Kulkarni authors IISE paper on virtual commissioning for warehouse robotics
Jul 17, 2026
New IISE paper proposes virtual commissioning for warehouse robotic material handling systems.
As complex warehouse robotics systems are increasingly deployed across our industry, the commissioning process of these systems needs a more advanced approach, too. Testing the equipment’s controls and process sequences traditionally takes place late in the project after installation. However, for these interconnected robotic systems, discovering issues in late-stage testing can be highly problematic and expensive to correct. In a new paper published by the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE), CRB’s Niranjan Kulkarni, PhD, addresses this issue and proposes an alternative approach: virtual commissioning for warehouse robotic material handling systems.
Virtual Commissioning (VC), is the process of combining digital representations of manufacturing assets and control equipment to identify anomalies and technical issues before the on-site physical commissioning of new equipment, posing a more efficient and effective option to reducing commissioning time and cost.
Read the abstract:
Virtual Commissioning of Automated Material Handling Systems using Simulations
The traditional commissioning process involves hands-on process of installing, testing, and verifying that a physical system and its components work as intended in the real world. Issues discovered at this stage can cause significant delays in project schedule and budget. It can be a major bottleneck in a project, especially with complex, highly automated systems, such as automated material handling systems, particularly Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS), Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs), and automated cranes.
This paper presents the application of discrete-event simulations as a foundation of engineering excellence to facilitate virtual commissioning for the automated material handling systems design. By developing and validating digital twins of these systems, engineers can replicate control logic behavior, evaluate synchronization, and identify protocol inefficiencies prior to physical deployment.
This paper will also discuss a case study which demonstrates how early-stage virtual commissioning reduced on-site commissioning time, right-sized fleet of AMRs enhancing throughput predictability, and improved cross-system coordination between ASRS cranes and AMRs in a high-mix high-volume picking environment. The results highlight the critical role of simulation-driven virtual commissioning as a best practice for improving reliability and scalability of automated warehousing systems while reducing cost and time to market.
Download the full virtual commissioning paper here.
Virtual Commissioning of Automated Material Handling Systems using Simulations published in the Conference Proceedings of the 2026 IISE Annual Conference, Arlington, TX, May 2026.