Warehouse automation is a process that almost every company has to face sooner or later. Although the initial investment may be large, the subsequent benefits are so large that it is well worth it in almost all cases. In this article, we outline the content of warehouse automation and the benefits it brings.
Human mistakes are inevitable. Anyone, no matter how skilled and effective, can make mistakes. When this happens in the warehouse, it will affect inventory counting, product placement, product registration. Finally, the preparation or picking of orders, that is, ultimately damages the end customer. And he is the key to everything. Warehouse automation greatly reduces the risk of man-made accidents.
In the warehouse, accuracy, on-time delivery, safety and efficiency are indispensable for good performance, which is the role of automation. For this reason, more and more companies are beginning to believe that this is a necessary step.
Types of warehouse automation
The most basic type of warehouse automation, which is also the first to be carried out, is the implementation of warehouse management system (WMS). This will take over some previously manual tasks, such as inventory or asset management.
The second step is to use an automatic guided vehicle (AGV). For example, an automatic forklift basically performs the same tasks as a manual forklift, but does not require a driver to operate it. Its use involves advanced warehouse automation.
From there, you can choose a widely used solution to automate several processes in the warehouse, such as;
● multi layer stacking
● high level of storage
● handling of lightweight items
● high density storage
From automatic warehouse forklift, logistics tractor, manual forklift or shuttle, there are many possibilities, and so are their applications in normal warehouse operation:
storage
For example, in a warehouse, goods are often transported from the entrance to the place to be stored. This process can be easily carried out by using automatic forklift, whether balance truck or forward forklift.
supply
Maintaining the continuous flow of materials means ensuring effective replenishment. With our automatic electric stacker, the replenishment of parts will be easy and have the greatest safety.
Point to point transportation: cross docking
Sometimes, products do not need to go through the warehousing process when they arrive at the end customer, which is called cross docking. In other words, the order must be directly from purchase to shipment. AGV is the perfect choice in this regard.
Empty pallet handling
Another process that significantly improves efficiency with AGV is the transportation of empty pallets, which are usually in the company's storage space.
Finished product output
The key moment of warehouse operation and company operation is the delivery of orders.
Usually, the autonomous vehicle will collect products from the storage area. If the shrink packaging is needed, they will bring the components to the special area. It will then remove the shrink wrapped product and transport it to the export area.
This is one of the last steps to prepare orders in the warehouse. A little carelessness will overshadow all the previous work.
This is why automated warehouses are so important. With WMS, cloud database, information technology system and AGV, it is difficult to make mistakes.
Benefits of warehouse automation
When a company considers implementing warehouse automation, the first thing that usually comes to mind is the cost of this transformation. It was not cheap at first, which is the reality, but later, there are too many benefits of automation, which is obviously worth it.
In addition, it is recommended not to be stingy, because ultimately (in almost all cases) it is a process that will have a positive impact on the return on investment and the future of the company.
The following are the main benefits of automated warehouses:
● reduce human error: especially in two specific areas, repetitive tasks - machines will perform without error - and inventory control and management - modern, integrated and intelligent software will perform perfectly.
● reduce costs: by freeing people from repetitive tasks, they can focus on more strategic tasks.
● data analysis: products entered, products left, quantity left, faster products left, etc. With automated warehouse, more data can be obtained and the analysis of it will be doubled.
● greater inventory control: this stems from the above situation, because the more you know about sales trends, the better you can make correct predictions.
● safety: in addition to the fact that machines will perform tasks that humans have done in the past and may pose risks in the warehouse, automation will prove to be a very positive aspect, that is, the fact that the integration of safety scanners and obstacle warning elements will prevent truck collisions.
● faster delivery time: with the increasing demands of consumers, absolute accuracy in delivery, especially in prediction, is the key for the company to generate the necessary trust among consumers.
Should you automate your warehouse?
To this end, we ask you to ask yourself some questions, such as:
Do you delay the warehouse due to insufficient manpower?
Are there frequent errors and accidents during inventory counting?
If the answer to both questions is yes, then everything indicates that your warehouse needs automation. But there are more similar questions that can help you make a final decision.
