Authors:
Marco Bonini
;
Augusto Urru
and
Wolfgang Echelmeyer
Affiliation:
Reutlingen University, Germany
Keyword(s):
Logistics, Automation, Robot-to-Goods, Economic Efficiency, Picking.
Related
Ontology
Subjects/Areas/Topics:
Engineering Applications
;
Industrial Engineering
;
Informatics in Control, Automation and Robotics
;
Intelligent Control Systems and Optimization
;
Mobile Robots and Autonomous Systems
;
Robot Design, Development and Control
;
Robotics and Automation
;
Signal Processing, Sensors, Systems Modeling and Control
;
Supply Chain and Logistics Engineering
Abstract:
The paper focuses on a recently introduced paradigm for the logistic process of picking, with respect to the man-to-goods and goods-to-man concept: the robot-to-goods. First the task and system architecture of the fast deployable autonomous commissioning system are described, then the economic efficiency of the system is analysed in a real business case scenario using a simplified method, which is explained and discussed. The clearly positive Net Present Value of the investment and the short Payback Period obtained in the business case prove how the robot-to-goods paradigm for the commissioning process, implemented through the automation of the forklift platform, is economically attractive for small and medium size enterprises.