15 May 2023 It is impossible to imagine a world without the influence of technology. On the contrary, every day we are presented with new strategies, ideas, and tools aimed at optimizing activities, resources, and daily time. This scenario is no different in the supply chain, as logistics 4.0 gains increasing importance in the market and a growing number of followers. In international companies, the interconnection, digitalization of processes and information, as well as the use of software, applications, and robots, gain attention and are debated among managers seeking greater efficiency and better results in managing their warehouses. The goal of every company, regardless of its market segment, is to create a logistics model capable of being integrated, intelligent, and secure. Considering these objectives, the transfer of skills and functionalities to autonomous mobile robots has been one of the major trends in the logistics field over the past two years. Primarily motivated by the 2019 pandemic, some companies prioritized investments in a range of technologies and automations, including AMR (Autonomous Mobile Robots). In a scenario where it was necessary to remove employees, reduce the workforce, and adapt to remote work modes, antimicrobial resistance proved essential for the operational vitality of countless supply chains. But after all, what are AMRs in logistics, how important are they for daily life in the supply chain, and how can they bring benefits that enhance the results and profitability of your company? In this article, we will answer some of the main questions on this topic and present to you, the logistics manager, a trend that is destined to stay and be integrated into your management system. What are AMRs and how do they work? First of all, as previously mentioned, AMR stands for “Autonomous Mobile Robots”. This is a solution that uses a fleet of robots to transport goods from different locations on your site. Until recently, traditional automated vehicles (AGV) were the only option for automating internal transport activities. Despite the numerous advantages they bring, AGVs have some limitations, such as being guided by wires, magnetic strips, or sensors, meaning they only follow a fixed path. Moreover, when there is an obstacle on this path, AGVs automatically stop until the obstacle is removed. On the other hand, AMRs have the great advantage of moving in any direction, even managing to avoid obstacles. Essentially, AMRs navigate using maps created by their software on-site or through preloaded structure drawings. Every time they receive a command, they try to perform the operation following the shortest path and in the shortest possible time, just as GPS would guide a car. To do this, AMRs use data from cameras, integrated sensors, and laser scanners, as well as sophisticated software that allows them to detect the surrounding environment and choose the most efficient route. In practice, logistics managers can create customized routes based on each strategic need. Once this information is sent to the AMRs, they operate independently. The integration of AMRs with the human team can be done without major concerns, as these robots are capable of identifying human movements and pose no risk during movements in the warehouse. Advantages of AMRs for your supply chain Now that you know what AMRs are and how they function in the daily life of a warehouse, it’s time to understand their advantages and how this technology contributes to increasing operational performance and ensuring better results: Increased speed in operations: Imagine everyday life in the warehouse: to fulfill an order, it is necessary to send a request for 1000 pieces of a specific product to be searched in the warehouse and then sorted. How is this activity carried out in your company today? It can be done manually by some employees who need to perform the task and carry out counts and checks. All this takes a lot of time, a dedicated team, and there is still the risk of sending too many or too few parts, resulting in rework. With the use of AMRs in the supply chain, the software quickly communicates with the inventory system, and this integration is done with the robot. Once the stock is ready to move the products, the AMR is called and brings the items to the desired phase. This internal movement is performed quickly and assertively, optimizing activity time and minimizing the risk of counting errors. Moreover, your employees are free to perform other tasks that depend on intelligence and human skills. Quick installation: We know that any improvement implemented in warehouses requires good planning; after all, all gears must continue to turn, and the operational flow cannot stop for the installation of new technologies and/or maintenance. However, when choosing to use AMRs in the logistics chain, implementation does not pose a challenge; in fact, it does not require changes to the structure, track installations, or any robust maintenance. The robots are designed to operate easily within the warehouse in a simple and practical way. Once adapted to inventory management, AMRs can begin executing tasks. Flexibility and greater assertiveness in processes: Since AMRs are integrated with your supply chain management software, you can determine all relevant configurations in line with your production and flow strategy. If during the workday it is necessary to reorganize and redistribute tasks, this can be done in real-time without communication interruptions, avoiding message loss and the occurrence of errors during the activity. Another advantage when it comes to antimicrobial resistance is their monitoring. Managers can monitor every event carried out by the robots through 100% remote panels. In this way, anyone involved in the phase can consult information on each function performed by the AMRs. Greater safety: Some functions in certain supply chains can cause significant problems for the company, such as functions that require a large number of PPE, high-risk activities, robust inventories, products stored with care requiring specific criteria for their transport, among other situations that can cause losses to the company or, at the very least, require special attention. For this scenario, using AMRs to perform high-risk activities can be a great resource. Additionally, AMRs contribute in various ways to increasing safety within the company, as they avoid repetitive work by employees, move intelligently within spaces, detect objects that can cause accidents, and also help with better utilization and ergonomics of the space. Charging Savings and Intelligence: To further optimize work times, the AMR itself has the intelligence to identify its own energy and knows exactly when it needs to recharge. In this way, it heads to the parking area and then resumes its activities. WMS and AMR: a successful partnership The AMRs technology presented above brings numerous advantages for optimizing work and resources in your logistics chain; however, to ensure their best performance, it is desirable that they be integrated with a good WMS system. Quality management software helps logistics managers control and coordinate the activities of people and machines. In the new scenario where human work is now directed towards marketing strategies and intelligence, robotic technology can successfully take over routine and operational activities. Moreover, to ensure that supply chain performance is satisfactory, the WMS allows for monitoring development KPIs, activity reports, process execution times, and speed. Therefore, it is necessary that the WMS system and robotic technology go hand in hand, as they can make warehouse operations and management even more efficient, automated, and optimized. If you want to understand even more how a WMS system works and how essential it is for controlling antimicrobial resistance in your logistics processes, contact us and talk to one of our consultants! AMR: The New Bet for Logistics 4.0 Deagor WMS per ecommerce può aiutarti!