Kiva vs. Automated Guided Vehicles

AGVs move things from point A to point B - Period

solution_agvsPeople who are not familiar with Kiva Systems will often see Kiva Robotic Drive Units (or bots) for the first time and think they are bright orange AGVs.  They are not.  They are components of a complete warehouse automation solution that delivers world-class productivity, accuracy and flexibility.  Automatic Guided Vehicles move things from one place to another along a defined track.  The track may be wires embedded in the floor, magnetic tape on the floor or a 'trained path' through a fixed environment that requires sophisticated visual systems to navigate the path, but regardless AGVs follow fixed tracks.  Newer AGVs are capable of navigating several paths, but in the end they are still just moving things from point A to point B.  They are purely a replacement for a person with a vehicle who does repetitive moves.  This approach may provide legitimate cost savings in a warehouse or manufacturing plant, but it will never automate the labor intensive processes associated with fulfilling orders.

The Kiva Approach is a total order fulfillment solution.

solution_DC_pickerKiva solutions integrate a package of robotic material handling equipment and sophisticated software to provide the most accurate, productive and flexible order processing automation available.  The Kiva robotic drive units which are often mistaken for an AGV are actually autonomous robots.  They navigate based on a grid of two dimensional barcode stickers that are applied to normal warehouse floors and solid mezzanine decks.  The software provides path planning and orchestrates the movement of hundreds of drive units as they carry inventory shelves to and from work stations where operators pick and pack orders.  The drive units also carry completed orders around the facility to accomplish value added processing, package finishing and order sortation.  There are no fixed paths so any item or order is available to be moved to any operator for processing at any time. The Kiva order fulfillment system is a complete solution that encompasses many processes and is flexible enough to handle most types of merchandise.

Kiva goes well beyond the capabilities of AGVs that merely move things by providing breakthrough performance and solving many order fulfillment challenges simultaneously.

  • Fast Picking
    The operator is presented with a new pick face location every six seconds, as if they had infinite pick face density with zero walking.
  • High Volume Order Picking
    Kiva customers pick 100,000's of lines per day in a single facility using the Kiva order fulfillment system.
  • Real-time Orders
    Orders drop instantly to the operator without the delay of waves or batches, reducing cycle time to minutes.
  • High Accuracy
    Every item is verified by scanning the bar code or comparison to a photo, thereby reducing errors and eliminating the need for a separate QC function.
  • Inline Sortation
    Products and orders are automatically sorted during processing, enabling "pick to plan-o-gram" within an order and sequential truck loading.
  • Product Flexibility
    Storage pods and work stations can be configured to handle small items, large items, split-case and cut-carton items, full cases, fragile goods, odd-shaped packaging, and many products that won't work on conveyors, carousels, AS/RS or AGVs.
  • Modular Expansion
    Add inventory pods and drive units to increase throughput during peak season or expand an existing facility as the market grows. The complex construction associated with traditional automation installations is not required.