New MD-650 Mobile Robot for Medium Payload Range Increased efficiency in Material Transfer Operations with Medium-Duty Payload and Intelligent, Autonomous Material Transport Through Integrated Control Technology

• August 31, 2023

OMRON Corporation (Headquarters: Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan; President and CEO: Junta Tsujinaga) announces that it will launch the MD-650 autonomous mobile robot (AMR), which can provide greater efficiency at production sites, in Japan on August 31, 2023. The addition of a medium-payload (650 kg) mobile robot expands OMRON’s line up of autonomous robots to appeal to a wider variety of part and material transport applications.

MD-650 Mobile Robot

In recent years, manufacturing sites have become increasingly important not only in pursuit of productivity and quality, but also in creating workplaces that reduce the burden on workers. There are increasing demands to improve efficiency in part- and material-transport operations that repeatedly carry heavy materials, work-in-process products, and finished products through automation to reduce the heavy physical burden on the workers. In the automotive industry, for example, the development of a high-mix, low-volume production system has led to the dispersal of materials to multiple locations, and the increased frequency of inter-process transfer of small lots of work-in-process has increased the physical burden on workers.
However, even if the optimal robot for each process is selected, controlling a large fleet of mobile robots requires different management systems for each robot model and each process. This requires investment in each system and management to ensure smooth transportation of a wide variety of heavy objects.

OMRON's existing lineup of mobile robots ranges from 60 to 1500 kg, and the MD-650 provides a mid-weight range option (650 kg). Its unique control technology enables safe and smooth transport that can be easily implemented at production sites where people and machines work in the same area.
The unique "OMRON Fleet Manager" software enables integrated control of up to 100 mobile robots on a single system, eliminating the need for multiple fleet management systems, and automatically selects the optimal mobile robot for each process based on payload and availability.
A model with a medium payload range of up to 900 kg will be added during this fiscal year to further strengthen the product lineup.

<Product Features>
1. High speed and safety with top-level transfer speed^*2 in the medium payload range^*1 and unique obstacle avoidance algorithm.
The MD-650 has proven experience, based on the implementation of several thousand units at manufacturing sites around the world. The new system operates smoothly even in narrow aisles thanks to its maximum speed of 2.2 m/sec, advanced navigation functions, and obstacle avoidance algorithms. In addition, the introduction of advanced battery and charging technology enables 8 hours of operation on a 30-minute charge.

2. Integrated control of all mobile robots using proprietary software technology
A single system can provide integrated transfer routes for up to 100 mobile robots with different payloads and control the transfer sequence in real time. The advanced linkage within a single system enables the real-time routing, even for inter-process transfers at different production speeds, to achieve efficient transfers with minimal retention.

3. High level of safety in accordance with international standard ISO3691-4^*3.
It is designed for compliance with ISO 3691-4 (enacted in 2020), the latest safety standard for driverless industrial trucks and their systems. We will continue to expand our existing product lineup to contribute to the creation of safe factory environments.
OMRON will continue to develop safe and high-quality mobile robots to help reduce the burden of material transport processes across various industries. Further developments to our proprietary software control will promote safe and optimized transport paths at sites across industries. OMRON will continue to develop automation solutions that maximize the value of people and creates a prosperous future for people, industry, and the earth.

*1 Mobile robot with payload range model from 500 to 900 kg
*2 As of June 2023, according to internal research.
*3 International safety standard applicable to AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle), AMR (Autonomous Mobile Robot) and other unmanned vehicles and systems. It defines requirements for safety functions and methods of validation of automatic vehicle functions, and compliance with these requirements is required to meet the standard.

<Stories of robot solution>
Harnessing Industry 4.0 to streamline complex logistics processes and bring happiness to workers
Mobile robots contributing towards safe sterilization of medical instruments

<About Omron Corporation>
OMRON Corporation is a leading automation company with its unique "Sensing & Control + Think" technology at the core of its business, which includes control equipment, healthcare, social systems, electronic components, etc. Founded in 1933, OMRON now has approximately 30,000 employees worldwide. OMRON employs approximately 30,000 people worldwide and provides products and services in about 120 countries and regions. For more information, please visit https://www.omron.com/global/en/

<About OMRON Robotics and Safety Technologies, Inc.>
A leading provider of robotics and safety solutions as a division of the Industrial Automation Business (Controls and Equipment Business, IAB), which provides automation solutions for the manufacturing industry In 2019, OMRON's robotics and safety-related businesses were The company was created through the integration of OMRON's robotics and safety-related businesses. With a broad robotics product portfolio ranging from industrial robots to mobile and collaborative robots, combined with OMRON's safety technologies, the company aims to create a new manufacturing workplace where humans and robots can work together safely in the same environment.