Today, you can see many AGVs and AMRs in the market equipped with either lifting system or roller conveyor (or both). Usually, these mobile robots are transporting pallets, tables and/or racks.
Many people have been asking me lately which one of the two solutions (lifting, rolling) is better. In this article, I am going to explain their advantages and disadvantages.
Lifting
The main features of the lifting solution are:
- If the load is a table or a rack, the mobile robot can leave it on the floor (impossible with a rolling solution).
- If the load is a pallet or a similar load, it can be unloaded on a metal structure.
- Mobile robot can load and unload at several heights, depending on the stroke of the lifting system.
- The top of the mobile robot has to be designed and prepared for the bottom part of the load.
Rolling
The main features of the rolling solution are:
- As long as the load fits the roller conveyor, it can be transported.
- No modification to the existing conveyors is needed, unless they are at different heights.
- No possibility of leaving the load on the floor.
Lifting + Rolling
This solution is only interesting when the existing conveyors are at different heights and the number of mobile robots is fewer than the number of conveyor inputs/outputs.
Technically I always prefer to use lifting mobile robots. I find them more flexible since they can load/unload tables/racks from/to floor stations. Obviously, it is very easy to change and modify those floor stations.
