Integrated AMR and cobot automation for flexible kitting

In short

In every production plant there is a silent and essential rule: every component,no matter how small or complex, must arrive exactly where it is needed, at the time it is needed. It is a promise that the kitting process must maintain everyday, between increasing variability, tight rhythms and constant pressure on efficiency. Yet, kitting is one of the most delicate points in the entire production chain. Not for lack of technology, but for the way it has historically been conceived: separate systems, disjoint logics, complex integrations. On the one hand the robots that move, on the other those that handle. In between, a level of coordination that often becomes the real bottleneck.

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Challenge

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The basic idea is as simple as it is radical: to eliminate the barriers between mobility, perception and handling, transforming a set of subsystems into a single coherent entity. To understand the scale of innovation, you have to start with the problem.

In the modern industrial context, kitting is subject to structural variability: components differing in shape, size and fragility; increasingly customised production cycles; layouts that change to adapt to new needs. In this scenario, the manual part often prevails, especially in the picking and kit composition phases. This introduces three direct consequences:

- The first is human error: inevitable when operations are repetitive and high-frequency.

- The second is rigidity: any change to the layout or product requires expensive and slow reconfiguration.

- The third is discontinuity: transport and handling systems communicate, but do not "think" together.

Traditional architectures, in fact, separate the control of mobility from that of handling. This means more controllers, more levels of integration, more latency in decision making. In other words: less responsiveness right where it would serve you the most.

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Solution

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The project overturns this paradigm by introducing a "single control architecture” capable of managing locomotion, perception and handling in an integrated way. It is not just a technical choice, but a change of perspective. The robot is no longer a sum of parts, but a unitary system that perceives the environment, makes decisions and acts in a coordinated manner.

The platform takes shape from an Autonomous Mobile Robot developed by Joytek. It is not a simple autonomous vehicle, but an intelligent base capable of moving with precision in complex and dynamic industrial environments. Thanks to advanced navigation and location systems, based on ROKIT Navigator by Bosch Rexroth, the AMR is able to adapt to changes in the production context, avoiding obstacles, optimising routes and maintaining high standards of operational reliability.

A key element is attached to this mobile base: the handling system. This is where Kassow Robots' seven-axis cobots come into play. The choice of seven-degree-of-freedom kinematics is no coincidence. It means greater skills, greater ability to move in confined spaces, greater adaptability to complex tasks. The robotic arm can reach difficult points, bypass obstacles and operate with a fluidity reminiscent of that of a human. The structure, made of highly rigid anodised aluminium, allows to withstand fast dynamics without compromising precision. The modular outreach and payload configurations allow the system to be adapted to different applications, while the 48V variants with integrated controller are specifically designed for integration on mobile platforms.

If mechanics defines the physical capabilities of the system, it is the software that transforms them into intelligent behaviour. The infrastructure developed by Reply is based on the Robot Operating System (ROS), which serves as a central layer for perception management, movement planning and handling control. In practice, this is where the robot interprets what it sees, decides how to move and coordinates each action. There are no longer isolated subsystems: all information is shared, every decision is contextualised. Making this integration between the industrial world and the advanced robotic world possible is the Bosch Rexroth ctrlX AUTOMATION platform, flanked by a communication gateway designed to directly connect the ROS stack with the industrial control system. This element is crucial: it allows direct control of the kinematics of the cobot, reducing latency and improving accuracy in the generation of trajectories.

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Benefits  

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When all these components come into synergy, the result is a system capable of adapting. This translates into a significant reduction in operating cycle times and a decrease in errors in the picking and composition of the kits.

But the real value comes in flexibility: the system can be reconfigured quickly to adapt to new layouts or new product variants. From an architectural point of view, the unification of control drastically reduces the complexity of integration. Fewer interfaces, fewer points of failure, greater operational consistency. In an industrial context, innovation and security must proceed together. The system is designed to comply with current legislation on machines, and integrates multilevel safety mechanisms: laser sensors for obstacle detection, dynamic speed limits, continuous monitoring of operations. Added to this is a structured approach to cyber security, with vulnerability tests and attack simulations that guarantee the protection of the digital infrastructure.

Although the project originated in the automotive sector, its modular architecture paves the way for a wide range of applications. Contexts such as food & beverage, packaging and pharma share the same need for flexibility, precision and adaptability. In these environments, the ability to manage variability and rapid change is a decisive competitive advantage. In the end, what emerges is not just a technological solution, but an evolution in the way of thinking about automation. No longer rigid systems designed for static scenarios, but intelligent platforms, capable of understanding the context, adapting and collaborating. Systems that are not limited to execution, but that actively participate in the production flow. And in this step, kitting ceases to be a critical point and finally becomes a strength.