Why is Rapyuta’s AMR the top choice? An in-depth interview on its latest features -Special feature on Rapyuta Robotics’ Picking Assist AMR, Part 1-

In recent years, especially around 2021-2022, there has been an increase in the adoption of Picking Assist AMRs (Autonomous Mobile Robots), a type of picking transport robot.

“Picking transport robot” is one of the classifications of robots attempted by our company TORALOGI based on our research and analysis. An article that organizes and classifies various types of logistics robots can be found here.

トラロジ｜物流領域におけるTransformationに特化したメディア

物流倉庫で活躍する最新ロボットを紹介 ～②保管・出荷編（ピッキング）～（各社へのリンク集としてもお使いください）

［最新の更新内容］ソリューションの紹介にラピュタASRS、Airrobを追加しました。 ———————————…

In our recent article, we gave an overview of this Picking Assist AMR solution in the logistics domain and delved into its benefits.

トラロジ｜物流領域におけるTransformationに特化したメディア

What is Picking Assist AMR? How is it different from other logistics robots? Special Feature on Picking Assist AMR – Part 1 –

 At TORALOGI, we have covered various logistics robots, whic…

トラロジ｜物流領域におけるTransformationに特化したメディア

A thorough analysis of the benefits of using Picking Assist AMR Special Feature on Picking Assist AMR – Part 2 –

we will examine in detail the benefits that arise from using…

In this article, we interview Rapyuta Robotics, which has the largest market share in Japan for picking assist AMR, to learn more about AMR, its strengths, and future prospects.

Due to the volume of information, this article will be divided into two parts. In this first part, we focus on the specific strengths of Rapyuta Robotics’ AMR picking assistant in terms of technology and functions, and what makes it a superior solution.

The second part of this article will focus on AMR’s efforts to ensure the effectiveness of the solution, including the programs for introduction and the company’s customer success management.

トラロジ｜物流領域におけるTransformationに特化したメディア

Guaranteed Cost-Effectiveness Program and Excellent Customer Success Lead to Successful AMR Implementation -Special feature on Rapyuta Robotics’ Picking Assist AMR, Part 2-

we would like to address the implementation program that the…

Rapyuta Robotics Home Page

https://www.rapyuta-robotics.com/

Rapyuta Robotics “PA-AMR” promotional video

In this special feature, we interviewed Mr. Ryo Mori, Executive Officer and Business Supervisor of Rapyuta Robotics, Inc.

Interview starts ! We had the pleasure of speaking with Rapyuta Robotics amidst the great success of the Logistics Exhibition!

Thank you very much, it is a pleasure speaking with you today. We are very happy to see so many visitors to our booth today. We were able to launch the PA-AMR XL, which can accommodate larger 75-liter containers, at just the right time, and we are very pleased with the high level of interest we are receiving from visitors.

Rapyuta Robotics’ booth at the Logistics Show

The newly launched PA-AMR XL

PA-AMR XL on display at the International Logistics Exhibition

PA-AMR XL Introduction Page

https://www.rapyuta-robotics.com/solutions-pa-amr-xl/

What is so great about Rapyuta Robotics? No. 1 market share, with all users continuing to use their products. This proven track record is the most convincing evidence.

What do you think are the strengths of Rapyuta Robotics and how do you think they are evaluated by users?

First of all, I believe that our track record itself is a persuasive factor for our customers. We have the highest number of installations in Japan, and all of our customers continue to use our robots. While logistics robots are not yet widely adopted overall, many trials fail to progress to practical use or end up being judged slower than human labor. However, our AMRs have been introduced and used continuously, and I feel that this simple fact has led to our customers’ trust. We have publicly announced installations of 15 units at Nippon Express, 11 units at Sagawa Global Logistics’ Kashiwa center, 13 units at its Sakai center, 30 units at Keihin Ryutsu Warehouse, and 34 units at Askul. We have more than 10 other installation cases, and recently in 2022, we have been closing deals at a pace of about 2-3 per month.

Two or three cases a month is quite a high pace. The fact that you have that many introduction cases and that users are continuing to use your products means that the solutions are delivering satisfactory results. 

Advantages of AMR and Rapyuta’s Strengths① Improved Productivity

 “Fleet control” is the key to productivity improvement. Without it, it’s like having an orchestra without a conductor😱

What do you think are the technical and functional advantages and strengths of Rapyuta Robotics’ AMR? In a previous article (Special Feature: Picking Assist AMR – Part 2 –
A thorough analysis of the benefits of using Picking Assist AMR), TORALOGI summarized the benefits of AMR as follows, could you tell us about the strengths of AMR that relate to (1) “increased productivity”?

Rapyuta Robotics has developed its solutions in line with the high demands of Japanese customers and the specific needs of the Japanese warehouse industry. As a result of continuous improvement and refinement, we are now proud to have a significant advantage in the market. Our most important strength is the “Fleet control” technology of our robots. This technology significantly contributes to productivity improvement, and without it, productivity would drop dramatically as the task complexity increases (e.g., with more items, workers, or robots involved).

I have a general idea of what you mean by “fleet control” from the word 🤔…what exactly does it entail?

To give an analogy, the absence of fleet control is like an orchestra without a conductor. The intensity and rhythm of the sounds become disjointed, there is no harmony, and the music is not beautiful. The same goes for fleet control. With fleet control, all robots can share the same map, recognize each other’s positions, and can coordinate their driving routes or adjust the order of picking tasks, resulting in smooth and efficient movement. Work progress is also managed in real time, and AI controls the assignment and order of tasks so that robot and human resources can be optimally utilized to complete tasks in the shortest possible time. Without fleet control, each robot would simply try to do its own job, resulting in overlapping routes that get stuck, or robots concentrating on the same spot, which reduces productivity.

I see, fleet control is an indispensable technology for the operation of AMR which is a robot that cooperates with humans. Thank you for the easy-to-understand explanation.

Minimum aisle width of 90cm, detailed functions such as picking order suggestions contribute to improved productivity.

In terms of “increased productivity,” what other strengths do you have?

One of the advantages of AMRs is that they are designed to operate in rack aisles with a minimum width of 90cm (when operating in one direction, and 150cm for passing). This is a tight setting that takes into account the size of the AMR itself (with a capacity of 50 liters x 2 or 10 liters x 4 containers), without compromising their efficiency in movement. It is possible to make the aisles even narrower, but this may decrease the AMR’s efficiency and disrupt the balance, so 90cm is considered optimal. This width should not significantly alter the layout of typical shelf installations. Even the newly released PA-AMR XL, which is larger than previous models, is designed to operate in aisles that are only 30 cm wider, at 120cm.

Another feature that is highly regarded for its attention to detail is the “Picker Guidance” function, which suggests the picking order for AMRs. After a particular AMR finishes picking, it displays a suggestion of which location (or which AMR) the worker should move to next. While any waiting AMR can be selected for work, this function guides the worker to the most efficient choice based on overall productivity and situation. This leads to a more streamlined process with no wasted time or effort, ultimately resulting in increased productivity.

Advantages of AMR and Rapyuta’s Strengths ② Improved Accuracy of Business Management

Manage business operations using AMRs with a comprehensive dashboard

Can you tell us about the features of Rapyuta Robotics that might be related to “Increased accuracy in business management”?

The benefits of AMR are summarized as follows, and Rapyuta Robotics’ solutions also offer a full range of functions useful for this type of management.
②-1 Real-time tracking of the progress of tasks and productivity
②-2 Become resilient to fluctuations.
②-3 Easier to make continuous improvements based on data

We provide a dashboard screen, where you can check the progress and productivity of business operations in real time, the operation status and deployment of robots, and all other information necessary to manage business operations using AMR in a single view. If the dashboard notices delays in operations or some errors, managers can determine and implement the necessary countermeasures.

Short-term rental service is also offered to match the ebb and flow of business volume.

Another feature of Rapyuta Robotics is that we have expanded our short-term (3 months) rental service for AMR customers on a trial basis to provide a menu of services that further simplifies handling fluctuations in workload, especially during peak periods when workload increases.
Many customers who adopt AMR set the number of robots based on their normal business volume, not the peak periods. For instance, they can reduce the number of workers needed to perform tasks from 20 to 10 after implementing AMR. However, during busy periods, the number of robots may not be enough, and they will have to increase the number of workers to compensate. The aim of the short-term rental service is to reduce the need for additional workers during these peak periods. With this service, customers can rent additional AMRs for a short period and reduce the number of workers needed from 10 to 5, for example. This allows them to adjust the number of AMRs they use according to the fluctuations in business volume and maximize the benefits of AMR adoption.

We have received a lot of valuable feedback from our customers about the ease and simplicity of the work, and we have been patiently making improvements, and I think that many customers are now satisfied with the results. Once you get used to using AMR, you can’t go back to using handheld terminals or hand-pushed carts. Not only is the work easy and enjoyable, but it also finishes quickly, improving productivity. It creates a positive work environment, and triggers activities for positive improvements, producing better effects than expected.

Another strength that I think Rapyuta Robotics has is its high level of safety. Since the start of its service, no accidents have occurred in the past two and a half years. This is because the AMR is equipped with sufficient safety measures. It has two high-performance cameras to recognize the surrounding people and obstacles, and two LiDAR sensors (LiDAR = Light Detection And Ranging, which measures the distance to objects by emitting light), which captures and grasps all situations from high to low, without any blind spots. The AMR is programmed to stop promptly when people or obstacles approach, and it is designed to find an alternative route to avoid collisions.

Yes, it certainly seemed like Rapyuta’s AMRs wouldn’t collide with anything unless a person intentionally ran into them. And when the AMRs determine that there is no possibility of a collision, they smoothly move through even narrow routes. It’s safe, yet it can take quite adventurous routes. 😮 I was impressed by the precision with which it recognizes and navigates through the environment. Both the accuracy of space recognition and the precision of movement are remarkable.

Finally, let’s summarize the strengths of Rapyuta Robotics that we have discussed so far in relation to the benefits of introducing Picking Assist AMRs.