Robot Operations Framework

Solution design is the process of finding the right solution for a given use case. It also takes requirements and constraints into account. Normally constraints are very manifold and exist in nearly every facility.

On the basis of your use case assessment you first have to decide which processes you want to automate with robots. If you have done so the next step would be to find out which robot solution is the best for your specific use case. In many cases there are different solutions for a use case. For example if you want to automate part of your picking process it would be possible to do this with a Goods-to-Person system or with collaborative Robots-to-Goods solutions. The best solution here depends on your specific needs and circumstances.

Constraints can be the dimensions of the floors or the number of employees or other devices crossing the paths, to name just a frew. Also the environment needs to be taken into consideration. In some cases you need robots that are ready for a cleanroom, frost environment or outdoor operations.

If you are doing it on your own, visit the facility and the area where you want to deploy the robot. Take all dimensions of the floors, talk with the employees onsite which constraints exist. Depending on the robot you want to choose, some requirements from the robot side also exist. For instance reflectors that some robots need to orientate themselves in the facility. Here it is key to ask the manufacturer or the integrator of the robot if they have requirements towards the infrastructure and the facility.
When you came to a technical feasible solution, in the next step you have to calculate the size of your robot system. Most robot suppliers or other experts can help you there, as each specific system has its own requirements and possibilities. But most of the time similar data for similar types of systems is required. To help you with this we developed data sheets for each kind of a system which makes it easier to contact suppliers and experts and give them the right kind of data from the beginning.