Reflectivity: Shiny finishes reflect more light than dull ones.Flat, level surface: The swales, dips, and valleys common in concrete flooring can cause a robot to roll away from its intended path.Coefficient of friction: Has the floor been tested for coefficient of friction and surface roughness? Will the robot operate on the floor as intended?.
Capacity: Has the floor, its steel decking, and elevated structure been engineered to handle both the robots and their loads?.McGill: There are five things to look for: Q: What flooring attributes are most important in a robotic application? If the floor is not level, the robot could roll away from its target point, requiring downtime and manual intervention to get it back to its proper position. If the floor is worn or has uneven surface, it can disrupt the functioning of laser-based navigation.Ĭoncrete tends to crack and spall over time this can lead to wear and tear on the robot wheels and hardware. The surface of the floor must not impede the robot’s movement. McGill: To maximize efficiency, AMRs and AGVs must move quickly and consistently to maintain workflow. Scott McGill, director of sales at Cornerstone Specialty Wood Products ( ), shared several key considerations when specifying automated flooring: Q: How can a floor impact a robot’s operation? When AGVs and AMRs are to be used on upper levels, the right flooring is critical to ensure they function as intended. The market for autonomous mobile robots, or AMRs, and automatic guided vehicles, or AGVs, is expected to reach $13.2 billion by 2026, according to Research and Markets.įulfillment operations are adding more elevated work platforms and mezzanines to increase capacity.