AMR, AGV & Intralogistics Automation worked example

Intralogistics Automation Payback Calculator with total intralogistics automation investment of 625,000 $: a worked example

Here is what the math looks like when conditions slip. We hold every other input steady and drop total intralogistics automation investment to 625,000 $, then walk the calculation through step by step. Estimate payback for an intralogistics automation project from total investment, annual operating savings, and annual support cost.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Total intralogistics automation investment: 625,000 $ (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 1,250,000)
  • Annual operating savings: 410,000 $ / yr (held at the documented default)
  • Annual software, service, and maintenance cost: 95,000 $ / yr (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Net annual automation savings = annual operating savings - annual software, service, and maintenance cost.
  • Intralogistics automation payback period works out to 1.98 yr at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Net annual automation savings works out to 315,000 $ / yr at these inputs.
  • Total intralogistics automation investment works out to 625,000 $ at these inputs.
  • Five-year automation net value works out to 950,000 $ at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where total intralogistics automation investment sits at 1,250,000 $ and the headline result is 3.97 yr, this scenario comes in 50% below the baseline at 1.98 yr.
  • The practical read: the gap between this scenario and the baseline is entirely attributable to total intralogistics automation investment, so recovering it is worth quantifying in dollars before considering equipment or staffing changes. It is simple payback: it ignores discounting, phased deployment, demand growth, and end-of-life refresh, so large multi-year systems still need an NPV analysis for final approval.

Results at a glance

  • Intralogistics automation payback period: 1.98 yr (headline result)
  • Net annual automation savings: 315,000 $ / yr
  • Total intralogistics automation investment: 625,000 $
  • Five-year automation net value: 950,000 $

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Intralogistics Automation Payback Calculator calculator, set total intralogistics automation investment to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.