Managing Variability of Logistics Robot System: Experience at Hitachi

Abstract

This paper reports an industrial experience of managing the variability of a logistics robot system. Logistics centers need to dispatch products rapidly and accurately from huge inventories in accordance with the daily flow of orders, and autonomous logistics robot systems provide a solution that can handle a wide variety of products without relying on manual tasks. However, the development of such systems can be challenging due to the many different operation environments and product characteristics that must be considered. We have therefore developed a variability management approach that models the variability of robot systems and the items to be handled in such a way that the software components can be reused and expanded across different products and environments. This paper presents the motivation, challenges, and benefits of applying the variability management approach to a logistics robot system at Hitachi.