• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Subscribe
  • Your Membership
    • Edit Your Profile
  • Services
    • Advertising
    • Case studies
    • Design
    • Email marketing
    • Lead generation
    • Magazine
    • Press releases
    • Publishing
    • Sponsored posts
    • Webcasting
    • Webinars
    • White papers
    • Writing
  • Shop
    • My Account
    • Cart
  • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy
    • Terms of use
  • Events

Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

  • News
  • Features
  • Video
  • Webinars
  • White papers
  • Press releases
  • Featured companies
    • AMD Xilinx
    • BlueBotics
    • Elite Robot
    • RGo Robotics
    • SICK Sensor Intelligence
    • Vicor Power

Denso increases efficiencies with fleet of MiR250 autonomous mobile robots

December 7, 2022 by Mai Tao Leave a Comment

Denso, one of the world’s largest automotive technology suppliers, says it has “increased efficiencies, improved employee morale and ergonomics, and managed a tight labor market” by deploying six MiR250 autonomous mobile robots to transport materials in its 800,000 square foot powertrain component production facility in Athens, Tennessee.

According to a new case study from Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR), Denso has successfully executed more than 500,000 missions since deploying its first MiR robot in 2020, recognizing a return on investment (ROI) in less than a year along with an ongoing need for more AMRs for additional logistics applications.

One of MiR’s largest global customers, Denso has AMRs from MiR running in two other US locations, as well as three facilities in Europe and two in Asia.

According to Travis Olinger, a logistics and automation engineer at Denso, the company chose AMRs over automated guided vehicles (AGVs) because AMRs can navigate on their own with quick mapping and quick changes without the need for a costly infrastructure built into the facilities’ floor.

Olinger says: “Autonomous mobile robots were an obvious choice for our extremely dynamic environment, which we knew would require the robots to make regular route changes.

“After testing AMRs from a few different vendors, we realized that MiR robots bring significant advantages in flexibility, safety and user-friendliness.

“MiR stood out from the ability to use REST API calls to communicate with the robots; the intuitive nature of the MiR Fleet software; the ease of mapping; ease of mission creation, and ease of changing locations. MiR was just extremely intuitive compared to the other platforms we looked at.”

Olinger said the MiR250 robots were particularly compelling because of their two-meters-per-second speed, the payload of 250 kilograms (550 pounds) to handle heavy metal parts, and the ability to navigate narrow spaces.

Standardizing on the MiR250 shelf-lifter that pulls carts from MiR partner Roeq allowed Denso to expand quickly into other areas using the same cart base and customizing it for each use.

As the engineering team receives additional requests for automated conveyance, they can easily design racks around the carts, helping to free up space, increase flexibility, and gain advantages more quickly.

Denso employees were walking up to 12 miles per day moving material between production areas and the warehouse, spending about 60 percent of their time just pushing carts, Olinger said.

The initial pilot program to automate this conveyance with AMRs eliminated this manual task, allowing six workers to transition to more value-added work. The project quickly expanded to bring components directly to line-side production for just-in-time efficiencies.

Support for the robots has grown quickly among employees, with workers in other departments requesting robot support for transporting goods such as maintenance supplies and spare parts. Denso recently purchased five MiR500 robots for future conveyance projects that require heavier payloads.

Olinger says: “Automating these repetitive and strenuous tasks with new technologies that make jobs easier helped us retain our existing labor force.

“We had plenty of open jobs for value-added activities within the production environment. We wanted to pay people to make parts for us that makes us money, and not pay them to move parts that cost us money.”

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Share this:

  • Print
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Twitter
  • Tumblr
  • Pinterest
  • Skype
  • WhatsApp
  • Telegram
  • Pocket

You might also like…

Filed Under: Features, Logistics Tagged With: amrs, denso, mir, mobile, olinger, parts, production, robots

Join the Robotics & Automation News community

Reader Interactions

You must log in to post a comment.

Primary Sidebar

Latest articles

  • Aerones demonstrates ‘first’ robot for wind turbine maintenance and repair
  • Electric Future: Two-wheels good, four wheels not so much
  • Electric Future: Battery production facilities bloom on both sides of the Atlantic
  • Electric Future: MIT showcases electric autonomous boat technology
  • Electric Future: Siemens providing software platform to support nascent electric airplane market
  • Electric Future: Stalled car revolution
  • Scythe Robotics secures $42 million new financing to accelerate production of zero-emissions autonomous mower
  • Mining robotics company Nabors acquires digital twin developer MindMesh
  • Lockheed Martin Ventures invests in on-demand manufacturing startup Machina Labs
  • Unlocking the Benefits of Static Residential Proxies for the AI revolution

Most Read

  • Top 20 electric vehicle charging station companies
    Top 20 electric vehicle charging station companies
  • Why is My Car Key Stuck in the Ignition?
    Why is My Car Key Stuck in the Ignition?
  • Difference Between Three-Phase and Single-Phase Power
    Difference Between Three-Phase and Single-Phase Power
  • Scientists have found more water in space than they ever knew possible
    Scientists have found more water in space than they ever knew possible
  • The Best Mechanical Engineering Design Software in 2022
    The Best Mechanical Engineering Design Software in 2022
  • Universal Robots reports record annual revenue of $326 million
    Universal Robots reports record annual revenue of $326 million
  • Mercedes-Benz becomes ‘world’s first’ automotive company to certify SAE Level 3 system for US market
    Mercedes-Benz becomes ‘world’s first’ automotive company to certify SAE Level 3 system for US market
  • Top 20 programmable logic controller manufacturers
    Top 20 programmable logic controller manufacturers
  • What You Need to Know About Fixing an Engine Misfire
    What You Need to Know About Fixing an Engine Misfire
  • Lockheed Martin Ventures invests in on-demand manufacturing startup Machina Labs
    Lockheed Martin Ventures invests in on-demand manufacturing startup Machina Labs

Overused words

ai applications automated automation automotive autonomous business china companies company control customers data design development digital electric global industrial industry logistics machine manufacturing market mobile operations platform process production robot robotic robotics robots safety software solution solutions system systems technologies technology time vehicle vehicles warehouse

Secondary Sidebar

Latest news

  • Aerones demonstrates ‘first’ robot for wind turbine maintenance and repair
  • Electric Future: Two-wheels good, four wheels not so much
  • Electric Future: Battery production facilities bloom on both sides of the Atlantic
  • Electric Future: MIT showcases electric autonomous boat technology
  • Electric Future: Siemens providing software platform to support nascent electric airplane market
  • Electric Future: Stalled car revolution
  • Scythe Robotics secures $42 million new financing to accelerate production of zero-emissions autonomous mower
  • Mining robotics company Nabors acquires digital twin developer MindMesh
  • Lockheed Martin Ventures invests in on-demand manufacturing startup Machina Labs
  • Unlocking the Benefits of Static Residential Proxies for the AI revolution

Footer

We are…

Robotics and Automation News was established in May, 2015, and is now one of the most widely-read websites in its category.

Please consider supporting us by becoming a paying subscriber, or through advertising and sponsorships, or by purchasing products and services through our shop – or a combination of all of the above.

Thank you.

Independent

Archivists

December 2022
M T W T F S S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031  
« Nov   Jan »

Complex

Old-skool

This website and its associated magazine, and weekly newsletter, are all produced by a small team of experienced journalists and media professionals.

If you have any suggestions or comments, feel free to contact us at any of the email addresses on our contact page.

We’d be happy to hear from you, and will always reply as soon as possible.

Future-facing

Free, fair and legal

We support the principles of net neutrality and equal opportunities.

Member of The Internet Defense League

Copyright © 2023 · News Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT