Digital Transformation of Internal Logistics Through an Autonomous Mobile Robot

BOPLA is one of the market leaders in the fields of enclosure technology and input systems. To further strengthen its position, the topic of 'digital transformation' is being prioritized. After the successful implementation of a production data acquisition system (PDA), real-time order status queries, and paperless production, the process of automating material flow is now on the agenda.

Material transport from the picking warehouse to the processing centers was previously carried out manually using pallet trolleys. The further transport to the next work step, such as to the assembly or print shop, was performed independently by the employees who completed the work step.

The goal was to relieve employees and automate internal logistics with the help of an autonomous mobile robot. Additionally, when a reject part is reported at the machining center via the PDA, the robot must replace it from the warehouse within 15 minutes. During an on-site visit by a Phoenix Mecano application specialist, additional challenges were identified.

To enable the AMR robot to navigate autonomously in the most efficient way, some existing paths and bottlenecks needed to be widened. Furthermore, the existing orientation points in the halls were limited for the robot and required creative solutions.

In the future, the autonomous transport of goods will be handled by two AMR MiR250s with the Shelf Carrier top module and the MiR Fleet manager.

The top module enables the mobile robot to pick up trolleys mounted on rollers, transport them, and set them down again. Orientation points for the robot were established by strategically placing measuring cells or tool cabinets, for example, without imposing additional effort or detours on employees.

Path bottlenecks were also eliminated. However, as with most projects, new challenges arose. During commissioning, it was discovered that a few bottlenecks remained, which had been assessed somewhat too optimistically by Phoenix Mecano in advance. But here too, a solution was quickly found.