Warehouse Automation : A Swing to Next Generation
Automation is shifting Supply chain processes to next level.
Its not just since past two decades, rather it is also because of the current ongoing pandemic that the emergence of E-Commerce and labor shortages has been taking over warehouse management services. COVID-19 has affected the entire management system thus causing a huge impact on the workforce. While the spread of the virus has been grave enough to warrant shutdowns (take food production facilities, for instance), many businesses have been able to continue operations with the addition of new health measures.
Concerning self and employee safety, it is the manufacturers who have faced the harsh truth. They have been compelled to reduce the number of staff and maintain the quantity present at a given time in a warehouse. There have even been several instances where the managers have tried reducing the cost of the warehouses on rent. It is the essential process they have held up a warehouse on rent for. Nevertheless, they have tried to shift the process at their owned property. Together, these factors shine a light on automated technology as a possible solution.
It is before the CoronaVirus that the Automation of the entire process was in the minds or thoughts of the warehouse managers. Once the threat started prevailing, it is then when automation as a solution was taken up seriously. Moreover, the threat has been serious enough to pressurize the manufacturers to further take up to the application of automated technology. Automation does paly a starring role in a post-pandemic world that normalizes social distancing.
Forklifts, 3-D Printing, Robots are a few of the options that combine to dive into the technology and operate immediately. Optimizing the supply chain process for warehousing services is a factor that stands to be achieved in the long run. One way for warehousing companies to enforce these directives is by instructing forklift operators to verify that they’ve sanitized the machine before clocking out for the day. Warehousing companies in India that faced disruptions to their supply lines during the pandemic are leveraging 3D printing for enhanced production. Warehouses can use any number of robots to replace workers during coronavirus, including cleaning robots, goods-to-person robots, mobile picking robots, and collaborative autonomous mobile robots.
As we go deeper into the new year, distribution centers—specifically e-commerce facilities—are recovering from the onslaught of orders that took place leading into the holidays. When we talk about the highly automated facilities in a warehouse management system, warehouse control systems can provide real-time data access where the download is measured in milliseconds. Goods-to-person is another lasting application of autonomous technology in warehousing services. Inventory management and inventory management are the metrics that can be processed aptly with this application.
While we are talking about attaining a solution to the complex warehouse management system, perfection in warehouse operation is just a myth. Being it an unachievable goal, the supply chain managers must focus on the ways to improve operating conditions and upgrade distribution facilities to provide for progressive efficiencies.
Collaborative autonomous mobile robots being last on the list to reduce the chances of spreading disease. With the least contact and maximum production, it is where the warehousing companies can reap benefits like accommodating fluctuating demand faster.
In today’s evolving landscape, warehousing companies have accepted the need to socially distance employees due to safety concerns. Productivity doesn’t have to suffer, however. By substituting staff for automated technology, businesses can still meet production requirements during coronavirus. The intelligent warehouse features three critical traits—visibility, mobility, and flexibility. Technology, ultimately, is the means to those ends.