Does BlueBotics Offer an AGV/AMR Fleet Manager?

The answer is yes. This quick guide will help you learn more about BlueBotics’ powerful fleet management platform, called ANT server.

The AGVs or AMRs you develop will most likely require a fleet manager to handle mission dispatch and manage traffic. Our ANT server fleet management software provides this functionality and much more besides. It’s how you put your AGVs and AMRs to work.

The article below explains: how ANT server works, what features it offers, how it can be integrated with other software, how it is priced, and much more.

How does ANT server work?

ANT server is designed to manage vehicles that are driven by BlueBotics’ ANT lite⁺ navigation system. The software is not compatible with vehicles that use our ANT localization or ANT localization⁺ systems.

ANT server is also VDA 5050 compatible. This means it can be used to manage non-ANT driven vehicles (different brands) that use the VDA 5050 AGV communication protocol. However, it is worth noting that, at the time of writing, the VDA 5050 standard is not yet complete, and the level of functionality that can be achieved still lags significantly behind the power and intelligence of ANT server when used with ‘ANT driven’ vehicles. Learn more about VDA 5050 here.

What are the key features of ANT server?

ANT server fleet manager offers the following key functionalities:

• With the ANT vehicle simulator (included for free), you can plan, test and size your mobile robot projects in advance, running virtual vehicles on a digital twin of your customer’s site.
• ANT server assigns the right mission to the right vehicle at the right time, based on parameters you define. Thanks to our ANT locator forklift tracking solution, ANT server can even dispatch missions to manual vehicles.
• Automatic traffic control
  ANT server features industry-proven traffic control algorithms to maximize your customers’ uptime and avoid frustrating deadlocks. In addition, when combined with our ANT locator forklift tracking solution, ANT server can also manage interactions between manual and automated systems (for example via the use of virtual or physical traffic lights).
• Real-time fleet monitoring
  With ANT server’s dedicated web interface, called ANT monitor, you or your customer can see how their operation is performing from any web browser (available in multiple languages).
• Charging management
  ANT server supports several different charging strategies. This flexibility enables you to configure your AGV/AMR project in a way that suits every client’s operation.
• Equipment interfacing via API & communication protocols
  ANT server enables reliable communication between IT/OT layers with standardized interfaces and industrial-grade protocols, making it simple to interface your vehicles with a client’s existing on-site equipment (such as automatic doors, elevators, palletizers etc.).
• Full interoperability (multi-brand + VDA 5050 fleets)
  ‘ANT driven’ vehicles that are controlled by our ANT lite⁺ technology can be installed and operated in the same ANT server fleet – allowing you to meet every customer’s evolving needs. Currently, over 120 models of interoperable ANT driven AGVs and AMRs are available and this number is growing every month. Explore these ANT driven vehicles here.
• ANT server also supports the VDA 5050
  AGV communication protocol, meaning it can also be used to control VDA-based vehicles that are not driven by ANT navigation. However, since the VDA standard is not yet complete, the level of granular functionality that can be achieved still lags significantly behind that of ANT server. Learn more about VDA 5050 here. 
• Mixed (automated/manual) fleet functionality
  When combined with our ANT locator forklift tracking system, ANT server can manage mixed fleets of AGV/AMRs and manual trucks. It can dispatch missions to manual or automated vehicles, automatically manage traffic flows, and provide forklift usage information to help your customer better optimize their forklift operations.

How does ANT server integrate with a customer’s existing WMS, ERP, or MES system?

As far as software integration is concerned, ANT server features a Rest API for interfacing with a customer’s WMS, MES, or ERP software (or any middleware your company uses).

As a vehicle maker (and most likely the integrator of your system), you will need to consider how to provide the logic necessary for tasks at WMS/ERP level to be translated into fleet manager missions.

• Do you have the software development capacity in-house to ‘bridge this gap’ by developing a custom interface?

• Will you pay a third-party software partner to develop the same?

• Will you instead research and adopt an off-the-shelf middleware product?

• Or will you simply ask your customers to handle this interfacing themselves?

The BlueBotics team can help you to assess this topic in more depth.

How much does ANT server cost?

ANT server by BlueBotics is priced separately to our ANT navigation systems.

One ANT server license is required per customer site. The price of this license varies depending on the size of the end customer’s fleet. Both Lifetime and Subscription pricing models are available.

Contact our team for more information.

What do customers say about ANT server fleet manager?

Here are a couple of examples:

“We really appreciate the passion that BlueBotics has to listen to the industry, to follow the standards, and to help us move towards a more interoperable world where we can coexist with the other technologies out there at our customers’ sites.” — Michael Marcum, Senior Director – Autonomous Vehicles, Toyota Automated Logistics (previously Bastian Solutions). Watch testimonial video.

“BlueBotics technology is excellent at maximizing the efficiency of our AGVs, regardless of the size of an installation or the number of vehicles in a fleet.” — Thanassis Papaleloudis, Managing Director, LIFTCO. Read the full testimonial. 

How easy is it to implement BlueBotics’ fleet manager?

The time it takes to implement ANT server on your vehicles depends on a number of factors, including how advanced your project is. For a detailed breakdown and estimate, get in touch for a no-obligation discussion of your project.

Ready to talk AGV/AMR fleet management?

If you have questions about ANT server or would like to book a demo call with our team, please get in touch.