Conventional automation often required changing the work environment itself to suit the robot. The site’s structure had to be reworked, and that cost money. So small facilities, where mobile robots have limited access or the capital for many robots is lacking, have found automation hard to adopt despite high demand for it.
Keep the existing environment
Instead of rebuilding the whole facility, docking ports are installed where the work is needed. The site’s structure and workflow can be kept as much as possible.
Start where it matters most
Apply it first to the processes where automation pays off most, then widen the scope step by step as operating results come in.
Travel that fits the space
Use an AMR in open spaces and a legged platform in narrow spaces or where there are steps, approaching each site on its own terms.
Port-driven expansion
When a new work point appears, add a port instead of a whole robot, so that one arm covers a wider area.