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How Reliable Are Autonomous Robots?

You are exploring solutions to automate your pallet transfers!

In addition to automating, you want your pallet load movements to be completely autonomous. You have already assessed how an autonomous robot can help you save labor costs and in turn, increase your productivity!
 

One potential aspect of your decision-making process would be to gauge the reliability of such systems? Will it be able to achieve the desired results? If so, what is the robot uptime?
Reliability and efficiency go hand-in-hand. There is always a responsibility on the effective robotic providers to design robots that can solve the challenging demands of industries. Today’s autonomous robots can provide a strong case for industry 4.0 and connected technologies by eliminating the risk and repeated procedures involved in the supply chain. We understand high-lift robots run on the commitment of reliability and safety, and this is how we ensure them.
 

Safety (Navigation, 3D perception, PLd lasers)
Numerous research studies have predicted how safe and productive robotic pallet movements can be. With favorable operating conditions, autonomous robots will vastly improve load handling ability and ensure safer operations. This design, coupled with the industry-best safety system, makes today’s autonomous robots flawless. Usage of PLd level 360 deg safety enables autonomous robots to dynamically detect obstacles. When spotting one, they are programmed to either slow down or stop altogether depending upon the distance. Usage of advanced new (3D) perception enables much safer handling of loads. Therefore, pallet pockets are referenced with a 3D perspective rather than a 2D perspective, increasing the accuracy of load handling.
 

Dual Mode
Having a dual control over robots increases the handling ability of your system. Seasoned robotics suppliers can provide flexibility in your pallet transport solution, by offering a completely anonymous and advanced truck. With the touch of a button, you also have the ability to maneuver manually, should you require it.
 

Do more with same people
With reliable autonomous high-lift robots, you effectively retrain and reorganize your workforce into doing more value-added tasks. Your reorganization is made simpler by the fact that leading autonomous robots today ensure the availability of up to 98% (depending upon project and application) and 100% throughput. This ensures that robots today can not only handle rigorous demands but also potentially help create lean manufacturing practices.

NOTE: Autonomous vs Automated system? Autonomous robots vary from traditional AGVs. They are mobile and move around the warehouse without the requirement of a guidance system. Using advanced geo-navigation technology ( for example : SLAM ), they use real time location within the warehouse and calculate their optimal movement from pick and drop position, for horizontal or/and high-lift vertical applications.

Allan CHEW is a robotics expert and sales director for APAC at BALYO.