Warehouse automation specialist AutoStore launches new robot

AutoStore, a builder of robotic technologies for warehouses, has introduced its new R5 Pro Robot, the latest version of the company’s R5 Robot.

This new robotic solution is designed to address the specific demands of large-scale e-commerce operations, emphasizing better space usage, higher performance, and reduced total ownership costs for companies running multishift operations at scale.

Carlos Fernandez, chief product officer at AutoStore, points to the growing demand for large, high-throughput systems in the e-commerce sector.

He says: “The R5 Pro offers an edge by augmenting productivity per robot during extended operations, optimizing space usage, and reducing the total cost of ownership, ultimately enhancing the customer experience while boosting profitability.”

The R5 Pro is designed to meet the needs of e-commerce organizations with large-scale multishift operations. Key features and benefits of the R5 Pro Robot include:

• Enhanced productivity: By deploying the R5 Pro at a large AutoStore site, customers can reduce the number of Robots required on the same grid by up to 15 percent, when compared to using the R5 Robot, enabling better routing and enhanced system efficiency.
• Continuous operations: The use of an LTO (Lithium-Titanium Oxide) battery in the R5 Pro allows rapid charging, improving individual Robot availability during multishift operations.
• Space and Cost Optimization: Up to 86 percent fewer chargers required with the LTO battery allows for more efficient use of warehouse space, accommodating additional SKU storage or reducing the required footprint. In addition, customers achieve significant cost savings related to electrical infrastructure.

Fernandez says: “The introduction of the R5 Pro improves both our market position and the value proposition for customers managing very large systems and high-throughput operations, typically characterized by extended operating hours and a substantial robot count.”

One prominent AutoStore customer, Tobias Sjölin, CTO, fulfillment and logistics at Boozt, shares the customer perspective: “As a leading e-commerce company, we are always looking for new ways to optimize warehouse operations.

“We are excited about the R5 Pro, the latest addition to the AutoStore R5 series, which will bring tangible benefits to customers with large AutoStore systems that require speed.”

“Being able to reduce charging time during multishift operations offers great potential for improved productivity.

“The projected higher productivity per robot means we would need significantly fewer robots and chargers to achieve our required throughput – and also fit more SKUs within our existing Grid.

“But in the end, it’s all about the total cost of ownership. All these incremental savings add up over time and allow us to remain competitive.”