Mobile Robot Fleets in Intralogistics: “Fleets Are Becoming Larger and More Heterogeneous”

What is the mood in the mobile robot market?

Basically, it can be said that the market for mobile robots is growing very strongly. You can also see this in the market figures: Depending on the study, 30 to 50 percent growth per year is forecast. At the same time, the number of manual vehicles, such as classic forklifts, is still many times higher. Nevertheless, more and more customers from more and more industries are experiencing automation and are tackling the issue.

Which industries are attracting the most attention?

Of course, the automotive industry is leading the way. Large factories with many recurring production steps are easy to automate. There are also other industries where mobile robots are used extensively, such as e-commerce or warehouse logistics. Amazon is a well-known example of this. Very simple robots are often used here to transport goods to people.

Is the shortage of skilled workers a factor in the growth of the sector?

Robots tend to be used more where labor costs are relatively high, i.e. in Europe and in the USA, but also in China, where the market is experiencing a strong boom. In general, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find suitable specialists in logistics. And as a result of both customer demand for automation and technological options becoming ever greater, more and more heterogeneous fleets are being used — i.e. robots from different manufacturers that are operated within one layout. This is one of the noticeable challenges on the market right now.

Does the VDA 5050 interface standard seem to be a powerful solution for the increasing importance of heterogeneous fleets?

This joint development by the Association of the Automotive Industry and the Association of German Mechanical and Plant Engineering is indeed effective, especially when you look at the large market of mobile robot manufacturers. There are well over 1,000 mobile robot manufacturers. In most cases, they produce relatively small quantities, i.e. a two or three-digit number of robots per year. At the same time, the portfolio is often focused on specific types of robots. Customers with various process requirements or several locations to be automated therefore find it difficult to rely entirely on one manufacturer — and it is also the question of whether that would make strategic sense. This communication standard enables interoperability between robots from different manufacturers and gives automation a boost.

How is VDA 5050 accepted on the market?

The VDA 5050 has changed the market and opportunities. It is not for nothing that the standard is spreading across the borders of Germany and the automotive industry. It is found exciting in many other industries, such as battery production and the pharmaceutical industry, and is increasingly using it. The VDA 5050 has arrived in industrial practice. The experience gained from the projects is incorporated into the development of the standard.

What does the standard mean for a software provider like SYNAOS?

Precisely because more and more diverse robots are being used in factories and warehouses, which cover more and more functions and processes, the need for powerful software for control that orchestrates events and ensures efficient operation is increasing. When it comes to interoperability, we at SYNAOS go one step further: On the one hand, we enable heterogeneous robot fleets, but we also integrate manual vehicles such as forklifts into our system. In this way, even more interaction and coordination can be achieved — and as a result, of course, more efficiency and flexibility for the customer.

Is the human factor in process flows being overlooked in the meantime?

An automation project is always also a change project. It is essential to involve employees and to transparently show which areas of responsibility the robots will take on. People continue to play an important role — for example in process development or general monitoring. As far as the human factor is concerned, we also see that even with very large automated installations, manual transport, such as special transports, is still taking place.

What role do partnerships play in sustainable and healthy market development?

Cooperation with Partners is essential and strategically important for us. Together with numerous mobile robot manufacturers, we have already completed the technical integration based on the VDA 5050. The market for providers of mobile robotics and software is very diverse in terms of the range of services offered by companies. Other manufacturers offer a package of their own hardware, their own vehicle software and their own control system. Still Others Focus on Hardware or a Package of Vehicle Software and Control System. The VDA 5050 standard has now made even further positioning possible — namely that of pure specialization at the control level. At SYNAOS, we are convinced that we are fully focused on this level in order to offer an independent intralogistics management platform. This is how we can achieve the most for the customer.

What are actually...

FTF: Driverless transport vehicles are individual mobile robots that transport material in a factory, warehouse or logistics center, for example, or link production processes as a replacement for a rigid production line.

FTS: Driverless Transport Systems are the combination of vehicle (AGV), control and other peripherals.

AGV: Automated Guided Vehicles are floor-based conveyors that transport goods and goods on defined (virtual) lanes. They travel on pre-planned routes. These results in a reliable and constant throughput of a plant.

AMR: Autonomous mobile robots move relatively freely between a start point and an end point. The vehicles find their own way. In certain cases, they can avoid obstacles. On the other hand, unwanted traffic situations can arise and travel time can be predicted more poorly.