The Ultimate Journey From Manual To Automation NEWS
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utomation in intralogistics does not have to go from 0% to 100% all at once. Not every business needs full automation or perhaps not every business is ready to dive in right away. Depending on volume, growth and industry development trends, different businesses can start small and steadily invest in upgrades, i.e. “grow as you go”, says Jonathon Buckby, head of “Logistics Solutions” sales department at SSI SCHAEFER UK.
HOW MUCH TO AUTOMATE Depending on the size of your business, growth, and multiple other factors, there are different degrees of automation to consider. “A smaller step could be introducing a simple technology to reduce the need for manual labour, focusing on an individual process completion time. With this goal in mind, logistics managers may consider installing one or a few pieces of equipment. For example, it may be a conveyor system to connect workstations more easily. Another option, Vertical Lift Module (VLM), works perfectly for small parts storage.”, continues Jonathon. The VLM and conveyor system can be integrated creating exponential benefit. An employee working with a VLM does not have to waste time walking, the conveyor will do it for them, combined with the auto retrieval of VLM. On the flip side, a conveyor system can take up valuable floor space which may not be an option for some areas. In this instance, AGVs may be more flexible and only need a rail or guide on the floor. Moreover, with the intelligent motion tracker, they are safe to operate in manual warehouses with increased pedestrian traffic.
The “big” step to full automation is something that industry leaders selected for their logistics centres.A solution like this could include shuttles for ambient, cold or deep-freeze storage zones, case and piece picking robots, order verifiers and a variety of other technologies.
WHAT TO AUTOMATE “Knowing the optimal end goal for your businesses is one thing, but it is crucial to break the process into steps as required. Analyse the journey a product takes throughout the logistics centre, from the inbound to outbound, identify how each step can be performed better
individually, and as a whole”, suggests Jonathon.
GOODS RECEIVING ZONE In terms of inventory a simple question pops up: “Is the item’s description and tracking information immediately transferred into the system? Are there scanners for pallet or case labels?”. This is something to consider in terms of clear and well- organised stock, seamless receiving, easier picking and replenishment.
Another point to consider is how the receiving zone is equipped. Are items delivered to depalletising or storage buffer manually or by a conveying system?
HANDLING RETURNS Having the right approach towards returns is essential, especially for e-commerce. Thousands of smaller orders or items in a B2C environment may be sent back by the customer for a multitude or reasons. This provides one of many pressure points the e-tailers face. How these items are handled, stored, identified and treated against future orders all must be considered. Automation can be tailored to meet a range of needs including sortation and future picking.
PICKING ORDERS
Manual order picking can be very time- consuming. Even with perfect stock organisation and route optimisation, order handling can still take significant travel and picking time. Having employees engaged in one main activity, focusing on one role is definitely beneficial. For starters, separating the picking task from that of packing or consolidating orders into different stations can be advantageous. When the areas are separated, the delivery can be handled by a conveying system, an AGV or even a
shuttle-like function.
Another option to consider is robotics in terms of one of either picking items and assembling orders or both.
SHIPPING ZONE
And now we are at the final phase in the logistics process when goods leave the warehouse to reach a customer, whether that end customer is a business or a person. All the roles here can be handled manually, but with a little help from automation, they can be performed on another level. For example, routes and order details can be automatically printed and applied to packages. The label is scanned, and the data is added accordingly, meaning there will be fewer errors. It will speed up the whole process.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Logistic centres play a huge role in every business’ supply chain. It can help your business prosper or diminish peak season’s sales results. “There are dozens of decisions to make when automation is on the horizon. I highlighted just a few crucial points to think over: · Why your logistics centre needs modernisation and what is the end goal? · How far does your business need to go now and are you ready for some advanced technology? · What do the current processes look like and what zones are the bottlenecks? · How can automation facilitate your processes? Finally, one should always consider future growth by investing in scalable systemsNo two business are the same and neither are their logistical processes. SSI SCHÄFER’s logistics expert can talk you through the best options, whatever your business operations, needs and goals. Do not hesitate to get in touch”, says Jonathon.
FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS | APRIL 2023 5
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