By
Josh Bond
March 11, 2020
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Mobile Industrial Robots (Booth 9435) launched the MiR250, a collaborative autonomous mobile robot (AMR) that is faster, safer and more agile for operations where space is at a premium.
Capable of traveling at 7.2 kph, the robot is lower and narrower than other AMRs, enabling it to efficiently navigate limited spaces such as door openings as small as 80 cm, small elevators and under tables. Artificial intelligence leverages onboard cameras to identify people and nearby objects, providing additional operational context and insight.
Consider the example of a picker or lineside employee. If the robot’s target destination is blocked from the left, the robot will use its contextual awareness to instead deliver from the right, minimizing disruption of the worker and the process.
“The more agile robots are, the more useful they become, especially in existing environments with tight spaces,” said Thomas Visti, CEO, MiR.
Named for its payload of 250 kg, the robot is the latest addition to the company’s fleet of AMRs, including the MiR100, MiR200, MiR500 and MiR1000, which are already installed in more than 50 countries at companies like Toyota, Ford and Raytheon. The MiR250 battery is based on the large-capacity models, featuring 48v architecture (instead of 24v) for longer runtime and double the charging speed. The can add 3 hours of operation in a 24-hour period. To further reduce downtime, batteries can be swapped in 2 minutes.
MiR has updated a number of standard components in the MiR250 to give the robot a longer life-time and allow it to operate effectively in industrial environments. “The MiR250 is one of the few logistics automation robots of its size built solidly enough to meet the robustness requirements for industrial environments,” Visti added.
Modex 2020 is scheduled to be held March 9-12 at Georgia’s World Congress Center in Atlanta. The tradeshow will showcase the latest manufacturing, distribution and supply chain solutions in the materials handling and logistics industry. Modern’s complete coverage of the show.
Josh Bond was Senior Editor for Modern through July 2020, and was formerly Modern’s lift truck columnist and associate editor. He has a degree in Journalism from Keene State College and has studied business management at Franklin Pierce University.
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