CHECKINGIN Supply Chain Technology: What’s Coming Online?
Vol. 44, No. 4 April 2024 THE MAGAZINE FOR DEMAND-DRIVEN ENTERPRISES www.inboundlogistics.com
STAFF PUBLISHER Keith G. Biondo
publisher@inboundlogistics.com
T echnology for transportation, warehousing, and order fulfillment gets a lot of buzz. But here are a few developments you may not have heard of yet. AI-crafted large language models understand and produce human language answers to questions. But very soon, custom closed AI systems will pre-fill the documents—compliance forms, drawback forms, claims forms, you name it—required to manage global supply chains.
EDITOR Felecia J. Stratton
editor@inboundlogistics.com
SENIOR EDITOR Katrina C. Arabe
karabe@inboundlogistics.com Amy Roach amy.roach@thomasnet.com
DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC CONTENT
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Merrill Douglas • Karen M. Kroll Rich Osborne • Gary Wollenhaupt
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jeof Vita
Keith Biondo, Publisher
jvita@inboundlogistics.com
DESIGNERS Nicole Estep Arlene So
This breakthrough in automation will simplify and streamline repetitive form submissions based on your business rules, all driven by a custom and closed large language AI system. Combining and blending several strains of artificial intelligence regimes has empowered not only humans, but virtual bots as well by creating non-human customers that place orders, replenish inventory, and monitor quality—all without human intervention. Bipedal humanoid robots moving boxes around the warehouse generated plenty of media excitement and tests are underway. But that is not where the action is, yet. Inbound Logistics has covered solid examples of non-human robots energizing DCs, warehouses, and fulfillment centers and amping ROI. But having hundreds or thousands of robots in large distribution centers creates some drawbacks. Even after factoring in implementation costs, the expense of maintaining local WiFi tone and remote bandwidth needed to process the data driving the bot activity is a challenge. Large DCs need multiple hotspots, but when placed close together they interfere with each other. That drives robots crazy. Is there another technology available to address these challenges? A huge retailer is reportedly testing “for dense and hyper dense wireless deployments within an indoor commercial warehouse” that will run thousands of bots in a mega DC without hotspot interference, and with fewer demands for off- site data management. It is empowered by something called “at the edge processing.” That’s where constant reliable web tone, combined with AI and bots, lessens the demands on remote server activities by lighting up more on-site decisions. An additional bonus is the ability to have inbound communications with a very large private fleet. Is all that possible? Yes. Elon Musk has an answer: low earth orbit (LEO) satellite 5G tone as an alternative to WiFi tone. His Starlink project has plans for up to 42,000 satellites in LEO to provide global broadband for applications inside huge warehouses and anywhere across the globe. It is exciting times for global supply chain operations.
Amy Palmisano apalmisano@inboundlogistics.com
DIGITAL DESIGN MANAGER
PUBLICATION MANAGER Sonia Casiano
sonia@inboundlogistics.com
CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Carolyn Smolin
SALES OFFICES PUBLISHER: Keith Biondo
212-629-1560 • FAX: 212-629-1565 publisher@inboundlogistics.com WEST/MIDWEST/SOUTHWEST: Harold L. Leddy
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612-234-7436 • FAX: 847-305-5890 marshall@inboundlogistics.com DIRECTOR, NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT & MARKETING, SOUTHEAST/MIDWEST/ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:
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Inbound Logistics supports sustainable best practices. Our mission is rooted in helping companies match demand to supply, eliminating waste from the supply chain. This magazine is printed on paper sourced from fast growth renewable timber.
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4 Inbound Logistics • April 2024
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