Mobile robots for intralogistics and production

Q: What is the difference between an AMR and an AGV?

An AMR navigates autonomously using its sensors and a map of the environment, with greater freedom of movement and a stronger ability to adapt when obstacles, mixed traffic, or changes of context appear. An AGV typically follows a virtual route defined on a map and a stricter set of movement rules, which makes it more controlled and more predictable in repetitive applications. Some modern AGVs can avoid certain obstacles, but not with the same ease or reaction speed as an AMR. The choice between the two follows the logic of the flow, the variability of the routes, the density of traffic, the type of load, and how the vehicle integrates into the operation.

Q: AMR or AGV: how do I choose correctly?

The choice depends on the application, the flexibility required, the navigation method accepted in the plant or warehouse, and the real constraints of the flow. In practice the selection comes from the process, not from the AMR or AGV label.

Q: When does a mobile robot project make sense?

It makes sense where internal transport is repetitive, predictable, or critical to the operational rhythm, and where automation can reduce variability and stabilize the flow.

Q: Can they be integrated with WMS, MES, or ERP?

Yes, depending on the project and the level of automation required. The integration is defined by the operational process, not simply by the presence of a software system in the company.

Q: Do I have to start with a large fleet?

No. Many projects can start with one clear flow and a small number of vehicles, then extend once the application is validated in operation.

Q: How is the right transfer type established?

By analysing the pickup and drop-off points, the load, the height, the format of the load, and the interfaces already present in the process.

Q: How important is safety?

Safety defines how the robot coexists with operators, equipment, and the traffic around it. In practice that means configuring the detection zones of the safety laser scanners, defining behaviour rules at intersections and in mixed-traffic areas, establishing emergency stop protocols, and validating the whole system under real operating conditions. A project without these elements may work technically, but it cannot be put into operation responsibly.

Novomatix integrates AMR and AGV solutions for internal transport, feeding, and transfer flows, and for automating the repetitive movements in the warehouse and in production.

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Automotive 3PL Electronics Manufacturing FMCG Pharma Warehousing & logistics

Mobile robot portfolio

The right platform for each flow

No single type of mobile robot suits every application. The load, how it is picked up and set down, the route, the space available, and how it ties into the process decide the architecture — AMR vs AGV, compared in detail.

The Novomatix portfolio runs from repetitive pallet transport and line feeding to fork transfer, cart handling, and applications that call for lifting or stacking. We select the robot from the real flow, not from the brand.

Robotize

Solutions suited to repetitive internal transport, line feeding, and pallet transport in environments where simplicity and operational robustness matter.

See Robotize

Agilox

An advanced AMR platform for dynamic flows, high flexibility, and scenarios where coordination between vehicles adds clear value.

See AGILOX

AGBEE

A compact autonomous stacker for floor-to-floor transfer and lifting pallets to approximately 1.7 m, suited to projects looking for more accessible mobile automation.

See AGBEE

WEWO

A portfolio relevant to platform and fork applications, and to industrial scenarios where the load format and the transfer method decide the solution.

See WEWO

Flows and processes

Flows and processes we automate

Internal movements that are repetitive, time-consuming, or dependent on operator availability are natural candidates for automation. Once you know what moves, from where and to where, the transfer type and the process point to the right robot architecture.

How the robot picks up and sets down the load

The load interface and the transfer point decide the robot architecture.

Floor
Conveyor
Rack
Pallet station
Cart
Machine / cell

Platform robot Carries the load on its own platform. To pick up and set down it needs a compatible transfer point.

Floor — no direct transfer
Conveyor — requires a transfer station
Rack — no direct transfer
Pallet station — direct pickup and delivery
Cart — direct pickup at compatible carts, depending on the model
Machine / cell — requires a pallet station

Fork-type robot Can pick up and set down the load directly at several kinds of transfer point. Access depends on aisle width, the geometry of the point, and the space available for manoeuvring.

Floor — direct pickup and delivery
Conveyor — direct pickup and delivery
Rack — direct pickup and delivery
Pallet station — direct pickup and delivery
Cart — direct pickup and delivery
Machine / cell — direct pickup and delivery

Direct pickup / delivery Direct, depending on the model Requires a station / interface No direct transfer

Both architectures are checked against the space available. Platform robots are generally more compact and need less manoeuvring room, but they depend on compatible transfer points. Fork-type robots can serve several kinds of interface directly, yet access depends on aisle width and on the space available for approach and manoeuvring.

Some platform robot models can directly pick up carts designed for under-run robot access. Rack pickup and placement, including at height, depend on the robot model and lift configuration.

At a conveyor the transfer runs through a station: the process conveyor is designed to the interface height of the station, which is configured for the robot.

Where autonomous transport comes in

The typical zones of the internal flow where autonomous missions take over the movement.

Inbound 01
Receiving and putaway

From the goods-in area to buffer, storage, or intermediate points.
02
Replenishment

Feeding the picking or consumption areas so the flow does not stall.
Production 03
Line feeding

Components and materials to the line, at a steady pace.
04
Transfer between stages

Between operations, work cells, and successive stations.
Outbound 05
End-of-line removal

From the end of the line to buffer, staging, or palletizing.
06
Dispatch preparation

To consolidation and the points where deliveries are prepared.

The zones are a way of reading the operation, not a mandatory six-step route. Few flows contain all of them, and most projects start from a single one.

OPERATIONAL CONTEXT

Mobile automation has to be designed around the real flow

A mobile robot operates in an environment where its routes cross pedestrian traffic and other equipment, where pickup and drop-off points carry different physical constraints, and where the working rhythm varies by shift, season, or order.

the pickup and drop-off points define the right transfer type
the layout and the mixed-traffic areas shape the choice of solution
correct integration reduces operational variability and improvisation
scaling is easier when the process is thought through from the start

SOLUTION SELECTION

How to choose the right AMR/AGV solution

Not every mobile robot suits every flow. The right selection starts from the process, not from the product. We therefore always assess the application by its pickup method, its load, the manoeuvring space, and the integration requirements.

Load pickup and drop-off

The first criterion is how the robot takes and releases the load: from the floor, from a station, from a conveyor, from a rack, or from a standardized intermediate point.

Load geometry, weight, and format

The dimensions of the load, its height, its stability, and its mass directly influence the type of robot, the ground clearance, the fork or platform type, and the dynamics of the movement.

Layout, aisles, and traffic

Aisle width, intersections, pedestrian areas, high-speed doors, lifts, and pinch points change the choice of solution and the operating rules substantially.

Integration, traffic, and safety

A good project is not only the right robot, but also the way it works with operators, with the surrounding equipment, and with the software systems already in place.

THE INTEGRATOR'S ROLE

What Novomatix delivers beyond the robot

The value of an AMR/AGV project lies not only in the equipment, but in how it is integrated into the operation. Novomatix delivers complete projects, from selecting the solution through to commissioning and later scaling.

Assessment and solution selection

We assess what is transported, how often, over what distance, and under what layout and traffic conditions, in order to identify the platform and configuration that cover the application without oversizing it.

Flow integration and operating logic

We configure how the robots connect to stations, conveyors, buffers, and existing processes. Where the project calls for it, we define the rules for traffic, dispatch, prioritization, and coordination between several vehicles.

Safety, commissioning, and scaling

We approach the project with a focus on safe operation and a controlled introduction into production or the warehouse. We build projects so they can evolve in stages, from an initial application to further flows or areas.

OPERATIONAL BENEFITS

What you gain by automating internal transport

Automating with mobile robots is not simply replacing a manual movement. It means better control over the flow, less operational variability, and a better basis for scaling.

A more predictable flow

Repetitive transport becomes easier to plan, to monitor, and to fit into the operational rhythm of the warehouse or the production floor.

Less dependence on manual transport

Operators can focus more on higher-value work, and repetitive internal movements are standardized more consistently.

Scaling in stages

Many projects can start with one clear use case and extend later, according to results and priorities.

Cleaner integration into the operation

When the project is designed properly, mobile robots become part of the operational system rather than an isolated element bolted onto the process.

CASE STUDIES

AMRs integrated into industrial production and intralogistics flows

Three different industrial contexts in which mobile robots entered operation alongside the existing processes — from internal pallet transport through to orchestrating a fleet across dozens of routes.

Kärcher

Automated pallet transport across three internal logistics flows

GoPal® E24W AMRs integrated across finished goods, injection-moulded components and packaging materials, between the assembly lines and the warehouses.

GoPal® E24W Pallet transport

Read the case study

Schaeffler

A mixed AMR fleet for JIT and end-of-line, across several halls

GoPal® E24 & E24W feed the lines with bearing rings and collect finished goods at the end of the line.

GoPal® E24 & E24W JIT & end-of-line

Read the case study

Marquardt

Internal intralogistics orchestrated across 52 routes, on a 25,000 m² site

GoPal® E24 coordinated by GoControl FMS for put-away, line feeding, empty packaging, and finished goods.

52 routes GoControl FMS

Read the case study

SUPPORT, SERVICE, AND CONTINUITY

AMR/AGV also means support after GoLive

Performance in operation does not depend on the robot alone, but on how interventions, planned maintenance, and safety checks are handled. Our services page sets out how we approach operational support for AMR/AGV projects.

Structured diagnostics and interventions
Planned maintenance and safety checks
Support for extension and optimization after GoLive

See services

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Quick answers about AMR/AGV mobile robots

What is the difference between an AMR and an AGV?

AMR or AGV: how do I choose correctly?

When does a mobile robot project make sense?

Can they be integrated with WMS, MES, or ERP?

Do I have to start with a large fleet?

How is the right transfer type established?

How important is safety?

Do you have an internal flow you want to automate?

Tell us which internal transport you want to improve, what kind of load you handle, and the context you operate in. We will propose the right direction for your process.

Talk to a specialist

Mobile robots for intralogistics and production

The right platform for each flow

Robotize

Agilox

AGBEE

WEWO

Flows and processes we automate

How the robot picks up and sets down the load

Where autonomous transport comes in

Receiving and putaway

Replenishment

Line feeding

Transfer between stages

End-of-line removal

Dispatch preparation

Mobile automation has to be designed around the real flow

How to choose the right AMR/AGV solution

Load pickup and drop-off

Load geometry, weight, and format

Layout, aisles, and traffic

Integration, traffic, and safety

What Novomatix delivers beyond the robot

Assessment and solution selection

Flow integration and operating logic

Safety, commissioning, and scaling

What you gain by automating internal transport

A more predictable flow

Less dependence on manual transport

Scaling in stages

Cleaner integration into the operation

AMRs integrated into industrial production and intralogistics flows

Automated pallet transport across three internal logistics flows

A mixed AMR fleet for JIT and end-of-line, across several halls

Internal intralogistics orchestrated across 52 routes, on a 25,000 m² site

AMR/AGV also means support after GoLive

Quick answers about AMR/AGV mobile robots

Do you have an internal flow you want to automate?

Relevant pages

Automated palletizing

Services

Industries