Data Centers Turn to Robots to Haul Multi-Ton Racks

Hyperscalers, OCP Ramp Up Robotics Teams for Worker Safety, Productivity

As racks get heavier, more data centers are relying on robotics to handle them. DS Automotion was demonstrating these AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles) for rack handling at the recent Open Compute Project Global Summit. (Photo: Rich Miller)

Racks filled with GPUs and liquid cooling gear can now weigh 6,000 pounds or more, requiring new approaches to address the human safety and investment protection challenges created by this growing tonnage of AI hardware.

As more of these Big Freaking Racks come into the data center, there will be a growing fleet of robots to manage them.

Hyperscalers Google, Meta, and Microsoft are turning to robotics companies for AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles) to safely move these huge racks onto the data hall floor. Companies like Grenzebach, DS Automotion, PHS West, Jtec Industries and Hyster are stepping up with solutions for rack handling and deployment.

With humans and robots working in close proximity in data halls, industry groups like the Open Compute Project (OCP) are developing best practices for safe operations, and standards to optimize operations in these shared environments.

That includes considerations for the physical design of data centers - including loading docks, elevators and hallways - along with mapping systems to help robotic systems navigate.

‘Transformative’ Physical Automation

Futurists have long envisioned scenarios in which robots help manage data center environments, automating operations as racks and servers increasingly outnumber the staff available to manage them.

Rack management is just one facet of how robotics can help automate digital infrastructure. Data center companies are also using robotics and automation to manage tape libraries and hard drives, track inventory, and manage e-waste.