Why is your warehouse floor so important when introducing robotics and automated systems? Find out in this article written by Tim Walker, Director of Face Consultants (NZ) and CoGri Limited (NZ). Dive into the world of G2P automation:
As logistics automation accelerates across warehouses and distribution centres globally, one essential element often gets less attention than it deserves:
the floor.
Automating the Warehouse: Why Flooring is Key to Success
A well-designed and maintained warehouse floor can be the difference between smooth, efficient automation and constant operational disruptions.
This is especially crucial as the industry adopts advanced robotics, including autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), automated cube storage systems like AutoStore™, and autonomous case robots (ACRs). Flooring is not merely a base for the facility; it’s a core infrastructure component that can make or break automation success.
Let’s explore why flooring is critical for G2P automation and the five key issues that need careful consideration.
1. Flatness and Levelness: A Foundation for Precision
G2P robots rely heavily on precision.
AMRs, ACRs, and cube storage systems like AutoStore handle complex movements at high speeds.
Excessive deviation in the floor’s flatness and levelness can lead to misalignment, reduced efficiency, or even operational shutdowns if robots cannot traverse the space effectively.
Flatness and levelness have always been important in warehouses but are particularly critical for automation where even minor undulations in the floor can create issues.
Uneven floors can cause a range of problems for AMRs and ACRs, such as increased vibration, reduced speed, misalignment, and sensor errors.
These factors can lead to excessive wear and tear on robotic systems, reducing lifespan and increasing maintenance costs. It could also mean automation can’t even deliver the picking rate it was designed for.
When investing in warehouse automation it’s critical to invest in flooring systems that meet the stringent flatness and levelness tolerances required to prevent such complications, ensuring a smooth, cost-efficient operation.
Specialist Testing Services
At CoGri Group, we provide specialised testing services to ensure that your flooring meets the standards needed for effective AMR and robotics integration:
- Comprehensive testing before and after installation to identify potential issues early and allow for timely corrections, reducing the risk of operational disruptions.
- We offer several flooring solutions, including concrete grinding or pump screeds that remediate floor flatness issues and lay the foundation for a successful automation project.
2. The Challenge of Floor Joints
Joints are an inherent part of any concrete floor, but they represent a critical challenge in automated environments. AMRs, ACRs, and other wheeled robotics that move across these joints can experience sudden jolts or vibrations if joints are stepped or have too wide a gap.
This not only reduces or completely derails operational efficiency but also increases the wear and tear on robotics.
Joints in new floors can be particularly problematic for automated environments because they are unstable. Joints will continue to open and also tend to curl and change level over time. As well as impacting wheeled traffic, a joint that is unstable and moving will, over time, disrupt cube systems like AutoStore by throwing the grid out of tolerance.
For an automation project in an existing building, joints typically need to be rebuilt to accommodate the requirements of AMR and ACR systems.
For new builds, it is important to minimise joints through large, jointless floor slabs and ensure that the joint layout is integrated with the planned automation layout. Proper joint layout and management will ensure the reliable, uninterrupted flow of automated operations throughout the warehouse.
3. Surface Finish and Traction
In the world of G2P automation, surface finish matters a lot more than it might initially seem.
A smooth, dense power trowelled surface will ensure the floor is durable, but will it have adequate traction to allow for efficient AMR and ACR movement?
If the floor surface is too smooth it may result in slippage, disrupting the robot operations. Conversely, if it is too rough, it can slow down vehicle speed, increase energy consumption, cause excess wear on wheels, or not be durable enough and lead to ongoing maintenance issues with the floor.
Different robotics systems have different floor texture requirements:
so it pays to talk to an expert, such as the CoGri group, about what a specific system requires and how that requirement can be achieved and certified on a project.
4. Reflectivity
The reflectivity of the floor surface is another important consideration for automated environments. Many AMRs and ACRs use visual sensors to navigate, and the reflectivity of the floor can impact the accuracy of these sensors.
A floor that is too reflective can cause sensor interference, leading to misreads and disruptions in the automated processes.
Balancing the reflectivity of the floor is crucial to ensure that sensors function optimally. Often, there is a ‘Goldilocks scenario’ when selecting floor finishes, as it requires achieving the right balance of reflectivity, traction, and durability.
5. Durability Under Robot Traffic
The robots that operate in automated warehouses can create high levels of wear and tear on the floor because of the high volume of traffic and dynamic loads that concentrate in specific aisles or thoroughfares in the warehouse.
The repeated stresses from high loads can cause premature floor wear and surface degradation.
If not properly addressed during the design and construction stages, these issues can lead to costly downtime for floor repairs, disrupting the entire logistics operation. For new building projects, the floor can be designed to try and cater for the specific durability requirements of the robots being used, and for projects converting existing buildings, the floor can be upgraded in advance of the automation rollout to try and improve durability.
The Foundation of Successful Automation
The importance of flooring in G2P automation cannot be overstated.
As warehouses and distribution centres lean into advanced automation technologies like AMRs, ACRs, and cube systems to improve efficiency, speed, and accuracy, the flooring must support these ambitions without becoming a point of failure.
Whether it’s the need for precise flatness and levelness, managing joint stability, providing optimal surface traction, balancing reflectivity, or ensuring durability under extreme loads, every aspect of the flooring directly impacts the success of G2P automation.
An investment in a well-designed and expertly installed warehouse floor is an investment in the future of logistics.
As robotics and automation continue to revolutionise supply chain operations, the floor beneath these advancements must be ready to support them, providing the stability, reliability, and resilience required for a high-performance, automated future.
If you are planning a logistics automation project or are struggling with an existing floor that is impeding efficiency, it’s crucial to consult with experts who understand the specific needs of automation-ready flooring.
Speak to an Expert
At CoGri Group, we specialise in designing and constructing flooring solutions that meet the unique demands of automated logistics environments. From flatness and levelness to long-term durability, we ensure your flooring is a foundation of efficiency and reliability for your logistics operations.
Ready to optimise your warehouse floor for automation? Contact us today to find out how we can help your logistics facility achieve peak performance through world-class flooring solutions.
Tim Walker
Tim Walker is the Director of Face Consultants (NZ) and CoGri Limited (NZ). He has two decades of experience in the industry and provides the link between the Logistics Industry and Property and Construction; matching the requirements of one with the capabilities of the other.Contact Tim and his team today or follow us on LinkedIn:
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