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AutoGuide Mobile Robots Opens New European Office

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AutoGuide Mobile Robots,  a leading manufacturer of high-payload autonomous mobile robot (AMR) systems, today announced the opening of a new European office. The office in Munich supports sales, service and support, as well as deployment and training, throughout greater Europe. Local staff will work closely with its European system integrators to meet increasing demand for AutoGuide’s innovative autonomous mobile robots.

“With a strong demand for our high-payload AMRs across the region, we felt expanding our European operation would deliver the highest level of support for our distributors and customers,” said Jan Nicolay, director for European Operations, AutoGuide. “Munich’s highly talented and efficient workforce, business-friendly climate and central location made it the ideal choice.” [Read more…] about AutoGuide Mobile Robots Opens New European Office

Autonomous Mobile Robots Deliver on the Promise of Safer Operations

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Rob Sullivan, President, AutoGuide Mobile Robots

You need to move material but moving that material is risky business. Ninety percent of all forklifts in the US will be in an accident during their useful life, and almost 35,000 people per year suffer severe injuries in forklift-related incidents.

Accidents happen and people are injured when a forklift driver’s view is obscured by the load they’re carrying. It happens all the time but there’s a better way.

Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs). Robots that can navigate autonomously along pre-determined paths using only the natural features of the facility. They have built-in sensors and LiDAR scanners that detect objects and personnel in their path to substantially reduce accidents of all kinds. [Read more…] about Autonomous Mobile Robots Deliver on the Promise of Safer Operations

Fetch Robotics integrates AMRs into Vargo’s warehouse execution system

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Fetch Robotics, a warehouse robotics company, has agreed a partnership with Vargo, a provider of warehouse execution software, and a plan to launch an integrated fulfillment solution.

The new solution will combine Fetch’s autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) with Continuous Order Fulfillment Engine (Cofe), Vargo’s industry-leading warehouse execution system (WES), to enable distribution centers to optimize order fulfillment with the latest technology in real time.

The growth of e-commerce and omnichannel fulfillment has pushed companies to optimize their order fulfillment processes to gain efficiencies and to do so with more speed and accuracy. [Read more…] about Fetch Robotics integrates AMRs into Vargo’s warehouse execution system

The Five Things You Must Know Before Bringing AMRs into Your Operation

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Webinar title: The five things you must know before bringing AMRs into your operation
Early registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/3016037557865/WN_QDI2ki-VRfGrRZSA5IpqYw

 

AutoGuide is partnering with Robotics and Automation News in their latest webinar. If you are thinking about bringing AMR’s into your operation there are a number of things you should be aware of. AMRs dramatically increase the efficiency and safety of your operation but what do you need to know before bringing them into your enterprise? The experts from AutoGuide will share their knowledge and experience on: [Read more…] about The Five Things You Must Know Before Bringing AMRs into Your Operation

Motor Controllers Used in Autonomous Mobile Robots

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Internal logistics is an indispensable part of the supply chain, especially in large manufacturing enterprises.

However, the tasks involved can also be quite repetitive. Humans can easily do such tasks, but that’s neither cost-effective nor efficient.

Why waste employee resources doing mundane and repetitive tasks when they can be automated? [Read more…] about Motor Controllers Used in Autonomous Mobile Robots

Waypoint launches Kingpin lift and hitch top module for its warehouse robots

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Waypoint Robotics has launched a top module that enables the company’s omnidirectional warehouse robots to automatically load and unload payloads and connect to a variety of carts for material movement.

The module is called “Kingpin” and Waypoint says it enables its Vector robot – a 600 lb payload capacity AMR – to do two critical jobs with one simple top module, as opposed to having a dedicated fleet of lift deck robots for automatic load/unload, and another dedicated fleet of cart connecting robots for cart transport.

With Kingpin, Vector can automatically pick up a tote on one side of the factory, deliver it to the other side of the factory, and then connect to a cart on the way back to the starting point. [Read more…] about Waypoint launches Kingpin lift and hitch top module for its warehouse robots

Otto Motors raises $29 million in new funding for its autonomous mobile robots business

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Otto Motors, a division of Clearpath Robotics, has raised $29 million in Series C funding. The company says the new funds will be used for the continued expansion of its autonomous mobile robot platform.

The investment, which follows years of rapid growth, was led by Kensington Private Equity Fund with participation from BMO Capital Partners, Export Development Canada, and previous investors iNovia Capital and RRE Ventures.

Including this Series C round, Otto Motors has now raised a total of $83 million in funding. [Read more…] about Otto Motors raises $29 million in new funding for its autonomous mobile robots business

5,000 deaths a year: A reminder of why safety systems matter

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Special Report by Robotics and Automation News in association with SICK

It’s been almost 50 years since the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA, was established in the United States after much pressure from labour unions seeking more protection for workers.

In the half-century since OSHA’s creation, it is estimated that many thousands of workers’ lives have been saved and countless more have been kept out of harm’s way.

Today, OSHA, an agency of the Department of Labour, is more important than ever as people start returning to work after months of lockdown in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, which has caused almost 350,000 deaths worldwide to date, and infected 5.5 million more. [Read more…] about 5,000 deaths a year: A reminder of why safety systems matter

Fetch Robotics launches integrated fulfillment solution with Zebra Technologies

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Fetch Robotics, a provider of warehouse robots, has agreed a collaboration with Zebra Technologies, a warehouse solutions specialist, to optimize and automate warehouse picking processes through the integration of Fetch autonomous mobile robots and Zebra FulfillmentEdge software.

The two companies say the unique solution optimizes picking across multiple orders for piece, case, and pallet workflows.

By dynamically optimizing and orchestrating the movement of warehouse workers and robots, FulfillmentEdge and Fetch AMRs enable collaborative picking for faster, more accurate fulfillment and improved workflows that allow workers to spend more time in the aisle instead of manually moving material throughout a facility. [Read more…] about Fetch Robotics launches integrated fulfillment solution with Zebra Technologies

Boston Dynamics partners with Otto Motors to co-ordinate mobile robots in the warehouse

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Boston Dynamics, a developer of mobile manipulation robots, and OTTO Motors, a maker of industrial autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), have unveiled what they describe as “a demo of the future of warehouse automation”.

In a video (see below), Boston Dynamics’s logistics robot, Handle, can be seen picking boxes and building pallets on top of OTTO AMRs in a distribution center testbed.

Last year, Boston Dynamics announced its efforts to add flexible, highly mobile automation technology to the warehouse with its Handle robot and Pick computer vision system. [Read more…] about Boston Dynamics partners with Otto Motors to co-ordinate mobile robots in the warehouse