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Industrial robotic arm picking and moving boxes from an automated conveyor system in a warehouse

Industrial Automation Glossary (A-Z)

Plain-English definitions of the automation and robotics terms we use most, from ASRS to zero-pressure accumulation.

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Industrial automation and robotics terms, explained

Automation and robotics come with a lot of jargon. This A-Z glossary explains the terms MotionTech uses most across conveyors, robotics, palletising and warehouse automation, in plain English. Where we have a dedicated page on a topic, the term links to it so you can go deeper.

 

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A to Z of automation terms

Accumulation conveyor
A powered conveyor that lets products queue in zones without pressing against one another, used to buffer flow between processes.
AGV (automated guided vehicle)
A driverless vehicle that follows fixed routes using markers such as magnetic tape or wires to move loads. See AMR and AGV systems.
AMR (autonomous mobile robot)
A mobile robot that navigates freely using onboard sensors and mapping, without fixed guide paths. See AMR and AGV systems.
Articulated robot
A robot arm with multiple rotary joints (typically six axes) giving flexibility and reach for handling, welding and assembly. See articulated robots.
ASRS (automated storage and retrieval system)
A computer-controlled system that stores and retrieves loads from high-density racking using cranes or shuttles. See our ASRS guide.
Belt conveyor
A conveyor that carries products on a continuous moving belt, suited to packed goods and loose items. See belt conveyors.
Chain conveyor
A conveyor that moves loads on powered chains, well suited to pallets and products with uneven bases. See chain conveyors.
Cobot (collaborative robot)
A robot designed with sensors and speed limits so it can work safely alongside people without full guarding.
Conveyor system
A mechanical handling system that moves products between points with minimal manual effort. See our conveyor systems.
Cross-belt sorter
A high-speed sorter with individual belts that gently divert items to their destination, used in e-commerce and parcel. See sortation.
Delta robot
A fast, lightweight parallel-arm robot used for high-speed pick and place of small items.
Depalletising
Automatically removing products from a pallet, often the first step on a production or sortation line.
End-of-arm tooling (EOAT)
The gripper or tool fitted to the end of a robot arm that handles the product. See end-of-arm tooling.
End-of-line automation
Automation of the final packing stages such as case packing, palletising, wrapping and labelling. See end-of-line automation.
Goods-to-person (GTP)
A fulfilment model where automation brings items to a stationary operator rather than the operator walking to the goods. Common in ASRS.
Gravity conveyor
An unpowered conveyor that uses a slight incline to move products, low-cost and low-maintenance. See gravity roller conveyors.
Mini-load ASRS
A compact ASRS that stores and retrieves totes, cartons and small parts at high density. See mini-load systems.
Order picking
Selecting and collecting items to fulfil a customer order, a key target for warehouse automation.
Palletising
Stacking products onto a pallet in a set pattern, usually by a robot. See palletising.
Pick and place
A robotic operation that picks an item from one location and places it in another, used for packing, sorting and assembly. See pick and place.
Robotic palletiser
A robot cell that stacks products onto pallets, replacing manual palletising. See robotic palletising.
Roller conveyor
A conveyor that moves products on a bed of rollers, gravity-fed or powered. See roller conveyors.
SCARA robot
A four-axis robot suited to fast, precise horizontal pick-and-place and assembly tasks.
Shuttle system
An ASRS that uses shuttles travelling along racking levels to store and retrieve loads at high throughput. See shuttle systems.
Sortation
Automatically directing products to the correct lane, chute or dock using diverters or sorters. See sortation systems.
Throughput
The number of items or loads a system can process in a given time, a key measure of automation performance.
Turntable
A rotating section of conveyor that changes the direction or orientation of a load.
Unit load
A single item or a group of items handled as one, for example a loaded pallet or a tote.
Vertical lift / conveyor
Equipment that moves products between levels to save floor space. See vertical conveyors.
WCS (warehouse control system)
Software that coordinates and controls automated equipment such as conveyors, sorters and ASRS in real time. See controls and software.
WES (warehouse execution system)
Software between the WMS and WCS that sequences and optimises work across automated and manual processes.
WMS (warehouse management system)
Software that manages inventory, locations and the day-to-day running of a warehouse.
Zero-pressure accumulation (ZPA)
A conveyor control method where products accumulate in zones without touching, protecting goods and allowing controlled release. See zero-pressure conveyors.
24V DC conveyor
A low-voltage conveyor driven by zoned motorised rollers that run only when needed, energy-efficient and quiet. See 24V conveyors.

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