An automated warehouse involves using advanced technology like robots and IOT sensors. These devices make various warehouse processes simpler and error-free.
As the Indian e-commerce market is booming, most businesses are under high pressure to deliver products on time and in good condition to customers. Automated warehousing can improve operations efficiency by 25 % and enhance customer satisfaction.
Understanding The Warehouse Automation
Warehouses play an important role in the supply chain operations. The products and goods are stored inside the warehouse storage. When a customer orders an item, the particular product is picked up by the warehouse staff and packaged and labelled. It is then handed over to the shipper so that it can be delivered to the customer on time.
However, the manual warehousing operations require a lot of time and effort. It can cause errors and does not streamline the supply chain processes. Inefficient warehouse operations can cause delays in delivery times and negatively impact customer satisfaction. So, most warehouses are now automating their operations.
So, what is Automated warehouse? It is the usage of digital systems, software and machine learning algorithms to optimize warehouse operations.
Warehouse automation is a process of automating inventory movement from its arrival and storage until it moves outside the warehouse. The goal of warehouse automation is to reduce repetitive physical work and manual data entry and analysis, which slows down the order fulfillment process.
For example, a warehouse staff will load an autonomous robot with a heavy package. The robot will move outside the warehouse, carrying the heavy package, and go to the shipping zone. The software will record all the inventory movement. So here, the robot increases the speed and accuracy of the task with minimum human effort.
However, warehouse automation is not limited to physical or robotic automation. Software can even replace human tasks and increase the efficiency of warehouse operations. For example, radio frequency identification and mobile barcode scanning can enhance security and improve customer service.
Scope Of Warehouse Automation
1. Material Handling Automation
Manually storing and moving products in the warehouse will take time and require a lot of effort. Material handling automation, such as conveyor systems and self-guided robots, makes storing and moving processes easier. They move the products from one place to another automatically and increase the speed of warehouse and logistics operations.
2 . Inventory Management Automation
Managing inventories, like counting and keeping track of stock materials inside the warehouse, requires a lot of effort and may involve errors. Inventory management automation, like a warehouse and inventory management system, can simplify tasks.
It keeps track of inventory stocks without human effort. RFID tracking can help the warehouse staff track products in real time inside the warehouse and distribution center.
3. Order Fulfillment Automation
Automated order fulfillment processes can automate warehousing operations such as picking, packaging, labelling and shipping. Warehouses can utilize robots, sorting systems and conveyor belt systems for order fulfillment automation processes and increase ecommerce fulfillment speed and accuracy.
4. Data-Driven Decision Making
Data-driven decision-making uses IOT sensors and artificial intelligence to improve the decision-making processes in a business.
Warehouses can use IOT sensors to monitor storage conditions. Simultaneously, artificial intelligence can forecast demand for products and avoid problems like overstocking and out-of-stock.
5. Workforce Assistance With Collaborative Robots
Sending incorrect orders to the customer can increase return requests and adversely impact the business image. Collaborative robots can bring items from the specified location or sort and pack the products.
So, collaborative robots can handle repetitive tasks quickly and free warehouse staff from doing them. Thus, the staff can focus on value-added activities or any other important thing that can increase the growth of the business.
Key Benefits Of Warehouse Automation
1. Improves Efficiency And Productivity
Automating your warehouse operations, such as using collaborative robots and conveyor belt systems, makes them simpler and easier. They involve fewer errors and, hence, increase efficiency and productivity.
2 . Cost Reduction
Manual warehouse operations require more warehouse staff and increase labor costs. An automated warehouse does not require much warehouse staff. Robots can decrease warehouse executive costs. Again, warehouse automation, like the use of AI and machine learning, involves fewer errors in fulfillment operations.
3. Better Inventory Accuracy
IoT sensors and barcode scanning can provide real-time updates about stored products. This helps the warehouse workforce better monitor the products and goods inside the warehouse.
4. Enhanced safety
Collaborative robots handle heavy loads and thus prevent warehouse staff from having injuries, aches and strain. Autonomous mobile robots use cameras, sensors, and vision to handle hazardous tasks. Therefore, they increase safety inside the warehouse.
Types Of Warehouse Automation Technologies
1. Automated Storage And Retrieval Systems
Manually walking to each place inside the warehouse to pick up ordered items and packaging them takes a lot of time. Automated storage and retrieval systems reduce the need for warehouse operators, minimize human error, and make the most use of both horizontal and vertical space in the warehouse.
Thus, they reduce labor costs and increase efficiency and productivity in the warehouse and fulfillment center. For example, if we talk about floor robots, they help transport goods inside the warehouse. If we talk about the robotic shuttle base ASRS, they can handle goods from 35 to 100 pounds.
2. Autonomous Mobile Robots
Autonomous mobile robots are equipped with sensors and can navigate independently and transport goods from one place to another inside the warehouse. These robots can handle heavy-duty tasks, which is quite stressful for warehouse workers. Thus, they increase safety inside the fulfillment center.
Autonomous mobile robots adapt easily to any type of warehouse layout. So you do not have to make any modifications to the existing warehouse. These machines work with high precision, and hence, there are fewer chances of human errors.
3. Robotic Picking And Sorting System
Automated pick robots are equipped with sensors, cameras, and grippers that can recognize and classify products. They increase productivity, reduce operations costs, and fulfill orders within the least possible time.
4. Warehouse Management System And AI-Powered Analytics
The usage of AI can forecast the demand for products in the market and avoid problems of overstocking. Similarly, AI algorithms can choose the most efficient transport route for moving goods from one place to another.
Thus, AI helps reduce business logistics costs. The warehouse management system can optimize the inventory operations inside the warehouse. The software efficiently uses warehouse space and determines the most suitable route for goods movement in the warehouse. Warehouse management systems can even increase traceability or real-time monitoring of products inside the warehouse through barcoding, RFID tagging and sensors.
5. Conveyor And Sortation Systems
Conveyor belts, which can be flat or inclined, safely and smoothly transport products from one place to another inside the warehouse. Sortation systems automatically categorize products based on size and shape.
Implementing Strategies: How To Automate Warehouse
- Access The Warehouse Needs – You must access the existing warehouse operations and decide the key areas where you need automation.
- Choose The Right Technology – You must choose the right technology based on the warehouse size and order volume. For example, if you want to monitor the products continuously, you can use IoT or smart sensors.
- Integration With Existing System – The automation should be well integrated with all the existing software of the warehouse-like WMS and TMS.
- Training Workforce For Automation – Automation will not replace warehouse staff completely. You need to train warehouse employees regarding the handling of robotics.
Future Trends In Warehouse Automation
- Implementation of blockchain technology can increase data security and tracking inside the warehouse.
- Most warehouses will implement sustainable practices to reduce carbon footprints. Autonomous robots will be powered by solar and battery.
- Warehouses will utilize IoT and smart sensors to track various parameters, such as temperature and humidity, and ensure that the product is optimally maintained inside the warehouse.
- Advanced AI And Machine Learning can enhance the decision-making process in the warehouse.
Challenges And Considerations In Warehouse Automation
1. High Initial Investment Costs
Warehouse automation requires a significant investment, which may not be possible for small—and medium-scale enterprises.
A ROL analysis should be done to understand the long-term benefits of warehouse automation. For example, manually operating a warehouse requires high labor costs. This can be reduced by warehouse automation.
Robotics and using various software like warehouse automation can speed up warehouse processes and increase productivity. They can independently move heavy packages from one place to another.
Thus, they reduce the labor costs of the business. Automated warehousing can even make the best utilization of the existing warehouse, eliminating the need to expand the warehouse.
So, you need to analyze these things and decide whether to continue a manually operated warehouse or upgrade it to an automated one.
2. Technology And Integration Issues
Automated warehouses requires adopting various technologies, such as IOT sensors, robotics, and Conveyors, which may not be possible in your existing warehouse infrastructure. Again, if there is not a seamless data flow between automation and the ERP system, then it can lead to inefficiencies and errors.
Ensure that all the new technologies you implement while doing warehouse automation comply with the IT infrastructure.
You need robust data management so that data can seamlessly flow between automation and ERP systems.
3. Workforce Adaptation And Resistance
The warehouse staff may fear losing their job because of new technology. You can involve workers as early as possible in automation processes. Try to give them training and explain the benefits of warehouse automation and how it will increase their safety.
4. Maintenance And Downtime Risks
Automates warehouse is a complex technology. Failure to use such technology can cause inefficiencies and delays in delivering products to customers. Well, you must check and update the software at regular intervals.
Conclusion
Automated warehousing have now become a business necessity. It optimizes supply chain operations and reduces the operational warehousing costs of the business. However, successful automation depends on various things like seamless data integration, upskilling of employees regarding warehouse automation and careful planning.
AAJ Supply Chain Management
