Day: September 10, 2018

The Warehouse Automation and Robotics Market Is Hot!

With Advancing Technology, Is a Completely Robotized Warehouse System in Our Future?
With Advancing Technology, Is a Completely Robotized Warehouse System in Our Future?

Robots were once a staple in science fiction films, but the fantasy has become reality. Sophisticated technology, growth in e-commerce, and increased demand for automation have made robots a hot commodity in today’s warehouse equipment.

How Robots Are Transforming Warehouse Logistics

The speed, efficiency and accuracy of robots makes them a cost-effective option for warehouse tasks such as transporting and packing items. Some robots have intelligent programming that makes them fully autonomous, while others work in conjunction with their human counterparts.

Allied Market Research projects that the warehouse robotics market will reach $5.186 billion by 2023. This figure represents a compound annual growth rate of 11.6 percent from 2017. Not surprisingly, Amazon has been in the forefront of the warehouse automation movement with its Kiva robots, which use sensors and algorithms to pick up and drop inventory at various points.

What’s New in Warehouse Automation?

Here are some other recent innovations in warehouse robotics:

– In June 2018, Mobile Industrial Robots rolled out its MiR 500 to transport pallets and other heavy loads. In addition to a lifting capacity of 1,102 pounds, the MiR 500 features laser scanning and 3D cameras to prevent collisions.

– S20 is an interweaving sorting system from Geek Plus Robotics. Artificial intelligence and machine-learning technology make S20 a superior method of sorting parcels.

– Much like its namesake, the Butler PickPal from GreyOrange serves as a valuable assistant to a human worker. The two work side-by-side on order picking, consolidation and fulfillment.

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Will Tiny Robotic Warehouses Soon Prepare Local Grocery Delivery Orders?

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Is the Future of Warehousing all Digitized and Robotic?

As online shopping moves into the food and beverage category with grocery and restaurant delivery, a Boston-area start-up is taking the trend one step further. They’re combining robots and warehouse equipment to create “micro fulfillment centers” inside existing supermarkets.

Streamlining Grocery Delivery

In October, Takeoff Technologies is scheduled to kick off the first of what they project to be several micro fulfillment centers. The host store is yet to be named, but the center will occupy approximately 20 percent of the facility’s 50,000-square-feet.

Robots are sourced from Knapp, a leading warehouse and supply chain automation company. The mechanical “workers” will shuttle bins of merchandise to human counterparts, who will inspect the items for damage and assemble them into orders.

Benefits of New Technology

The micro fulfillment centers offer a number of potential advantages over the current online grocery ordering model:

– Orders can be ready for customer pick-up in as little as 30 minutes.

– The bin system means robots don’t require optimization to handle every item.

– Order-picking by robots is more efficient than using human workers to shop alongside in-store customers.

Humans and Robots Working Side-by-Side

Max Pedro, co-founder and president of Takeoff, says that their micro fulfillment centers can be operational within three months, as opposed to three years for traditional full-size warehouses. Pedro further explains that artificial intelligence and data science will be used to optimize product slotting in bins.

Takeoff’s platform is in line with the strategy of fulfillment centers across all industries, where human and robot workforces are being combined for their complementary strengths.

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