There is no more exciting trend in warehouse logistics than the progress being made by artificial intelligence. For good reason, plenty of attention on this front is paid to the back-end software capabilities that have emerged in the last ten years. Putting large data sets to work through adaptive software has allowed for drastic changes in the efficiency of shipping and receiving networks. But let’s not lose sight of the other side of the coin—what artificial intelligence can do for hardware. Automated machines, whether they be fully autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) or simpler automated guided vehicles (AGVs), can also offer significant improvements in order fulfillment, sortation and adaptive returns.
WHICH IS WHICH?
You may not be familiar with the distinction between AMRs and AGVs, and the line between them can in fact be somewhat blurry in some cases, so let’s start with some clarification. AGVs are generally simpler machines that operate along predetermined paths in a warehouse setting. In artificial intelligence terms, these are “narrower” systems that are able to perform goals with less adaptability to their environments. AGVs are typically hardwired into navigation grids and powered with cables or magnetic strips. AMRs are more like the robots that science fiction has put into our minds, but are still “narrow” by artificial intelligence standards. These machines function more like warehouse rumbas, scanning their environments using LIDAR and other imaging in order to adapt to change and perform more flexible work. As you may expect, AGVs are often less expensive than AMRs, although there are a wide range of options available in both classes.
BEST FIT
Finding the most appropriate automated solution requires a comprehensive understanding of your shipping and receiving needs. For example, if specified package retrieval for returns is your goal, there may be situations where either an AGV or AMR will be the best fit. If your storage space is already arranged for some level of automation, it may make sense to add to that structure so that an AGV can perform returns. If adaptable navigation is needed, in the case of moving objects or human workers, then an AMR may be more appropriate. The important thing to remember here is that there is not a firm line between the two.
SORTING
When it comes to directing and sorting items for storage or order fulfillment, there is a good chance that some level of automation is already going to be in place at your facility. This could be as simple as automated scanning of packages as they enter, or a smart sorting table that directs items to human workers. This is a case where it is useful to think about future development as a step-by-step process. There was a time when basic automated scanning using barcodes was not available, and then that technology was adapted to aid humans. Now, there may be a spot in the sorting chain where installing an AGV can provide similar benefits. Planning for the future, there may be a time when adding an AMR near the end of the line will be the next logical step as the technology improves over time. These types of developments are sequential, and it can be useful to remember that they will continue in the future and plan for that along the way.
