WAREHOUSING, HANDLING & STORAGE
intelligent and more connected. Digital transformation of the warehouse will continue apace in 2021. On the controls side, field-mounted devices are advancing rapidly, facilitating plug ‘n’ play options for rapid installation, the flexible expansion of systems or the fast replacement of components. Preventative maintenance is also taking a step forward with predictive analytics, facilitated by Profinet (Process Field Net) and BPN connections to end devices for fast collection of data and remote support.
4. BREXIT REALITY
Brexit has become a reality. Complexity over paperwork for consignments destined for Europe has already caused many businesses considerable distress, with vehicles held up at customs points due to incomplete manifests and missing data. As a matter of urgency many organisations will need to upgrade their systems to cope, aligning warehouse management systems with new customs requirements. The risk of delays at ports has also increased the likelihood that European businesses will hold more stock in the UK, placing higher levels of demand on UK warehousing space. Similarly, UK companies are expected to create inventory holdings on the other side of the Channel. Such moves will demand greater visibility of inventory across multiple locations, requiring intelligent warehouse management software capable of providing the complete picture. As felt by many businesses already, Brexit has stemmed the flow of low-cost labour from Europe, impacting traditional labour- intensive warehouse activities such as order picking. Combine this with the rise of the National Living Wage to £8.72 for employees over 25 years of age and the expectation of continuing social distancing requirements extending into the foreseeable future, and there can be little surprise that businesses will be looking to introduce higher levels of automation into their warehouse processes. Both retailers and manufacturers will be seeking operational resilience through agile automation. By adopting intelligent software and new advanced technologies, such as autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), many businesses, particularly SMEs, will move to leverage the flexibility, speed and performance of goods-to-person automation in their warehouse operations.
5. THE YEAR OF THE ROBOT
This will be the year of the robot. The last 12 months has opened the eyes of omni-channel retailers to the vulnerability of highly manual processes. Their almost complete reliance on online sales during the pandemic has emphasised the critical necessity for reliable fulfilment and the efficient picking and packing of single and small multiples of order items.
Autonomous mobile robots offer the flexibility, speed and performance needed for efficient goods-to-person automation. Importantly, they offer scalability too, which is critical to allowing businesses to roll out the technology as the demands of the business dictate. AMR systems combined with pick-to-light technology can boost order picking performance from under 100 units per hour using traditional methods, to up to 600 picks per hour, with an ROI that can be as little as 12 months.
Invar Systems
www.invarsystems.com
FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS | FEBRUARY 2021 27
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