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ORDER PICKING
driven analytical software platforms, for example, can help to identify correlations across order data. This intelligence can be used to highlight times when order volumes for certain products are particularly high (pumpkins in October) or locations that typically sell a large quantity of a specific item (ski jackets near the mountains). Consequently, staff or an automatic ordering
system can ensure stock replenishment when needed, reducing the likelihood of shortages. When paired with cameras, AI-enabled systems can also double-check storage racking and cross reference it with the stock list, spotting empty spaces and helping to top up inventory if required.
OVERCOMING TODAY’S WAREHOUSE CHALLENGES The beauty of this automated warehouse system is its division of labour. Robots take on the strenuous manual work while also offering repeatability and speed. Conversely, personnel can focus on the system oversight and value-adding tasks that they are best-suited for. With this delegation comes greater efficiency. Automation optimises processes, allowing higher fulfilment targets to be achieved, overcoming potential labour shortages. Critically, it also ensures that these levels of service can be attained while reducing the burden on employees, protecting personal wellbeing. A more efficient warehouse can translate into a
smaller warehouse. Automatic storage and retrieval systems allow racking to be taller, improving on-site storage capacity. More stock can be held in less space, enabling smaller facilities to be more flexible and punch above their weight. Businesses can adapt operations to fit within
different sized facilities, safe in the knowledge they have the required efficiency and growth potential to meet future demand. In an economy where reshoring and localisation is gaining
Computer vision technology means that
addresses, barcodes and other product information can be quickly scanned and utilised by warehouse systems. Prime Vision offers solutions that can even read damaged labels and confirm stock quantities, which allows inventory to be fully optimised and traced. Data such as that gathered by vision systems
momentum, these goals can be achieved without negatively impacting service levels.
BUT WHERE TO BEGIN? Prime Vision typically encounters warehouse operators looking to improve specific processes. Deploying scalable solutions that can grow with the needs of a business is essential and an automatic storage and retrieval system is a good starting point. This greatly improves fulfilment efficiency, saves space, reduces the burden on personnel and can automate up to 80 per cent of operations. Prime Vision’s solutions can then fit seamlessly within this pre-existing framework. For the next step, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) should be considered. Conveyor systems are another option to transport parcels around the warehouse, but they are costly, static and can only be optimised once – so they can’t grow with a business. Contrary to conveyors, robots can be programmed to travel new routes over and over again according to current needs, and the number of them can be scaled up and down at will too. Prime Vision’s robotic systems offer a 35 kg carrying capacity and can detect packages from 100 g. At 1m high and featuring an 80 cm x 60 cm loading surface, they have the capacity, scalability and flexibility to meet multiple parcel demands.
can then be harnessed by Prime Vision’s analytics products. Consequently, order trends can be identified and stocking levels can be automatically adjusted to suit the requirements of certain time periods or warehouse locations.
DELIVERING THE FUTURE WITH AUTOMATION Following the e-commerce revolution, customer expectations of same or next day delivery has become the norm with 22 per cent abandoning their carts when shipping is too slow. This is an irreversible trend and one that fulfilment must adapt to. Adding to this commercial pressure is the safeguarding of labour and creating highly efficient, compact operations. Simply put, it will be impossible to attain the fulfilment targets needed to sustain this customer expectation without an agile and scalable automation setup. This will help alleviate the pressure that companies are facing by enabling them to optimise their operations, improve productivity and make the e-commerce service level manageable. Readily available solutions mean that the fulfilment centre of the future can be created today. By partnering with an expert such as Prime Vision, with its proven robot, vision and analytic solutions that integrate with systems from other vendors – warehouses can achieve new efficiencies, futureproofing them in an e- commerce driven economy.
Prime Vision
primevision.com
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