4 Must Do’s for Deploying Warehouse Robotics By Kate McAfoose, President and Partner, Chang Robotics Here are four best practices for using robotics to optimize your warehouse and logistics operations: INTEGRATE WITH A WAREHOUSE EXECUTION SYSTEM (WES): Remember your robotics functions represent one component in a holistic warehouse system. Create a seamless integration of your robotics functions with the warehouse management software and IT systems you currently use or that you plan to acquire. MAKE IT RIPE FOR THE PICKING—AND COLLABORATING. Look for robotics support for picking solutions for error-proof parts picking, kitting, assembly, sequencing, and other materials handling operations. Keep an eye towards cobotics (collaborative robotics)—the ability to maximize the interplay between humans and robots for optimal eectiveness, such as advanced displays for assembly instructions and optimal visuals for continual monitoring. ENHANCE HUMAN WORK WITH AUTOMATION. Many of the most successful robotics implementations integrate robotic systems designed to work alongside humans, making their roles more productive and ecient. These solutions include autonomous mobile robots, pick-to-light carts that can operate alongside human workers, and other automation infrastructure. These combinations increase eciency and help address labor challenges. SEEK SCALABILITY. As you consider robotics implementation, remember you are not necessarily looking to replace current functions, but to scale them. Prioritize the solutions that can integrate and grow with your WMS/MES/ERP system and materials handling equipment. This step can help to ensure a smooth implementation process, while also easing the path to future scalability.
Nomagic’s justPick robot deployed by Arvato
the robotic solution justPick from robot specialist Nomagic. As part of the AutoStore Port Picking pilot project, the robot is used to pick individual item orders from the fully automated AutoStore warehouse. It ful lls customers’ orders as well as replenishes the AutoStore system. Arvato currently operates 10 AutoStore systems worldwide and looks to scale the robotic solution. Further applications at shuttle storage workstations and for pocket sorter loading are also planned. 2. Bucky Is a Marvel Arvato launched a palletizing robot—nicknamed Bucky after Marvel superhero Bucky Barnes—at its site in Venlo in the Netherlands. Part of the inbound process, Bucky not only palletizes boxes from loose loaded containers, but also wraps the pallet and applies the tracking label. Bucky, supplied by automation specialist Segbert, can grip multiple boxes at the same time with its vacuum gripper and process between 700 and 3,000 cartons per hour, depending on their size. With this robotic solution, Arvato continues to move toward a fully automated inbound and putaway process—with Boston Dynamics’
Stretch in the container, Bucky for scanning, palletizing, and packing as well as AGVs for storage in the pallet shuttle. 3. Moonshot Aims High In its most ambitious initiative, Arvato joins forces with Microsoft to develop a self-managing warehouse, dubbing the research project “Moonshot.” The project aims to implement self-improving processes within the warehouse environment by leveraging generative arti cial intelligence, robotics, and cloud computing. Showing initial use cases for Moonshot at the Gartner Supply Chain Symposium/Xpo 2024 in June, the companies are looking beyond automating individual processes and toward the creation of an autonomous warehouse. One use case optimizes picking routes using AI to reorganize task orders through rapid data analysis, enhancing navigation for pickers. Another use case involves AI-controlled interpretation of carrier responses in transport complaints. The AI Smart Layer interprets these responses and independently triggers appropriate actions in the claim management tool. ■
July 2024 • Inbound Logistics 173
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