Runner

Runner (XIAMEN) Corp., a recognized leader in China’s kitchen and sanitary ware industry has automated its internal transportation and material handling through a fleet of twelve autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). This fleet includes six MiR250, two MiR600 AMRs and others. Through effective collaboration, the intelligent manufacturing center for kitchenware and sanitary products has achieved accurate, efficient, and labor-free logistics processes. 

The market demand for sanitary ware products offers compelling evidence of an upgrade in consumer choices. With the rising expectations of customers in relation to smart homes, including quality, style, energy efficiency and environmental protection, conventional basic sanitary ware products are entering a transformative era characterized by "technology and ingenuity". It is a shift in consumer need that is giving rise to new requirements in product innovation, design, manufacturing and delivery. 

The need for intelligent transformation to respond to the demands of the market, brought RUNNER to initiate the design and construction of a smart factory. The purpose was encompassing not only the intelligent upgrade of production lines, but also a groundbreaking transformation of logistics processes within conventional workshop production lines to facilitate comprehensive automation.

At the forefront of these efforts is the Intelligent Manufacturing Center for Kitchenware & Sanitary ware. This center caters to numerous globally recognized players in the kitchen and sanitary ware industry.

The system

The intelligent manufacturing center for kitchenware and sanitary ware products is equipped with a fleet of twelve autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). This includes six MiR250 AMRs, two MiR600 AMRs and others. Robots in the fleet operate collaboratively within three distinct groups, each equipped with specialized capabilities. These groups comprise robots for to lift assembly parts from shelf to cart, to collect finished products, and to empty the delivery pallets. The three groups of robots are coordinate seamlessly through the utilization of fleet management software, MiR Fleet, and the robot control system, RCS3.0. Additionally, the robots are integrated with the transportation management system (TMS), exclusively developed by RUNNER. This integration enables free-flowing communication of information with the surrounding manufacturing execution system (MES) and the warehouse management system (WMS). As a result, this facilitates the efficient deployment of production-line information and hardware resources, ensures high compatibility between the fleet and production line with the highest priority tasks, and allows for smooth scheduling and efficient operation of the fleet.

Using the current deployment scenario, MiR AMRs achieve an operating time in excess of 12 hours. Additionally, the assembly-parts delivery rate per set can reach up to 8 times per hour per set, and the finished product collection rate can go as high as 4 times per hour per set.

MiR AMRs flexibility and adaptability

In the assembly workshops of the kitchen and sanitary ware industry, transportation-process points tend to be scattered around, while the production lines are not dedicated continuously to a single product. Instead, they comprise several small-sized workstations. These characteristics necessitate material or finished product transportation solutions that can swiftly adjust the workflow to accommodate real-time changes. The deployment of MiR AMRs requires no installation of rails or any other modification to the existing workshop environment. Each AMR cart is equipped with advanced laser scanning techniques, 3D cameras, built-in sensors and powerful software. This configuration enables the AMRs to analyze the surrounding environment along the route, effectively avoid obstacles, and dynamically plan and adjust routes in real-time. The AMRs demonstrate remarkable flexibility in adapting to changes in the working environment and tasks. In contrast to conventional automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and forklifts, the intelligent flexibility of MiR AMRs is significantly enhanced.

In terms of the intelligent transformation of talent skills, RUNNER successfully helped the majority of the workers previously involved with transportation to acquire AMR operation skills. To achieve this, they benefited from the user-friendly and intuitive nature of MiR AMRs. MiR AMRs offer seamless operation through web page control and an intelligent device. The graphical programming interface is visually intuitive, allowing frontline operators to start working without prior programming experience. With the assistance of MiR's technical support team and agency Xiamen Jing Rui Precise Equipment Co., Ltd., operators can become proficient in operating AMRs after just a few days of training.

The widespread implementation of AMRs significantly reduces the workload for operators and enhances their professional skills. Furthermore, similar to manufacturers across a variety of industries, RUNNER is also encountering the challenge of recruiting new talent. However, with the completion of the intelligent factory, a safer working environment and automation-assisted tasks, it has become more appealing to young individuals.

RUNNER is confident that the investment in the automation of logistics processes will yield a return within two to three years.

The company is planning on expand and implement this solution to other plants and parks within the group network. They are expecting to build more intelligent factories in the future.

The company places emphasis on domestic circulation and promoting the concept of "dual circulation". To achieve this, we have set up industrial bases and overseas companies in various locations such as Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Ningbo, Shanghai, Taipei, Thailand, and the United States. These strategic moves are aimed at facilitating the high-quality development of the group.