Going Automated? Considerations & Options for Replacing Your Forklifts with AGVs or AMR Vehicles
Domo arigato, Mister Roboto! Yes, we live in a world of automation. And it’s just going to accelerate. The essence of automation is to transfer repetitive processes performed by humans to intelligent machines, such as AGVs (automated guided vehicles) and robots, capable of safe, accurate, and repeatable execution of such tasks. The science of moving goods within and around manufacturing and distribution facilities falls in this category.
The rapid development of sophisticated sensors, specifically lasers, proximity sensors, and vision systems, coupled with positioning and mapping software, has enabled the development of vehicles that can move goods throughout a facility without the need for an operator. As technology advances, there are many applications where automated vehicles and robots can replace forklifts.
But what’s best for your facility? Here’s a rundown of some of the pros and cons of the traditional forklift and its alternatives and considerations for taking the leap to automation.
Traditional Forklift
The traditional forklift is, naturally, the workhorse of moving goods within and around manufacturing and distribution facilities. It is very flexible: it can handle various material types, sizes, and weights and is relatively inexpensive to purchase and operate. Today, your forklift could be moving drums. Tomorrow it could be moving refrigerators. Drivers can improvise on the spot if conditions in the path of the forklift change. A forklift moves fast. The downside of a forklift is that it depends on humans, who–well, let’s face it–are only human. We make mistakes, have a bad day, and get sick. We don’t like to work in searing heat or numbing cold. Forklifts are also a significant contributor to industrial accidents and injuries.
AGVs
AGVs (automated guided vehicles) have been around for many years. Their technology is well established. AGVs work by having a wire or magnet installed in the floor for the vehicle to follow. They can move goods from point A to point B along a predefined path. Once set up, they are very reliable. Their major downside is that an AGV system requires installing a tracking system in the floor that locks the vehicle into a fixed route. Changes in the route require a new in-floor installation. Another downside is that AGVs and their free-range cousins, AMRs, are generally designed to handle standard-sized loads and thus are less flexible than traditional forklifts. They are perfect for routine movement of a defined set of goods or materials, like delivering raw materials or components from an inventory location to a workstation or returning a finished assembly from the workstation to another inventory location.
AMRs
AMRs (autonomous mobile robots) are AGVs that have been sprung loose from their tracks. Guided by sensors, they can move around a facility to carry goods between two points without requiring a defined path. Mapping software allows them to find the quickest route between those two points. They can navigate around obstacles and can slow down or stop to avoid collisions with other vehicles or pedestrians they encounter.
Compared to AGVs, they are simpler and less expensive to set up, and are easier to operate. Additionally, they are safer, more reliable, and quite predictable compared to forklifts. They are perfect for tasks such as retrieving goods from a storage location and delivering them to a packing station or moving goods between inventory locations and manufacturing workstations. They can pick up from and deliver to multiple locations.
The downside of both AGVs and AMRs is that their upfront cost is higher, and their sophisticated technology makes them more expensive to repair if they get damaged. Additionally, they lack the forklift’s flexibility.
Autonomous Forklifts
This evolving technology combines some of the best features of AMRs and manual forklifts. Through the use of sensors, you can train an autonomous forklift to pick up a load from a location, even one in a high rack, and deliver it to a specified destination. They can also be trained to put away a load in a specified location. An operator can train one autonomous forklift, and through networked software, have that knowledge automatically transferred to other forklifts in the fleet. Some companies are engaged in converting traditional forklifts into automated ones. Autonomous forklifts are available in reach and narrow-aisle models. The downside of autonomous forklifts is their higher upfront cost and potentially higher maintenance costs because of their level of technology. Alternatively, advantages are their reduction in labor cost and their higher accuracy.
What Warehouse Automation Solution is Best For You?
As with almost anything in life, the answer is… it depends. If your use of a forklift is sporadic, and you use the vehicle for a wide variety of tasks, then the traditional forklift is still going to be your optimal choice. For routine workstation delivery tasks, AMRs are probably your best bet. For highly automated, fast-moving distribution centers, especially for new ones on the drawing board, a system of autonomous forklifts used alongside AMRs and managed by a staff of skilled technicians might be the way to go.
If you’re considering automating your forklift fleet, or if you’re building a new distribution center or reconfiguring an existing one, give us a call and talk to Apex’s material handling specialists. We can point you in the right direction and help you select the automated material handling solution that best suits your operation.