How Conveyor Mobile Robots (CMRs) are Revolutionising Material Handling in Warehouses
Reducing manual labour has always been at the heart of Warehouse Robotics Automation, as manual heavy lifting remains not only one of the chokepoints in operational efficiency but also a major safety hazard. While developing or economically disadvantaged nations can make do with cheap manual labour, automated material handling is a no-brainer for 3PL companies strategising international expansion, particularly in developed countries where labour costs are prohibitive.
In this blog, we will focus on the role of Conveyor Mobile Robots, especially in terms of docking, a key step in the warehouse operations workflow that requires heavy lifting. Without further ado, let’s dive in!
Topic Schema: What We Will Cover on Conveyor Mobile Robots
- What are Conveyor Mobile Robots? Are they Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs)?
- What are the use cases and benefits of Conveyor Mobile Robots?
- How does Quinta incorporate its top-of-the-line Conveyor Mobile Robot series into its Warehouse Robotics Automation projects?
- The overall value addition by Quinta
What Are Conveyor Mobile Robots? How do they work?
Conveyor Mobile Robots are specialised AMRs built for:
- Effortlessly docking totes and cartons from workstations and onto production line conveyors
- Enabling autonomous G2P (Goods-to-Persons) between two workstations, thus creating a harmonious and swift human-robot collaboration
The key feature enabling the AMR in docking shipments, i.e., onloading and offloading them, is the conveyor belt, or rollers on the Conveyor Mobile Robots. When the robot aligns its carrier with the workstation or production line, the conveyor belt or rollers on the AMR create a low-friction movement, allowing the shipment to be transferred onto the in-built AMR carrier, designed to carry totes, cartons, etc.
However, the robot alone doesn’t suffice for smart material transfer. The workstations must also have conveyor belts or rollers that facilitate the transition between the docking surface and the machine, and this is where full-stack automation companies, such as Quinta, shine. In the later sections of the blog, we will further explore Quinta’s role in designing and integrating solutions for automated industrial environments, particularly in e-commerce, 3PL, logistics, and manufacturing sectors.
Instead, to better understand the functionality of Conveyor Mobile Robots, it is worth analysing how the AMR, used for smart docking, navigates between two designated work areas, thereby enabling G2P.
How Conveyor Mobile Robots Move: The Navigation Technology Powering Self-Driving Automated Material Handling Systems
Conveyor Mobile Robots, among other AMRs, primarily use the two following technologies for navigation:
- SLAM, also known as Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping
- QR Code Navigation
SLAM, the Revolutionising Technology Powering Truly Autonomous Warehouse Material Handling Robots
The navigation technology comprises cameras, ultrasonic sensors, and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) remote sensing laser pulses. Empowered by this technology, Conveyor Mobile Robots create a real-time map of their surroundings and place themselves on the map. Being aware of the dynamic environment around them, the robots can avoid collisions with workers, static equipment, pallets, and other robots on the work floor. Apart from Conveyor Mobile Robots, other robots include various kinds of AMRs, drones, Warehouse Material Handling Robots, AGVs, AGCs, etc.
The anti-collision mechanism makes SLAM the ideal navigation technology for AMRs doing heavy lifting, such as Conveyor Mobile Robots.
However, depending on the budget and the need, some Conveyor Mobile Robots leverage a reliable yet relatively simpler, more affordable, and less autonomous navigation mechanism than SLAM: QR Code Navigation.
QR Code Navigation in Warehouse Material Handling Robots, such as Conveyor Mobile Robots
In less dynamic environments, QR codes can be installed in pre-defined paths to help the smart-docking AMRs move from one place to another. While QR Code Navigation falls short in anti-collision capabilities, it is still a leap for many businesses foraying into Digital Transformation, led by Warehouse Robotics Automation.
Benefits and Use Cases of Conveyor Mobile Robots: A Key Puzzle in the Automated Material Handling Systems Workflows in Warehouses
The following pointers illustrate the key benefits and use cases of Warehouse Material Handling Robots at large, including Conveyor Mobile Robots:
- Reduced manual labour
- Less overhead count
- Less workforce expenditure
- Higher throughput, which is an indicator of the overall productivity
Here are some more insights into the Automated Material Handling Robots, which run on SLAM (Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping):
- Flexible and adaptable autonomous movement, accommodating other simultaneous workflows carried out by AMRs
- Improved safety vis-à-vis equipment, employees, assets, AMRs, and other robots
- Better scalability thanks to the autonomous movement capabilities of the Conveyor Mobile Robots
- Suitable for operations struggling with a space crunch
It is worth adding that Conveyor Mobile Robots can be used in warehouses, internal logistics of manufacturing units, and other large operations that require extensive material handling.
How Does it All Come Together: Quinta’s Role in Warehouse Automation While Using Conveyor Mobile Robots
As a Warehouse Automation and Intralogistics solution builder who offers installation services, followed by post-sale customer support, Quinta not only customises the product in question but also helps the business build the required environment for maximum automation opportunities.
Let’s look at the following example:
While defining Conveyor Mobile Robots, we saw that the AMR alone can’t function without manual labour, i.e., employees partially pushing the shipment onto the AMR before the robot pulls in the carton or tote on this carrier. For end-to-end automation, the workstation must have a conveyor belt or rollers, too.
This degree of planning and execution is what Quinta delivers. However, the example is but the tip of the iceberg of the range of capabilities Quinta’s team of hardware and software experts have dealt with.
Here is yet another scenario surrounding the role of Quinta in projects involving Conveyor Mobile Robots:
The Automatic Material Handling System follows a workflow wherein a specific shipment is supposed to reach a certain workstation or be fed into a particular section of the production line. What in the Warehouse Automation ecosystem decides that? The answer is the Warehouse Control System (WCS), the abstraction layer of the WMS (Warehouse Management System) software or a separate software, which is the centre of intelligence and decision-making, telling each autonomous machine which tasks to perform and how.
The real-time data that the devices collect is sent to the WCS for decision-making, and in turn, the WCS stores it in the WMS. Or, in case the two are separate software platforms, the WCS sends it to the WMS for building the enterprise data repository, used to track and audit workflows, as well as forecast trends.
Here, Quinta plays the vital role of:
- Integrating all the devices, including the Conveyor Mobile Robots, with the WCS
- Linking the WCS with the WMS
If the robots and the material handling system are implemented in a manufacturing unit, then an MES (Manufacturing Execution System) would be used instead of WCS.
Curious to know more? Contact us today, and an expert will reach out to you shortly!
