AMR integration connects an autonomous mobile robot fleet to a facility's WMS or ERP, control systems, and physical workflows so robots receive tasks, navigate the floor, and hand off material automatically. A typical warehouse AMR integration covers fleet software configuration, WMS interfacing, safety compliance per ANSI/A3 R15.08, and commissioning.

QUICK FACTS

• Scope. Fleet management software, WMS or ERP interface, charging infrastructure, traffic and layout planning, and operator training.
• Governing standard. ANSI/A3 R15.08 covers mobile robot safety end to end. Part 1 (2020) covers the robot, Part 2 (2023) covers site integration, and Part 3 (2026) covers day-to-day use, so everyone running the fleet is held to one safety standard.
• Interoperability. A middleware layer lets mixed AMR fleets, conveyor, and storage equipment take direction from one control system.
• Virtual paths. AMRs follow routes mapped in software, with no guide wire, rail, or floor magnets. HOJ configures defined paths with obstacle avoidance and multiple direction points, so routes stay predictable on a busy floor.
• Timeline. Plan on 2 to 3 months: 4 to 6 weeks of pre-development, then about a month on site. HOJ's Hunter Douglas fleet deployed in 15 days.

HOW DOES AMR INTEGRATION WORK?

AMR integration runs in three layers.

Physical layer. LiDAR maps the facility, and robots follow virtual paths between pick and drop points. Charging stations sit along routes so robots top off between tasks.

Orchestration layer. Fleet software takes orders from your WMS, WES, or ERP, assigns each task to a robot, and manages traffic. A robot picks up at a conveyor transfer point, drops at its destination, and posts completion back to the WMS. PLC handshakes tie robots into conveyor, automatic doors, and freight elevators.

Interface layer. Operators initiate, direct, and monitor work from one screen, with fleet status, throughput, and performance data in view.

WHERE AMR INTEGRATION FITS

• Goods-to-person picking. Robots carry shelves or totes to stationary pick stations.
• Lineside replenishment. Scheduled material delivery to manufacturing and assembly cells.
• Dock-to-stock transport. Putaway moves from receiving to storage without forklift trips.
• Outbound dock staging. Wrapped pallets move from stretch wrap to staging lanes at the dock door, ready to ship.
• E-commerce and 3PL fulfillment. Multi-tenant operations with fluctuating order profiles.
• Zone-to-zone transfer. Recurring moves between pick modules, packing, and shipping.

WHAT PROBLEMS DOES AMR INTEGRATION SOLVE?

Walking time is typically the largest share of manual picking labor, and an integrated AMR fleet removes it by bringing inventory to stationary workstations. SEER reports navigation accuracy to ±2 mm, keeping handoffs at conveyor and station transfer points repeatable. Capacity scales by adding robots, not rebuilding fixed infrastructure, so an integrated fleet absorbs peak volume without construction.

DO AMRS WORK WITH AN EXISTING WMS?

Yes. Your WMS keeps order ownership while fleet software handles robot assignment, routing, and charging. HOJ built the Bridge, a software layer that handles the handshake between your WMS, AMRs, conveyor, and storage systems like Kardex, with WarehouseOS as one interface for directing and monitoring all of it. The Bridge already connects conveyor and AMRs in a live deployment, and a phased rollout lets one zone go live while the rest of the building runs unchanged.

START YOUR AMR INTEGRATION PROJECT

HOJ has engineered material handling systems since 1964 and integrates SEER and Geek+ AMR fleets with in-house controls engineering, Ignition-based operator interfaces, UL 508A panel fabrication, and commissioning from one Salt Lake City team. Talk to an automation engineer today.