BEIJING: China's ForwardX Robotics has deployed 435 autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) at Chery Automobile’s Dalian factory, marking the largest just-in-time AMR installation in the global automotive sector.
The deployment supports one of China's major electric vehicle production facilities and enables Chery to produce one car every 100 seconds.
The AMRs, spanning three specialised series — Flex, Max, and Lynx —automate material transport across welding, stamping, and final assembly areas, reducing manual handling and increasing production efficiency.
The Flex Series, comprising 195 robots, operates across 80% of critical workshops.
These AMRs have boosted material handling speed by 40% and cut labour costs by 30%.
Designed for tight environments, the Flex300L model manoeuvres in 39-inch aisles and rotates in place.
The Max Series includes 226 heavy-duty robots — Max1500L and Max2500O — handling payloads of up to 2,494kg and 2.5 tonnes, respectively. Equipped with omnidirectional navigation and automated charging, these robots enable uninterrupted transport of large racks.
The Lynx Series, including the Lynx O1500, provides intelligent towing automation tailored for high-mix and narrow production spaces. Fully integrated with Chery’s supply system, it allows high-precision docking with positioning rails.
The deployment aims to meet the automotive industry’s growing demand for speed, flexibility, and cost reduction. ForwardX first partnered with Chery in 2023 at the Super One factory and has since quadrupled the number of AMRs in use.
ForwardX CEO Nicolas Chee said tthe scalable nature of their systems and alignment with Industry 4.0 goals support Chery’s long-term automation and innovation objectives. The collaboration is set to continue as production demands expand.
ForwardX will showcase its latest AMR technologies at Automate 2025, taking place from May 12–15.
