The increasing automation of warehouse pick-and-place, palletizing, and machine-tending tasks has introduced new technologies that are drastically changing operations. Robotics and automation have become essential in addressing labor shortages and productivity needs, with workers now interacting with autonomous mobile robots and collaborative robots, or cobots, integrated into mobile manipulators.
Cobots are quickly shaping the future of warehousing, with their use rising tenfold from 2018 to 2025. Some seven-axis models of force- and power-limited arms are gaining popularity because they can be mounted on AMRs, enabling a greater range of motion and access into harder-to-reach areas. This integration extends the benefits of cobots across the facility, streamlining workflows and improving precision.
The use of compact cobots on AMRs provides a better range of motion and a more optimized workspace, allowing the system to complete more work with greater accuracy and in more orientations. Previously, making cobots mobile had one large unknown outlier—the controller. However, next-generation cobots on AMRs have the controller built into the arm within a slim base on the robot, eliminating the need for the control cabinet.
Staffers in production environments have long been taught to follow extensive safety protocols when working near or interacting with large industrial robots. However, this same safety dynamic does not transfer to more compact mobile solutions, since collaboration and engagement are more encouraged. As AMRs operate in facilities, workers should be aware that the robots have priority when crossing high-traffic areas to ensure they are getting to their desired locations easily with little to no bottlenecks.
The integration of compact cobots and AMRs has the potential to transform the warehouse industry, enabling companies to improve productivity, reduce labor costs, and increase efficiency. As the technology continues to evolve, it is likely that we will see even more innovative applications of compact cobot integration in the future.
