Partnership combines mobile robotics with ALS’s factory automation expertise to deliver dedicated AMR projects and integrated production systems.
Award-winning automation engineering company ALS Mechatronic (“ALS”) has signed a reseller and system integrator agreement with autonomous mobile robot manufacturer iRayple, expanding its offering for businesses looking to automate material movement within factories, warehouses and processing plants.
Customers can work with ALS on dedicated autonomous mobile robot (AMR) projects within existing facilities, or incorporate AMRs into a wider factory automation system. The partnership combines iRayple’s mobile robotics with ALS’s experience of designing machinery, control systems and handling equipment that work together as a complete production process.
AMRs are self-driving robots that use sensors, navigation software and digital maps to transport loads without an onboard operator. They can automate repetitive journeys between production, storage and dispatch areas, helping improve material flow, reduce manual handling and free employees for other work. Routes can be adapted as operational requirements change. Replacing fixed transfer conveyors with AMRs frees up floor space and improves factory access.
ALS has already integrated AMRs into customer projects. Its engineering team also designs and manufactures docking stations and associated handling equipment to connect robots with production machinery, conveyors and other transfer points. Project scope can include installation, commissioning, operator training and ongoing support, agreed around the customer’s requirements.
Andrew Steward, founder and managing director of ALS Mechatronic, said:
“Our customers need goods and materials to reach the right place at the right time. The AMR is one part of that system. The pickup and delivery points, machinery interfaces and control systems all need to work together.
“We explored the market and carried out detailed due diligence on a number of manufacturers before selecting iRayple. Their technology, manufacturing capability and range of robots made them the right fit for ALS. This partnership allows us to apply our engineering experience to dedicated AMR projects as well as the wider automation systems we deliver.”
The range includes under-load lifting robots, also known as latent AMRs, which move beneath compatible load carriers to lift and transport them, alongside forklift AMRs for pallet handling and stacking. Applications include supplying production lines, transferring work between manufacturing stages, collecting finished goods and moving pallets between storage and dispatch areas.
To support system specification, ALS has developed a configuration and mapping tool that brings together the customer’s layout, planned routes, load information and operating requirements. It helps the engineering team assess travel distances, turns and docking activities, and supports the selection of suitable robot types and fleet size.
The assessment considers the throughput the system needs to deliver and the operating assumptions behind it, including peak demand, charging requirements and allowances for delays. The resulting configuration document sets out the proposed missions, interfaces and system requirements for customer review before implementation.
Steward added:
“The starting point is understanding what the customer needs to move, how often it needs to move and how the AMRs will interact with the existing operation. We then assess the routes, loads and throughput requirements to develop a practical proposal. Our tool helps us make that assessment clearer and more consistent. It gives customers a detailed configuration to review with us, including the assumptions behind the proposed fleet. The aim is to specify a system that can reliably deliver the required throughput and provide a sound basis for the investment.”
“ALS Mechatronic’s engineering and integration experience makes it a strong partner for bringing our AMR technology to UK customers. With more than two decades of experience in factory automation, ALS understands how to connect mobile robots with the machinery and processes around them,” said Andrew Dong, EMEA & SEA Director, iRayple.
To discuss an AMR application or request a project assessment, visit: https://alsmechatronic.com/autonomous-mobile-robots/
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