As mobile robotics proliferate around the warehousing industry, businesses are reaping the rewards. They lead to greater productivity, enhance your existing labor force, and deliver a rapid return on investment. But in the haste to add the technology, many facility managers overlook a critical element in the equation—the floors on which AMRs (autonomous mobile robots) and AGVS (automated guided vehicles) operate. And that’s a mistake.
Mobile robots make literally hundreds of thousands of passes over your floors in a given year. If those floors are not in the right shape, they can impact the efficiency of the robots, and even damage them. Things to consider: Are your floors level? Do they have the right amount of friction to keep your robots from sliding around? Are they clean and free of debris? Are they strong enough to manage the loads moving over them? These are all questions to ask your consultant, OEM, or integrator as you consider an investment in the equipment. Without these considerations, you are potentially setting up for failure when you otherwise might reap important benefits.
