Business challenges for autonomous mobile robotics companies

The roadblocks to AMR mass adoption

Autonomous mobile robots are too valuable to ignore for most industries. That applies to manufacturing, warehouses, logistics automation, and retail applications, among other industries. 

But, they are still cost-prohibitive for many small- and mid-size companies. At times, even large enterprise businesses struggle to justify the costs. This is often due to the following limitations:

• The time and money it will cost to integrate an AMR fleet
• High bill of materials (BoM) costs that get passed to the customer
• Safety and efficiency concerns due to accidents and unexpected stops

A sophisticated obstacle detection system can reduce development time. It also improves efficiency and reduces integration challenges for customers.

Read more about the roadblocks to AMR mass adoption.

When to buy obstacle detection vs. build it

Is obstacle detection part of your core intellectual property? If not, consider purchasing a third-party system. This helps accelerate production when time-to-market is critical. 

Purchasing an obstacle detection system can lead to faster development and increased developmental capacity. It also minimizes maintenance requirements and enhances the return for customers.

But, the decision is not always that simple. It requires internal auditing and evaluating vendor options. These considerations include: 

• Time-to-market requirements
• Resource allocation analysis
• Vendor reliability evaluation 
• Integration strategy 
• Training and knowledge transfer 

Read more about when to buy obstacle detection. 

How to decide whether to build a proprietary solution

Sometimes, investing time and resources into developing a proprietary robotics solution aligns with your business goals. But, how should you determine this? 

Misallocated development capacity can result in losing speed against competitors. 

When evaluating the internal and external factors, consider:

• What is available and how will it affect BoM costs? 
• Do you have the necessary expertise in-house? 
• Will those experts have the time and resources for this project? 
• What are you sacrificing by prioritizing this project?

Read more about deciding to make or buy a robotics solution. 

Balancing end-user costs and calculating ROI 

Average costs for a single AMR range from $30,000 to $150,000, and those numbers likely will not decrease in the foreseeable future.

Over the past decade, developers have greatly reduced the retail cost of AMRs. Decreasing the list price by a few hundred dollars will not significantly increase demand for mobile robots.

To increase demand, robots must be more efficient. If customers can achieve the same throughput with smaller fleets than a competing option, the long-run savings will outweigh the initial cost. 

This strategy works even if you marginally increase the cost of your robots. However, this requires confidence in your robots to achieve stated throughput metrics.  

To communicate this cost savings, it helps to show your customers a comparison of ROI calculations. Read more about the Power of 60 Seconds when evaluating return on investment. 

Identifying the right tools and vendors

How do you know if you have the right vendor? Will their solutions solve your specific problem statements? Or are the tools too generalized to work for you? 

ifm has leveraged decades of experience in sensors and automation to build new solutions designed to address the unique challenges facing the mobile robotics industry.

The ifm Obstacle Detection System (ODS) aims to provide a solution for two of the biggest challenges for AMR developers: Floor segmentation and mitigating false positives. 

Explore the obstacle detection system or reach out directly for more information.