TORONTO — The SMARTMRP Part Porter 100, an autonomous mobile robot, will make its tradeshow debut at Marathon Hardware’s booth during the Woodworking Machinery & Supply Conference and Expo.

The Part Porter 100 was developed specifically for cabinet and woodworking manufacturers to automate the movement of rework parts and in-process components among assembly, panel processing, and finishing.
 
According to SMARTMRP, walking is the largest hidden cost on the shop floor, particularly when rework is required. When a part reaches assembly and needs attention — whether additional machining, missing edgebanding, touch-up in finishing, or full remake — an assembler must leave their station, walk the component to the appropriate department, and later retrieve it. This repeated travel disrupts workflow and diverts skilled labor from value-added work.

The Part Porter 100 is designed to eliminate this waste by automatically transporting rework parts to the correct department and returning them to assembly once complete, without requiring operator travel.

SMARTMRP Inc. notes that even modest amounts of walking create major productivity losses. If a worker who typically spends 20 minutes per day walking instead operates a CNC machine during that same time, the increased output could total approximately 7,000 parts per year. That is equivalent to around 46 kitchens’ worth of components and between $200,000 and $280,000 in gross profit annually. The company adds. Eliminating this travel enables skilled workers to remain at their stations, boosting throughput without adding staff.

Unlike most AMRs designed for pallet movement, the Part Porter 100 is engineered specifically for the workflows common in cabinet production, especially rework loops. It supports part transportation in any direction required — between assembly and panel processing, assembly and finishing, or panel processing and finishing. The robot preserves part identity, supports tight shop layouts, and requires no facility modifications. Completed parts are automatically returned to assembly to maintain production continuity.

SMARTMRP Inc. emphasizes ease of use as a core design priority. Setup takes just minutes, with no IT department required. Anyone on the shop floor can operate the robot by loading a part, selecting a destination, and pressing GO. The system navigates automatically, avoids obstacles, and delivers parts precisely where needed.

The Part Porter 100 has been used successfully at Muskoka Cabinet Company’s manufacturing facility. It was developed through a joint engineering effort between Quasi Robotics and SMARTMRP Inc., blending autonomous navigation technology with deep understanding of wood industry workflow requirements.

“Rework is expensive — that’s a given. But why add insult to injury?” says Luke Elias, president of Muskoka Cabinet based in Ottawa, Ontario. “There’s already a cost when a part’s wrong, so why make it worse by pulling skilled workers off their stations to walk those parts around the shop? Automate the walking and put your people back on value-added work — that’s exactly what the Part Porter 100 does.”

See demonstrations of the Part Porter 100 at Marathon Hardware’s booth #1006. Learn more at smartmrp.com or email [email protected].

Learn more about Marathon Hardware at marathonhardware.com. 

About the Woodworking Machinery & Supply Conference and Expo
For more than four decades, WMS has connected Canada's woodworking professionals with the world's most prominent machinery manufacturers and industry suppliers. This year's show, November 12-14, moves to the Toronto Congress Centre located minutes away from Pearson International Airport. In addition to being the largest tradeshow, WMS 2025 will feature free industry best practice presentations plus the opportunity for attendees to earn CEUs by attending some of the sessions Also on tap are the returns of Student Day and the popular WMS Live Auction.

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For information about exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities, contact Gavin McAuliffe of Corcoran Expositions at 312-265-9649 or [email protected]. For general inquiries, contact Kim LeBel, Executive Director - Events, [email protected].

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