KUKA Robotics.

In today’s constantly changing world of employee and material shortages, manufacturers must be smarter than ever in deploying resources. Workers are increasingly responsible for complex tasks, while employers must find ways to improve workplace conditions and productivity. Repetitive tasks offer good opportunities to automate and enable workers to increase their time spent on more complex tasks. Many manufacturers have identified material transportation throughout their production process via manual or operator-driven carts as a potential for automation. Autonomous mobile robots using lidar technology for flexible navigation are worth exploring for these applications.

A look at automation projects using autonomous mobile robots over the last few years shows it’s still a relatively new technology to many potential users, especially on the production floor. The good news is that integrating mobile technology can be relatively simple, given that robots and robotics integration are well established. Many considerations needed for automating manual processes with stationary robots are also valid for mobile robots; analyzing the process, “translating” human tasks into robotics tasks, choosing the right robot for the specific application, designing any special tools the robot needs, or doing a proper risk assessment.

There are important differences to note when employing mobile robot technology. A mobile robot running in a manufacturing environment will share space with people and other mobile or movable equipment. This influences some parts of the risk assessment as mobile robots typically won’t run behind a safety fence like industrial robots. And besides the risk of someone moving toward a robot, mobile robots can move toward someone. 

Overall, a mobile robot automation project can be divided into a few steps. In the case where the mobile robot application consists of an autonomous mobile platform with an integrated robotic arm, a good way to approach it is to think about it as three different parts - the mobile robot part, the stationary robot part, and the system as a whole.

First things first - does everything fit? 

The mobile robot must be able to carry the load and safely reach every pick-up and drop-off point. The size, payload, and center of gravity of the load need to be looked at, and the width of the travel paths reviewed.

Can manual operating systems be configured for automation? 

Manual-driven carts and machines operated by people were built for human work. That means they might have manual locks, guides, and push buttons. Steps of the process might be communicated via paperwork or other non-digital tools. Any of these manual systems must be adapted to be able to work with the mobile robot, and communication needs to be digitized.

What about the floor? 

Different mobile robots allow for different floor conditions, like unevenness or ramps, obstacles on the floor, or gaps in it. It is also important to investigate pedestrian and other vehicle traffic to ensure that the mobile robot can operate efficiently. Sharing the floor space with others is also relevant for the process itself, as more interactions influence the overall efficiency. The best way to minimize unforeseeable challenges is a strong collaboration between the integrating party, the people responsible for the process, and everyone who needs to share the production floor space from the very beginning of the project.

The impact of software

Depending on the application and the number of interactions between the mobile robot and other equipment, more software integration than stationary robot applications might be necessary, and/or sensors have to be added. Mobile robots must work smoothly within the process, so communication between global and local software and equipment must be set up properly. Communication between mobile robots and their fleet management software usually requires a good wireless connection; wifi coverage throughout the area must be checked upfront and updated if necessary. 

Start simple and collaborate.

The key to a successful first project with mobile robots is to start simple and collaborate. This is especially important if self-driving vehicles in the production environment are a new experience for the people involved. Picking a smaller, easier-to-integrate part of the production process for a first project will help to appreciate the work mobile robots can do while learning how to make the application work best efficiently. Involving everyone who will come in contact with the mobile robot or whose work will be influenced by it from the very beginning is also important. It might seem more work at first, but it will pay off later when unforeseeable events happen, and the collaboration of everyone is needed to improve the application. 

Overall, integrating mobile robots is similar to integrating stationary robots. Working closely together with experienced integration partners and robot suppliers will help find the right mobile solution for the application. And involving all internal experts’ right from the project's beginning will ensure that the solution best fits the automation needs.