How a Nano-Warehouse can save you money in logistics

If you want to bring your #logistics into a new high-tech era while also saving money, you should take a look at robot-operated nano-warehouses.

What is a nano-warehouse?

Logistics is essentially a traditional bundling function. Large warehouses were already created at important nodes of the rail network and in ports with the introduction of shipping and railway lines. A good example of this development was the Hamburger Speicherstadt with its dense storage of goods such as coffee or tea from all countries, arranged in levels and connected by (sometimes already hydraulically driven) cranes.

In later years, driven by the standardization in the form of pallets, large warehouses developed outside our cities and eventually, as a result of the automobile boom of the 50s, large supermarkets and shopping centers.

In these ever-larger warehouses, goods are now stored in a standardized and automated manner. Automation solutions are used for this purpose, which are usually planned years in advance and typically cost millions of euros. These systems must be constantly maintained and serviced, which requires the presence of several dozen highly qualified employees or service providers.

These #automation solutions were previously not suitable for smaller and more decentralized warehouses or simply not economically viable. However, automation would be advantageous for these applications for two reasons: firstly, the costs of managing such warehouses are very high due to the lack of bundling mass. Secondly, manual rack warehouses are comparatively space-intensive and often located within cities or on expensive production areas; a space-saving and automated solution would be beneficial in these locations.

Noyes Technologies from Munich offers a modular and robotized nano-warehouse for these use cases.

How does a nano-warehouse work?

Each individual module offers space for a container with a base area of 60 cm x 40 cm, or any combination of containers that fits on this base area. The modules can be arranged as desired so that any floor plan can be optimally equipped with storage space. The organization of the warehouse is carried out by small robots per level and at least one free storage space on each level.

This saves space and walking distances through shelves. In addition, employees no longer have to search for items in the shelves, as the integrated warehouse management system (WMS) allows the robots to know exactly which items need to be stored or retrieved. This results in far fewer picking errors when assembling orders, and unauthorized removal is prevented, which also has a positive effect on inventory accuracy. Inventory counts are a thing of the past, and full transparency is available at the touch of a button.

What are the advantages of a nano-warehouse?

Experiences with initial customers have shown a reduction in picking costs by 50% and an increase in floor space utilization by a factor of 2.5.

Here are the advantages at a glance:

• Elimination of walking paths
• No search times
• Fewer to no picking errors
• Inventory management and transparency
• Inventory counting at the touch of a button
• No theft
• Dense storage
• Shorter training times for employees
• Cost-effective (ROI < 18 months)
• No maintenance required with robot replacement by mail

NOYES bots can be inserted and removed from the system by the customer and shipped back to NOYES in case of defects since the systems are cloud-connected. The system remains fully functional during this time as the remaining robots continue the tasks. This means that additional robots can also be ordered for periods of peak demand and returned after the period. Therefore, customers only pay for the robot usage time and can determine it themselves. NOYES calls this approach RaaP: Robot as a Parcel.

What can a nano-warehouse be used for?

In principle, a Nano-Lager can be introduced wherever conventional storage racks are currently in use. The assembly time is approximately one working day.

Examples of applications for a Nano-Lager include:

• Shelving warehouses
• Spare parts warehouses
• Operating supplies warehouses (and issuance)
• Decentralized retail stores
• Picking
• Set building / order picking
• Provisioning
• Supply for automation (e.g. picking robots)

To learn more about Noyes, you can visit the website https://www.noyes-tech.com/product/#konfigurator where you can configure a modular system. You can also contact Noyes directly through their website and speak to their representatives Tobias Dassinger and Leon Wehner for more information.