614: Take Care of Warehouse Robots, and They’ll Take Care of You
Welcome to this episode of The New Warehouse Podcast, where Kevin chats with Dale Walsh, Vice President of Strategy and Innovation at Roboworx. Roboworx provides tailored field service solutions for robotics fleets, working directly with OEMs, resellers, and integrators to ensure long-term uptime.
From site surveys to installations, preventative maintenance, and customer success, Dale shares how Roboworx helps robotics companies scale while keeping automation performing at its best. With robotics adoption accelerating across warehouses and other sectors, Dale offers practical advice for operators and startups alike on building a sustainable service strategy from day one.
Behind the Robots: The Support Structure That Keeps Them Running
Roboworx primarily partners with OEMs and resellers to fill gaps in field service, often becoming the entire service organization for growing startups. Dale explains that, “In some cases, we become their entire service organization, depending on what their needs are.” This flexibility allows them to support both mature OEMs and emerging robotics companies that may lack the field coverage or bandwidth to manage repairs and preventative maintenance.
For warehouse environments, shared support models are especially popular. Technicians rotate through locations to service robots without pulling resources away from the core operation. As Dale puts it, “Once you’ve built the dependency on the automation, then obviously uptime has become super critical.” This model ensures that maintenance doesn’t fall through the cracks and that warehouse robotics deliver the ROI promised at installation.
Why Preventative Maintenance Should Never Be an Afterthought for Warehouse Robots
Despite growing interest in warehouse automation, many operators still fail to plan for maintenance. Dale stresses, “Robots are no different, but there seems to be a different mindset about robots… people don’t think about the maintenance side.” This disconnect can lead to costly downtime and even abandoned equipment. Roboworx educates partners on the importance of preventative maintenance. It’s not just for longevity, but also for adapting to changing environments.
Warehouse operations are dynamic, and robots need adjustments to reflect layout changes, product shifts, or new customers. “We’re not only making sure the robot’s working electro-mechanically… also that it’s actually doing the job they need it to do.” Their technicians also handle retraining, helping new warehouse staff understand how to use the equipment correctly—an often-overlooked aspect in high-turnover settings.
Planning for Warehouse Robot Retirement
As more fleets hit the field, end-of-life planning is becoming essential. Dale confirms that, “We actually have a partner… for the refurbishment of robots. We need to harvest those parts to keep other first-generation robots running.” Unlike forklifts or other industrial tools, many AMRs can’t be separated from their software environments, making a traditional secondary market unlikely for now. “You can’t just go buy a used AMR and put it to work… they function as a fleet.” To address this, Roboworx offers services that include part harvesting, system refurbishment, and environmentally responsible recycling.
Looking ahead, they’re preparing to launch their own fleet management software. “It allows us to build maintenance schedules based on the life expectancy of certain parts and give our end customer… complete visibility into it.” This new platform will offer detailed maintenance tracking, before-and-after documentation, and transparency for partners managing robotics at scale.
Key Takeaways on Maintaining Warehouse Robots
- Roboworx partners with OEMs and integrators to deliver scalable field service, maintenance, and on-site technician models.
- Their shared services model is ideal for warehouse fleets with hundreds of AMRs, supporting uptime without disrupting operations.
- Many startups rely on Roboworx as their full-service arm, saving cost while staying responsive to customer needs.
- Overlooking preventative maintenance leads to downtime, loss of value, and even abandoned equipment.
- Robots must adapt to evolving environments like 3PL warehouses, where layouts and clients frequently change.
- Roboworx handles end-of-life support through refurbishment, part harvesting, and responsible recycling.
- A proprietary fleet management system is launching soon to increase visibility and optimize long-term performance.
Listen to the episode below and leave your thoughts in the comments.
Guest Information
For more information on Roboworx, click here.
To connect with Dale on LinkedIn, click here.
For more information about warehouse robots, check out the podcasts below.
613: Reinventing Warehouse Stacking with Ambi Robotics
