Geekplus Technology Co. has partnered with solutions integrator Engero to deploy a fleet of its robots at a cold-chain port warehouse in Tianjin, China.
Geek+ said its flexible autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and advanced algorithm strategies are the twin engines driving the improvement and modernization of cold-chain warehouses.
Cold chain warehouses are used to store items that are required to be kept at low temperatures.
Keeping it cool
Beijing-based Geek+ claimed that that its AMRs can operate stably at low temperatures 24 hours a day, seven days a week, reducing the need for people to endure extreme, unpleasant working conditions.
Since the robots have arrived, the warehouse has seen improvements of 35% in storage, 42% in handling efficiency, and 99.99% in handling accuracy, according to Geek+.
Founded in 2015, Geek+ claimed that it has sold more than 20,000 AMRs worldwide. The company added that it has more than 500 customers and has worked with brands such as Nike, Wal-Mart, and Toyota.
In January, Geek+ opened an office in South Korea and partnered with CJ Logistics to sell more of its mobile robots.
Geek+ said the cold-chain logistics market is heating up as consumers pursue quality, fresh ingredients globally.
Tianjin is the gateway to Beijing and a hub for China’s massive import and export businesses. It is the first stop in China’s cold-chain logistics network, the company said.
AMRs assisted by AI, lasers
Upon arrival in the port, goods requiring cold chain storage are carried by Geek+’s MP1000R robots to the depot area for customs inspection and disinfection.
These steps are completed before the goods are entered into the storage area for further processing and distribution.
Within the warehouse, Geek+ robots interact and collaborate with different intelligent devices.
AI algorithms optimize the robots’ routes with intelligent queuing strategies to avoid traffic jams in narrow passages and drive efficient cluster scheduling. The AMRs' 360° laser obstacle avoidance and omnidirectional sensing allow it to navigate in narrow aisles.
The robot’s self-rotating jack also comes in handy and allows for great flexibility with minimal space occupied when moving pallets, according to the company.
Geek+ said its artificial intelligence is seamlessly integrated into the warehouse control system and oversees the operations of the whole fleet.
The warehouse operates under the “cloud warehouse” management mode and all process data can be traced.
This enables centralized inventory management, online billing, and real-time information flows, which greatly improve efficiency and makes it easy to keep tabs on the whole process, said the company.