As part of the Future of Electrification conference, Michael Marcum, Senior Director of Autonomous Vehicles at Bastion Solutions, delivered a comprehensive session on the crucial role of system integrators in the successful adoption of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) and Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs). Marcum emphasized that companies turn to mobile robots primarily because they offer the incredible flexibility needed to absorb market changes. Unlike fixed automation, mobile robot fleets allow businesses to adapt quickly, change routes and layouts, and easily expand or reduce their operational footprint across facilities.
Beyond flexibility, AGVs and AMRs address significant industry challenges. The shrinking workforce pool makes hiring and retaining trained industrial equipment operators difficult. Furthermore, mobile robots ease hiring pressures and dramatically reduce material movement costs by eliminating wasted movement. Critically, automation reduces the common and costly problem of forklift accidents and damage. Marcum noted that manual forklift operations often require drivers to constantly look backward when carrying large loads, leading to neck and back injuries over time. Automating mundane, repetitive, and ergonomically awkward tasks allows companies to better protect people and target mobile robots where jobs are not satisfying for humans.
A successful transition to mobile robotics demands foresight. Marcum stressed the importance of predicting the ending early in the planning process to avoid costly mistakes later. Companies must quantify both the material they intend to move and the information flow, as the efficient movement of information is key to the efficient movement of material.
Planning should be proactive and visionary. Businesses must anticipate future needs, such as potential location moves, downsizing, or upsizing. Mobile robot systems provide the flexibility to handle these changes more quickly without substantial financial disruption. This adaptability can even entice new customers, as a flexible platform allows for the efficient management of small, low-volume projects that would slow down complex, fixed automation systems. Predictive planning also includes assessing necessary IT security and infrastructure enhancements, such as adding wireless coverage and access points, since mobile robots require robust network connectivity. Ultimately, the business owner must stay in the driver’s seat, dedicating time upfront to planning the long-term vision.
Leveraging a strong systems integrator provides immense value, especially early in the process. The foremost benefit is establishing a single owner responsible for the system's success or failure. This avoids the painful "contractor A blames contractor B" scenario, where the owner is caught in a difficult and expensive crossfire trying to discern the real issue, often resulting in costly change orders.
A great integrator understands that deployment is a project with a defined beginning, middle, and end, requiring deep knowledge of both the customer’s business and the technologies that fit that need. Integrators also help clients avoid pitfalls by sharing lessons learned. By using a single integrator, businesses can achieve a standardized approach when scaling systems across multiple regional or global facilities, which simplifies training and resource management. Furthermore, integrators often act as industry insiders, continuously researching new technologies and providing 24/7/365 support. However, Marcum cautions that no integrator is perfect; businesses should look for partners who know how to own their failures and recover quickly.
Marcum highly recommends starting small and growing the system over time. It is crucial, however, to understand that scaling is not linear; increasing a fleet from three vehicles to 30 is significantly more challenging. An integrator should never sell the idea that scaling is easy.
A key priority when scaling is ensuring that information systems scale before material handling systems. Mobile robot applications are inherently more complex and exposed to more variables than fixed automation. Factors like temperature, seasonal changes, the angle of the sun tripping laser scanners, or even insects flying in front of safety scanners can cause intermittent issues. Business leaders must exercise patience and determination; failures cannot always be avoided, and systems require time to work through variables and become robust.
Business owners must resist the urge to hand over control simply because the technology feels too technical. If a system is too complicated for the owner to grasp, it may harm the business. Owners must push their integrators to find the simplest approach possible.
When vetting partners, financial due diligence is important, but aligning cultures is critical. Marcum suggests that if an integrator's philosophy - for example, a goal to eliminate all human forklift operators - diverges from the company’s core belief (like Toyota's philosophy of automating only monotonous/dangerous jobs), they may not be the right partner. Red flags include integrators who claim they can do everything, who lack confidence when encountering a complex problem, or who talk over the client's head rather than simplifying complex concepts.
Looking ahead to trade shows like LogiMat and ProMat, Marcum expects continued expansion in the adoption of AGVs and a focus on improved sensor fusion and perception technologies. This includes advancements in stereo vision and time-of-flight 3D sensing, which allows vehicles to precisely measure distance and react more intelligently and predictively to human presence.
However, Marcum urges attendees to temper their expectations regarding cutting-edge technology. Just because a unique new feature works in a lab or on a trade show floor doesn't mean it is robust enough for real-world operations. A system must work thousands of times successfully to provide a return on investment. Marcum notes that despite the challenges involved in scaling and implementation, mobile robots are important to the future of logistics and will become a major player in the logistics world. Businesses must continue to embrace an upward trajectory, ensuring that technology continues to drive forward and innovate.
To see the full presentation, please watch the on-demand video below.