Safely and efficiently integrating AMRs into industry 4.0 operations for maximum benefit
Figure 4: AMRs are delivered with complete software installed and can be quickly commissioned and integrated into a production environment. (Image source: Omron)
Traffic management includes scheduling pick-up and drop-off locations and times for maximum efficiency and notifying robots of destination changes or new obstacles, enabling them to recalculate their path for maximum efficiency and safety. Charge management tracks the battery charge level of each robot in the fleet, enabling proactive charging and maximum uptime. Coordinated software updates across the fleet to ensure the latest version is available for each type of robot.
In addition to mapping a facility using laser scanning, some Omron AMRs use a camera to detect and plot the location of overhead lights. It creates and overlays a “light map” with the standard “floor map.” Laser localization can tolerate changing environments on the floor up to a point. Suppose over 80% of the features change, for example, on a shipping dock where pallets or rolling carts constantly change location. In that case, laser localization is less useful, and adding the light map increases the reliability of navigation. Using the light map also enables AMRs to more easily navigate across wide- open areas in large facilities.
Managing robot fleets Effective management of robot fleets can multiply the benefits of using AMRs. It can support centralized control and coordinated operation of mixed types of AMRs and provide the data and analytics needed to maximize operational efficiencies. Some common features of AMR fleet management systems include: Optimized task assignments are based on the capabilities of each robot in the fleet, their current locations, and anticipation of where their next assignment will be located.
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