Know When and How to Automate Your Warehouse

Warehousing is not new to automation. Companies are going all-in on their logistics and fulfillment , with more than a third of capital spending expected to be poured into it.

And for a good reason. From the seamless flow of goods into a warehouse to the efficient dispatch out, automation offers sizable gains in the way tasks are done.

But before we dive into examples of automated operations, let's once again check when it's a sure time to turn to advanced automation solutions.

4 signs your warehouse cries for automation

Here are some glaring signs that your warehouse is no longer keeping pace with your business growth and needs a technological makeover:

1. Overworked and understaffed

Coupled with a high risk of human errors and accidents, the intensity of manual labor has a far-reaching crippling effect on operating costs and efficiency. When there's a sudden spike in demand, staffing enough human workers, especially considering tight labor markets in advanced economies, becomes a big problem, causing delays or racking up costs on overtime.

2. Inventory chaos instead of inventory control

The symptoms are loud and clear: delayed orders, reduced order fulfillment capacity, inaccurate inventory counts, siloed inventory data, etc. Many damaged products or incorrect orders are shipped due to human error and carelessness.

3. Outdated systems impeding your progress

Handling increased order volumes with outdated, frequently breaking software is as dreadful as it sounds. When it's always a quest to fix or maintain the existing functionality, let alone add advanced features, then you can hardly propel your business to new heights.

4. Gut-feeling guidance, rather than fact-based decision-making

It's not just that spreadsheets are old school — they're holding you back. They miss the boat on real-time, unbiased insights without which you can't quickly respond to customers' needs. Not to mention data silos that become one of the major drags on analytics efficiency.

Which warehouse operations can be automated?

A well-coordinated ecosystem of sensors, robots, and advanced software can perform the following tasks throughout inventory movement into, within, and out of warehouses:

Into a warehouse

Your automated systems can handle erstwhile manual processes in goods receiving:

• AGVs unload inbound trucks
• Receiving robots inspect incoming packages for damage and verify that the actual quantity matches the order?
• Barcode scanners capture item information and update inventory management systems
• Automated sortation systems categorize incoming packages based on size, destination, or priority
• Conveyor systems transport goods from staging to storage areas

Within a warehouse?

Add real-time visibility into storing, retrieving, picking, and packing goods:

• Self-guided vehicles transport goods to designated storage locations
• Autonomous mobile robots equipped with pick-to-light systems help to sort orders and take them to the right packing stations
• Automated packaging systems carry out product handling, adapting to different sizes, shapes, and packaging requirements
• Drones perform regular inventory checks (cycle counting)
• Sortation scanners help identify each item's loading dock destination

Out of a warehouse

Automated processes ensure consistent performance in moving items out of a warehouse:

• Palletizing robots stack items for further shipment
• Conveyor systems transport boxes, containers, or pallets to loading areas
• Automated sortation systems sort outgoing packages by destination and direct them to the corresponding shipping lanes?
• AGVs or AMRs scan barcodes or RFID tags after bringing a package to the outbound area to confirm the delivery

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?? Warehouse automation sometimes falls short of its potential . The reasons are diverse, ranging from underinvestment, overlooking the competition, and talent gaps to employee pushback against innovation.?

By studying automation failures of others, we've distilled some insights to make sure you'll avoid the fate of those who slipped.?

Learn more about warehouse automation non-negotiables in a single guide: Read now

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