How to Integrate Autonomous Forklifts in Warehouse Operations

The digital transformation of global manufacturing and logistics is accelerating, with autonomous forklifts emerging as the core technology for warehouse automation, enabling safer, more efficient, and scalable internal logistics systems.

As a global leader in autonomous forklift trucks and internal logistics automation, AiTEN Robotics offers a comprehensive product portfolio encompassing pallet trucks, counterbalanced trucks, and reach trucks. This empowers enterprises to build flexible, efficient, and intelligent logistics systems.

Drawing on AiTEN's extensive project experience and technological strengths, this article explores how autonomous forklift trucks can be seamlessly integrated into existing warehouse operations to achieve intelligent upgrades. It provides practical implementation strategies for managers.

Step One: Evaluate Warehouse Processes and Automation Readiness

Prior to introducing AiTEN unmanned forklifts, enterprises must conduct a comprehensive assessment of existing processes. Accurate requirements evaluation and thorough review of foundational conditions are prerequisites for avoiding resource wastage and ensuring seamless integration.

• Key evaluation items
• Material flow analysis
• High-frequency, repetitive tasks
• Infrastructure conditions (floor, warehouse Layout, lighting, Wi-Fi/5G)
• Pallet types & rack dimensions
• Safety routes & pedestrian interaction

AiTEN’s engineering team provides on-site surveys and automation feasibility scoring, ensuring precise planning from the first step.

Step Two: Define Goals and Use Cases

AiTEN robots support a wide range of industrial scenarios, especially in automotive parts, 3C electronics, FMCG, food & beverage, and manufacturing.

Typical use cases:

• Dock-to-buffer transport
• Finished goods warehouse entry
• Line-side delivery
• High-rack storage
• Raw material replenishment

Business goals:

• Reduce labour cost by up to 40%
• Improve safety and eliminate forklift accidents
• Increase throughput and stability
• Enable 24/7 operations

AiTEN’s tailored solutions ensure your automation goals are clearly aligned with system capabilities.

Step Three: Select the Right AiTEN Autonomous Forklift Model

AiTEN Robotics offers one of the most complete autonomous forklift lineups in the industry.

AiTEN Robotics, guided by the core development principle of ‘scenario adaptation’, has established a multi-dimensional warehouse system encompassing AGVs, AGFs, and AMRs. This system addresses the full spectrum of requirements, from light handling to heavy-duty stacking, and from flat-surface transport to high-level storage and retrieval.

Analysis of AiTEN warehouse robot types: driving logistics automation upgrades

AiTEN forklift AGVs feature:

• High-precision 3D perception
• Reliable natural navigation
• Strong system integration capabilities
• Industry-leading delivery success rate
• Full safety redundancy
• Fast deployment with low modification

Step Four: Build Infrastructure & System Integration with AiTEN

Required infrastructure:

• Stable Wi-Fi/5G coverage
• Standardized pallets & rack positions
• Charging zones（auto or manual）
• Robot–pedestrian flow planning

System integration is pivotal to realising the value of autonomous forklifts, centred on establishing seamless data flow between the Warehouse Management System (WMS), Warehouse Control System (WCS), and forklift control systems. This forms a closed-loop process encompassing order dispatch, path planning, task execution, and data feedback.

AiTEN forklifts seamlessly integrate into existing warehouse systems.

System-level integration

AiTEN supports integration with:

• WMS
• MES
• ERP
• AS/RS
• Conveyor lines, AMRs and other automated equipment

AiTEN Robotics Software System

Step Five: Pilot Testing & Optimization

Select areas within the warehouse where operational procedures are relatively straightforward, and goods types are uniform (such as material transfer within flat storage zones) as pilot sites, deploying one or two autonomous forklifts for trial operation.

A pilot reduces implementation risk and ensures stable performance.

Pilot validations:

• Navigation stability
• Route efficiency
• Charging strategy
• Rack alignment accuracy
• Human–robot interaction

AiTEN’s team provides data-driven route optimisation, improving speed, throughput, and multi-vehicle coordination.

Step Six: Scale Up to Full Automation

Once the pilot is validated, AiTEN assists customers in scaling to plant-wide automation.

From single zones to entire warehouses, and from simple tasks (such as transhipment) to complex operations (such as automated storage and retrieval system shelving and cross-zone transfers).

Concurrently, equipment numbers are scaled according to operational volume, establishing a “device cluster scheduling” mechanism to maximise efficiency during multi-forklift coordination.

Scaling capabilities:

• Add more AGVs to the fleet
• Cover more warehouse zones
• Integrate more workflows
• Enable end-to-end intralogistics automation

Step Seven: Continuous Monitoring & Optimisation

The integration of autonomous forklifts is not the end goal; as technology advances and operational requirements evolve, continuous optimisation is essential to unlock their full potential.

AiTEN systems provide real-time data for ongoing improvement.

• Performance Metrics Monitoring: Tracking key indicators such as equipment utilisation rates, task completion rates, and energy efficiency.
• Ongoing algorithm optimisation: Refining route planning and task allocation algorithms based on operational data.
• Preventive Maintenance System: Establishing a Predictive Maintenance Programme Based on Usage Data

Through continuous optimisation, your warehouse achieves long-term operational excellence.

Why Choose AiTEN Robotics as Your Unmanned Forklift Partner?

AiTEN Robotics empowers enterprises with:

• The industry's most comprehensive range of autonomous forklift products
• Exceptionally high delivery success rates and project stability
• Advanced 3D vision and navigation technology
• Mature scheduling systems and system integration capabilities
• Global service provision and rapid response mechanisms
• Scalable end-to-end automation solutions

By partnering with AiTEN Robotics, businesses gain not just automation equipment but a future-ready intralogistics system designed for long-term success.