklift Mobile Robots save the day!
Discover How Autonomous Forklifts Navigate Using SLAM: Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping
SLAM stands for a navigation technique called Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping, which AMRs, including Forklift Mobile Robots, execute using ultrasonic sensors, Machine Vision cameras, and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) remote sensing laser pulses to create a map of their surroundings. Then, based on its dynamic environment, the AMR places itself on the real-time map to gauge its relative position to employees and the other equipment, mobile or static. Thanks to SLAM, Autonomous Forklifts are equipped with anti-collision mechanisms, thus reducing the chances of accidents.
Moreover, the autonomous navigation abilities of the self-driving forklifts boost the speed of internal logistics, as they can detect the shortest and least traffic-heavy path between two workstations. If this increase in material handling speed is combined with an AMR that has a higher-than-usual weight-bearing capacity per trip, the overall productivity of the manufacturing unit increases drastically.
While safety remains non-negotiable, thus making the inclusion of the anti-collision mechanism a must, full-stack automation providers such as Quinta can help manufacturers customise the load capacity of the Autonomous Forklifts. This customisation can further boost the productivity level of the operations already improved by the self-driving technology.
What Are the Key Advantages of Incorporating Forklift Mobile Robots Among Smart Manufacturing Solutions?
After a few hours of work, employees’ focus and endurance tend to decline, increasing the likelihood of accidents. Apart from reducing workforce strain, relying solely on manual labour or non-autonomous machinery is far from ideal, as the quality of work deteriorates with reduced focus and endurance.
Additionally, here are a few more reasons why Autonomous Forklifts are useful beyond speed of movement, collision prevention, reduction of physical strain, overhead costs, and work hour limitations:
- Accident Risk Mitigation: Collisions aside, manufacturing units are surrounded by heavy and potentially harm-inflicting objects, making the position of workers in that environment rather precarious. On the other hand, the AMRs serve as an industry automation safety barrier, limiting employee accident risk exposure.
- Increased Monitoring Possibility: The Forklift Mobile Robots, along with other Automated Material Handling System equipment, are operated through a software platform called Manufacturing Execution System (MES). Hence, the performance of each AMR can be monitored in real-time using an MES-integrated ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software interface.
- Improved Scope for Accident Prevention: The MES-enabled real-time surveillance capabilities of the end-to-end automated smart manufacturing solutions suite are further enhanced by AI integration. In this way, the site manager can better control safety breaches by throwing in a spanner as soon as an accident or unplanned activity occurs.
- Predictive Maintenance: The AI capabilities of the ERP or the MES also prove handy in monitoring the performance of each piece of equipment, thereby anticipating equipment failures and any possible accidents resulting from them.
- Reduced Wastage and Damage: AMRs, including pallet-carrying Autonomous Forklifts, can be calibrated to handle sensitive items in a controlled fashion, thereby minimising risks of damage and wastage due to mishandling.
- Better Profit Margins: Wastage reduction and increased throughput due to smart navigation and higher load capacity lead to elevated productivity levels, culminating in more profitability—potentially.
Discover How Quinta’s Value Addition Elevates the Implementation of Forklift Mobile Robot Fleets in Manufacturing
One of the leading Full-stack Automation Solution Builders in the market, Quinta doesn’t just customise Forklift Mobile Robots. Quinta’s Autonomous Forklift projects also involve installation, post-sale customer service, and software-hardware integrations, such as integrating the MES with the Automated Material Handling System. Finally, Quinta also has a wealth of experience in delivering an overhauled Smart Manufacturing Solutions suite where different types of AMRs, like the self-navigating, safe, and efficient forklifts, can be better utilised.
Curious what an AI-powered fleet of Quinta’s Autonomous Forklifts can do for your manufacturing unit(s)? Contact us today, and an expert will reach out to you shortly!
