Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR), a leading manufacturer of collaborative autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), today announced the MiR VDA 5050 Adapter that bridges the company’s AMRs with VDA 5050-compatible third-party fleet management systems.
By simplifying integration to third-party systems, this new software adapter enables interoperability for warehouses, distribution centers and manufacturing facilities seeking a standardized approach to managing diverse heritage robot fleets, reducing integration complexities, and improving operational efficiency.
Initiated by the German Automotive Industry Association (VDA) and the VDMA Material Handling and Intralogistics Association, the VDA 5050 standard enables communication between multiple AMR robot types from various suppliers using a common control system.
The standard allows customers to improve traffic management and coordinate operations when using different automated vehicles – from general AMRs to specialized vehicles such as forklifts and high-reach trucks.
Kevin Dumas, vice president of product at MiR, says: “In today’s increasingly diverse automation environments, deploying mobile automation platforms that can communicate with each other no matter type or brand is especially important for material handling projects to be successful.
“Our new VDA 5050 Adapter provides this multi-vendor integration to offer smooth deployment and configuration, compliance with industry standards and ongoing alignment with advancements and customer needs. It delivers our customers more choice and flexibility throughout their automation journey.”
Developed in collaboration with VDA 5050 industry leaders
The MiR VDA 5050 Adapter is developed in close collaboration with MHP, SYNAOS, Siemens SIMOVE, and Kinexon – all of whom provide technical expertise to adapt the solution to the specific needs of third-party fleet management systems.
The adapter connects MiR’s existing RESTFUL robot interface with the MQTT protocols facilitating VDA message exchange between MiR AMRs and third-party systems.
The VDA5050 Adapter is available worldwide through global certified system integrators.
MiR will provide optional support agreements for continued updates and compatibility assurance as standards evolve.