Picking The Right Automation for Your Warehouse

When making decisions to start to utilize automation for your enterprise’s warehouse, it is crucial to select the right automation to avoid unnecessary spending for the wrong automation that does not produce the benefits you seek. Automations are initially costly, as they are built with sophisticated technologies and high-quality materials. They are designed to be utilized in the long run so that its users may save costs gradually from time to time starting from their initial purchase date, with the only costs in mind being automation maintenance and software update. However, unfitting automation would not bring the desired benefits that the company seeks while being an unnecessary loss. Therefore, it is highly crucial to understand your business’s current warehouse condition and the types of automation that are available on the market to select the right automation for your warehouse.

Factors to be Considered in Selecting Automation

1. Warehousing Operational Needs. Warehouses, with varying scales and complexities, should assess internal processes and articulate operational needs before selecting an automation system. This includes identifying bottlenecks related to inventory management, order fulfillment, storage utilization, and dispatch operations. Evaluating the volume of goods in transit is crucial, with high-traffic warehouses benefitting from robotic arms, automated storage and retrieval systems (AR/AS), or conveyor belts. E-commerce fulfillment centers can optimize efficiency through automated guided vehicles (AGV), warehouse drones, and autonomous mobile robots (AMR) for order preparation. Barcode scanners, RFID tags, and industrial wearables are employed for less complex orders while prioritizing specialized robots with advanced handling capabilities becomes essential for managing sensitive, hazardous, or fragile goods.
2. Scalability & Flexibility of Technologies. Automation systems seamlessly complement existing warehouse management solutions, encompassing inventory management, fleet management, and enterprise resource planning. The need for smooth interoperability and integration demands the incorporation of advanced automation systems with current warehouse solutions and equipment. Companies can tailor automation systems to their needs, facilitating scalability through the installation of new hardware. Cloud-based or software-based automation solutions offer affordable and customizable options, allowing features to be expanded or contracted based on workflow complexity and material handling requirements. This integration enables warehouses to access advanced features, stay abreast of digital technologies, and leverage data-handling capabilities for informed operational decisions and scalable growth.
3. Safety & Security Issues. Before implementing warehouse automation technologies, a comprehensive evaluation of their physical and virtual safety aspects is crucial. These systems must align with established safety standards in warehouses, prioritizing workplace safety over potential hazards. Automation hardware should incorporate reliable safety features, including physical barriers, emergency stop buttons, fail-safe systems, and safety interlocks to prevent injuries during breakdowns. Robots should be equipped with collision detection systems using sensors to identify obstacles and trigger safety controls. Moreover, as these systems are interconnected through the internet, a robust cybersecurity plan is essential, encompassing data encryption protocols, system access controls, and regular software upgrades to mitigate the risk of cyber-attacks and security breaches.
4. Lifetime Support. Ensuring the optimal performance of automation systems in warehouses involves a comprehensive understanding of their support requirements. Critical considerations include regular maintenance, software, and hardware upgrades, and part replacements to maximize safety, efficiency, and reliability. Lifetime support, encompassing future upgrades, becomes essential as warehouses explore the integration of Industry 5.0 technology. Additionally, the adoption of models like Robots as a Service (RaaS) allows for expert support and shifts asset performance risks to technology vendors. Recognizing the significance of long-term staff training plans is crucial to equip employees with the necessary skills to work seamlessly with automated systems, enhancing their technical knowledge and proficiency in defect identification and resolution.

CASE STUDY

The Problem: One of the giant pharmaceutical companies in Indonesia has four connecting facilities that are within one area. Although the four facilities are within the same area, the facilities are separated by a roughly 1 km distance. To transport goods between one facility to another, laborers have to go back and forth between facilities which takes a lot of time and energy. This handling method is ineffective and inefficient, often causing exhaustion for the laborers and eventually making the labor cost more expensive.?

The Solution: The company installed and implemented 10 units of Automated Guided Vehicles, utilized to transport goods between facilities. With Automated Guided Vehicles as a method of transport between facilities, the company saves traveling time in between facilities and reduces the usage of human laborers.

The Benefits:?

• Automated transport between facilities. By using Automated Guided Vehicles, the transportation of goods in-between facilities can be run without having any human labor setting the automation before it does its tasks. Therefore, enabling a seamless transportation of goods between facilities.
• Less labor and less cost. Before, the task of transporting goods from facilities to facilities was done with manual labor. But now with Automated Guided Vehicles, the company does not need to assign human labor in transporting goods in-between facilities. Therefore, allowing the company to save costs as human labors tend to cost the company significantly.
• On-time movement and reduced transportation time. Due to its automatic nature, Automated Guided Vehicles move on time and at a constant speed as it is programmed. This allows Automated Guided Vehicles to do their tasks on time and minimizes the time required to transport from one facility to another facility.
• Good hygiene on goods. Humans in nature have rich microbiomes covering in and out of the human body. So even with frequent disinfection, certain pathogens or microparticles such as dead skin or hair may still exist. If the Automated Guided Vehicles are frequently disinfected,?
• Significantly reduce repetitive jobs and mistakes by humans. By setting up the system within the automation, Automated Guided Vehicles can execute repetitive tasks by the program it was set to run. Due to the fixed program, mistakes are not likely to occur with the usage of Automated Guided Vehicles.

Conclusion

Navigating the realm of warehouse automation demands a meticulous assessment of operational needs, scalability, safety, and support considerations. The judicious selection of automation should align seamlessly with the unique dynamics of the warehouse, optimizing efficiency while ensuring a safe and secure operational environment. As technology advances, the integration of automation becomes not just a modernization strategy but a crucial element in future-proofing warehouses. The journey towards warehouse automation is not just about embracing innovation; it's a strategic investment in long-term efficiency, adaptability, and competitiveness in the ever-evolving landscape of warehouse management.