A fully automated warehouse system is the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence to carry out automatic operations in a warehouse. This may involve solutions that manage the inventory across the warehouse space, equipment that picks and packs orders, and technology that transports items around the site.
Integration is crucial here. Deploying a fully automated system means exactly that – fully automated. While some warehouse operators will use automation here and there to enhance their operations, a fully automated space integrates and unifies a wealth of different automated technologies to create a comprehensive system.
What does a fully automated warehouse system really look like? At its heart, the fully automated warehouse system is a comprehensive set of different protocols and procedures working in harmony together, each integrated with one another and each utilizing automation to execute a sophisticated range of tasks.
With this in mind, the automated warehouse system is not a totemic concept – instead, it will be a unique reflection of the needs and operations of the specific organization. Here at Process Equipment & Controls, we work with many different organizations across a variety of different industries, all of whom bring together many different types of warehouse automation solutions to create a fully integrated network. Let’s take a look at what some of these solutions are, and how they work.
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With a goods-to-person automated system, items within the warehouse environment are delivered to human workers ready to be packed and shipped. This essentially removes some of the human intervention, reducing the movement of personnel around different areas of the warehouse picking items. Humans are still involved, but this involvement is scaled back.
GTP systems can be further subdivided into autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RSs). The AMR is a robotic device that will move around the warehouse floor collecting items ready to be packed. The AS/RSs, on the other hand, are inherent to the warehouse’s storage infrastructure. Items are stored within the AS/RSs and then delivered directly to the packing station. Delivery can be executed using a conveyor belt, robotic arm, or another tech solution.
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Similar to AMRs, automated guided vehicles, or AGVs, navigate the warehouse floor using a mixture of artificial intelligence and sensor technology. The sensors let the vehicle know where it is within the space, while the artificial intelligence component enables it to interpret the environment around it.
In certain types of warehouse – i.e., spaces with enough room to operate guided vehicles without risk of collision – this can be a highly efficient way to manage inventory and transport items between locations. In warehouses where space is at a premium, however, fixed conveyor systems and stacking cranes may be better suited.
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Sortation systems revolutionize warehouse operations by turning methods of conveyance and transportation into smart fulfillment technology. Items to be picked and packed travel down a conveyor system and are diverted into different packing stations by robotic automation or by other features built into the conveyor belt itself.
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The warehouse management system, or WMS, is the orchestrator that pulls the whole thing together. This centralized software solution gathers data from across the warehouse floor, analyzing operations and helping human teams execute management and organization tasks even from remote locations.
The fully automated warehouse relies upon this system. Without a centralized WMS, there is no way to effectively integrate the different automated components into a unified whole. In other words, software selection is critical to the success of the entire automated warehouse system.
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The clients we work with still rely on their human personnel but seek to support them at work rather than replace them. This can be achieved via devices that integrate directly with the warehouse management system, eliminating much of the chance of human error.
Handheld devices provide inventory management capabilities and real-time data, putting all this information at the fingertips of human operators. Pick-to-light systems, on the other hand, are not fully automated but do provide guidance and assistance for human personnel, making their working life much easier. We find that some of our clients prefer to go for the ‘total automation’ approach, while others opt to support their human personnel with guided systems like these – it all depends on the individual client and their current readiness for transformation.
A fully automated warehouse storage system can bring a variety of benefits to your business. Perhaps the most obvious benefit is increased efficiency in order fulfillment. With an automated storage system, packages can be quickly retrieved and loaded onto trucks for delivery.
This can help to reduce shipping times and improve customer satisfaction. In addition, automated storage systems can help to reduce the risk of injuries in the workplace. With heavy packages being moved around by machines, there is less chance for employees to be injured by falling or misplaced boxes.
Finally, automated storage systems can also help to improve space utilization in your warehouse. By eliminating the need for aisles and storage racks, you can make better use of your available space and store more inventory in a smaller footprint. As a result, a fully automated storage system can provide significant advantages for your business.
Lets take a closer look at some of the benefits of a fully automated warehouse.
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Perhaps the most obvious benefit of warehouse automation is increased efficiency. With a fully automated warehouse system, you’ll be able to streamline the way you run your business, getting orders out in time and in full, without fail.
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Your human teams are best suited to tasks that get the most out of their creative and cognitive abilities. They are less well suited to the repetitive and laborious tasks associated with picking orders and managing inventory in a warehouse. Fully automated warehouse systems free up your human teams, ready for deployment in other, more creative, areas of your business.
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Full warehouse automation reduces the need for human personnel to move around the warehouse floor while also minimizing errors and inefficiencies. All of this contributes to a far safer environment for your teams and for all visitors on your site.
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Many of our clients tell us the same thing – they want to build lasting relationships with partners up and down the supply chain, including distributors, manufacturers, materials suppliers, and other business entities. Warehouse automation helps to make this happen, increasing efficiency within your own warehouse space, which translates into on-time orders, reduced shrinkage, and other welcome advantages for your partners.
Here at PEC, we help our clients to deploy full automation technology within their warehouse spaces. Reach out to our team today and schedule a consultation.