Roller conveyor or lifting system on a mobile robot

Nowadays, you can see many AGVs and AMRs in the market equipped with either lifting system or roller conveyor (or both). Usually, these mobile robots are transporting pallets, tables and/or racks.

Many people wonder which of these two is the best solution, so today we are going to see what advantages and disadvantages there are.

Lifting

The main features of the lifting solution are:

?? If the load is a table or a rack, the mobile robot can leave it on the floor (impossible with a rolling solution).

?? If the load is a pallet or a similar load, it can be unloaded on a metal structure.

?? Mobile robot can load and unload at several heights, depending on the stroke of the lifting system.

?? The top of the mobile robot has to be designed and prepared for the bottom part of the load.

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Rolling

The main features of the rolling solution are:

?? As long as the load fits the roller conveyor, it can be transported.

?? No modification to the existing conveyors is needed, unless they are at different heights.

?? No possibility of leaving the load on the floor.

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Lifting + Rolling

This solution is only interesting when the existing conveyors are at different heights and the number of mobile robots is fewer than the number of conveyor inputs/outputs.

?? More information: https://www.javiermiguelez.com/