Autonomous mobile robots are a real opportunity for manufacturers to automate their logistics flows. They are attracting the attention of project managers and logistics engineers looking for ever more innovative solutions to boost efficiency and productivity. While the robustness of the technology has yet to be proven by robotic solution manufacturers and integrators, the profitability of the project remains the responsibility of the manufacturer, who must demonstrate the return on investment to his management.
It all starts with identifying the expenses associated with each phase of the project, then identifying the gains, which is often the most complicated to calculate.
This first step involves calculating all the costs associated with the project. One of the main areas of expenditure is the cost of the AMR robots, to which must be added the cost of the devices and equipment that revolve around the robots (software, peri-robotics, etc.), as well as deployment costs, training costs and configuration costs.
At Meanwhile, the cost of the AMR solution is a complete solution that integrates all these elements for quick and easy identification of expenses:
Calculating the benefits of a project is essential to identifying the value it generates. The first type of gain that manufacturers think of – and generally the most obvious – concerns savings in full-time equivalents (FTE). Although this is an important lever, other, often underestimated, sources of gain can have a far more significant impact in calculating ROI, and therefore deserve to be taken into account.
The use of a mobile robot on your production site significantly reduces work-related accidents linked to the transport and handling of loads. Tangible and intangible benefits can be achieved by taking the following factors into consideration:
It has been found that transporting loads by AMR, particularly heavy pallet loads, reduces the risk of collision with forklifts, pallet trucks or other motorized equipment. Consequently, analysis of repair costs caused by handling equipment could be relevant data in this calculation.
The training costs associated with strict regulations on transporting and handling heavy loads can be considerably reduced when these tasks are handled by autonomous mobile robots (AMRs).
Although the use of AMRs also requires training for operators who will be working with the robots, this does not generate any additional costs, as it is included in the overall project budget, as specified in the identification of expenditure.
In cases where load transport is carried out by operators, and in particular for the transport of “light” loads to supply production lines, the calculation of FTE gains is more complex. The aim here will not be to calculate the gains relative to the elimination of a post, but rather to identify the time spent on transport which will, thanks to the acquisition of an AMR, be devoted to higher value-added tasks.
Meanwhile robots have a 10-hour autonomy, with the ability to recharge automatically when no mission is assigned to them, enabling them to provide round-the-clock transport every day.
In conclusion, calculating the return on investment (ROI) depends very much on the specific context of each project. Over and above this financial indicator, it may be appropriate to highlight other benefits to reinforce support for your initiative.
For example, the integration of autonomous mobile robots (AMR) can make a positive contribution to your CSR approach, not only by improving working conditions for employees, but also by enhancing the quality and safety of production processes.
We also recommend involving union representatives from the earliest stages of the project, to make them aware of the benefits of the solution and encourage acceptance by the teams.
Complementary article: How to maximize your ROI, the variables to take into account
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