The factory of the future has long been taking shape: Digital platforms are being used, humans and machines are collaborating in everyday working life and production technologies are becoming ever more efficient. At the same time, the control of increasingly automated processes requires innovative concepts for intralogistics. Industry 4.0 can only function optimally if production and logistics processes are efficiently interlinked.

However, such networking often does not yet take place. Highly qualified specialists usually bridge internal transportation manually, at the expense of efficiency. In the course of Logistics 4.0, solutions are needed that act as a flexible link between individual production stages. One answer is mobile robotics. It enables simple, dynamic and cost-effective automation of internal flows of goods. This allows processes to be linked, resources to be used in a targeted manner and employees to be relieved.

Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR), a company based in Odense, Denmark, specializes in the development of autonomous, mobile robots for material handling. Autonomous because MiR robots can navigate independently in a dynamic environment thanks to their sensor systems and safety algorithms without interfering with the infrastructure of production facilities. This ensures safe working right next to people. Add-on modules such as racks or pulling devices make the robotic colleagues a flexible tool that can be used to automate almost any transport task.

The intralogistics solution ensures an automation rate of 95% in the production of standard products. (Image: MiR)

Doubling production capacity at Kamstrup
The example of Kamstrup shows how a seamless flow of goods between static production lines and production cells can be achieved using mobile robots. At the provider of intelligent metering solutions, three MiR100 robots equipped with conveyor belt modules transport semi-finished and finished products without human intervention. The intralogistics solution meets the paradigm of digital networking by being integrated into the company's ERP system. When a sales employee places a new order, the mobile robots receive a list of routes, which they then follow one by one.

Thanks to the transport robots, which run continuously, Kamstrup has almost completely automated its production. This allows the manufacturer to make maximum use of its production capacity and easily keep its delivery promise of just 72 hours. "The MiR robots make a decisive contribution to maximizing our throughput. They have even enabled us to double our production," explains Flemming Møller Hanser, Production Manager at Kamstrup.

A look at the practical application not only shows how mobile robotics makes factories fit for the future. It also makes it clear that the innovative technology is something for everyone, as even users without special programming knowledge are able to set up the MiR robots and give them commands. They can be easily operated via an intuitive user interface using any mobile device or computer. This reduces costs and inhibitions when it comes to automation and brings robots and users closer together at the same time.

After all, the focus of Industry 4.0 is always on the well-coordinated interaction between man and machine. At Kamstrup, this means relieving skilled workers of monotonous transportation and concentrating their expertise on prototype development. Ultimately, this makes the manufacturer both future-proof and competitive. as