Preparing the published article.
Warehouse Automation: The Mobile Robot Fleet Keeps Expanding
AMRs are now the default option for internal logistics in large distribution centres.
From fixed conveyors to fleets
Large distribution operations have moved from fixed conveyor lines to fleets of mobile robots that can be re-routed when the layout or the product mix changes. The largest publicly reported deployments run into the hundreds of thousands of units, a scale that has made fleet software, not the robot itself, the decisive technology.
| Layer | Function | What buyers should ask |
|---|---|---|
| Robot | Move a shelf, tote or pallet | Battery, payload, safety certification |
| Fleet manager | Traffic, allocation, charging | API access, failure handling |
| Site system | Task creation, inventory link | Integration effort and standards |
What determines success
- Throughput per hour under realistic congestion, not per robot in isolation.
- Charging strategy: opportunity charging versus battery swap.
- Behaviour when the network or the fleet manager is unavailable.
- Spare parts and battery replacement economics over five years.
Ask for a congestion test on your own layout. Fleet throughput at scale rarely equals the per-robot figure multiplied by the number of robots.