Easy to install and with quick payback, the autonomous mobile robot enables a cost-effective entry into an automated logistics operation

Automating intralogistics processes does not have to be expensive or complicated with the new igus® ReBeL Move. The mobile robot moves autonomously through the factory or warehouse transporting products and can also be combined with the high-performance plastic ReBeL cobot, for picking goods. It can be put into operation quickly with even the simplest IT knowledge for £28,900.

Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) simplify tasks in industrial companies. Employees working on machines no longer need to manually fetch tools and materials from the warehouse but are instead supported by the AGV. The fact that this automation increases productivity and reduces costs in times of cost pressure and staff shortages is being recognised by more and more small and medium-sized companies with a low degree of automation. “Nevertheless, there is often reluctance with robots and AGVs because there is a lack of experience, and the fear of a bad investment prevails,” says Adam Sanjurgo, Low-Cost Automation product manager at igus®.

“To offer these companies a no-barrier and low-risk entry into automated intralogistics, we’ve developed a cost-effective and intuitive AGV with an integrated cobot for gripping objects: the ReBeL Move.”

Payback time can be less than 12-months

The autonomous transport vehicle can transport small load carriers (KLT) measuring 600x400mm and 300x400mm with a payload of up to 35kg. It travels at a speed of up to 1.5 m/s, has a battery life of over eight hours and a charging time of less than two hours. A popular option is to install a ReBeL, an igus® cobot made almost entirely from robust and high-performance plastic.

With a unit price of only £4,970 for the fully equipped ReBeL, the articulated arm robot is around five times cheaper than comparable cobots made of metal. It has a dead weight of 8.2kg, a 2kg payload, and a reach of 664mm. “With a price under £30,000, the ReBeL Move costs just a fraction of conventional AGVs, so the investment can pay for itself within 12 months,” says Sanjurgo.

ReBeL Move can be operating within an hour

As well as being cost-effective compared with others, the new igus® AGV system is easy to get started – as simple as a robotic lawnmower. In less digitised companies, the AGV works as a standalone system that only requires a Wi-Fi connection. Firstly, the operator moves the vehicle along the future work areas with a hand controller to configure the paths. The ReBeL Move has a 360-degree camera and uses “slam” technology to automatically create a digital map. After this initial mapping, the operator can then define individual stations on the tablet for working, maintaining and charging. The same applies to no-go areas such as areas around stairs and elevators, or zones where the robot should drive at a reduced speed to avoid disturbing employees. When operating, the mobile robot can then recognise these destinations by using a camera and reflectors at each station, without the operator having to install unnecessary guidelines or tracks on the floor.

A tablet can easily define the jobs that the ReBeL Move is to perform, for example using the cobot to take products from a container at station A and transport them to station B. And the ReBeL Move package includes software for intelligent fleet management, allowing multiple AGVs to work together efficiently.

“The commissioning process is so easy that users can program simple jobs within 15 minutes,” says Sanjurgo. Integration into established IT landscapes, which enables synchronised interaction between robots and automatic roller shutters, for example, is also simple thanks to interfaces including IoT, VDA 5050, REST, SAP and ERP. Sanjurgo adds, “Since commissioning is so quick, we can also simulate small automation solutions for customers at any time on site, removing their reluctance to engage with robots and automation. We are also looking at offering a rental model.”

 

For more information on this product, please contact:

Taylor Macdonald

Tel: 01604 677240

Email: tmacdonald@igus.net