Warehouse Robots Archives

Exoskeleton Service Robotics Move Into the Warehouse

The Future of the Warehouse is Upon Us

Robotics, in combination with warehouse equipment, has become a dynamic means of boosting productivity with lower costs. Exoskeleton robots are now poised to become the next big innovation in supply chain and logistics.

Could exoskeleton robots have an application in your warehouse operations? Here’s what you should know about this fascinating technology.

What Are Exoskeleton Robots?

Exoskeleton robots are wearable devices that incorporate electric motors, pneumatics and hydraulics to mimic or augment actual human movements. These devices afford a greater degree of strength and endurance than workers could achieve on their own.

Applications of exoskeleton robots cut across a wide range of fields, from manufacturing and supply chain to healthcare and military. As a result, the market is expected to reach an astonishing $2.8 billion by the year 2023, for a compound annual growth rate of 45.2 percent.

Advantages of Exoskeleton Robot Use

Muscle fatigue and overuse is a primary limitation in a number of activities. An exoskeleton robot lets the user remain functional and productive beyond the point at which they would normally have to stop.

Exoskeleton robots are currently incorporated extensively in two industries:

– Healthcare services use exoskeletons for injury rehabilitation to help muscles recover efficiently.

– The military uses exoskeletons in combat situations to reduce fatigue and injury risk among soldiers.

Full-body exoskeletons aren’t yet ready to be rolled out commercially, but upper- and lower-body exoskeletons have great potential as ergonomic aids for warehouse workers who perform repetitive tasks.

Make Safety a Priority with Ergonomically Designed Warehouse Equipment

Battery-powered warehouse equipment like our best-selling CartCaddyShorty includes features such as variable speed twist grips to prevent common repetitive motion injuries. Use our convenient online chat feature to learn more from our helpful sales engineers.

Woman Leads the Charge to Help Distribution Centers be More Carrier Friendly

Hats Off To This Girl Boss!

Our electric yard trucks are designed to make the job of shunting trailers easier and safer for workers of any age, size and gender. One industry group has joined forces with a tech company in an effort to make warehouses and distribution centers more accommodating for all truck drivers.

Changing Attitudes About the Driver Experience

In the past, shippers gave little if any thought to improving the experience of drivers who passed through their facilities. They believed that the practice of “turn and burn,” or loading and unloading trucks as quickly as possible, was more beneficial to the bottom line.

With today’s increased demand for transportation, high rates are eating away at shippers’ profit margins. Companies are finding that making their warehouses more attractive stops can result in them becoming a “shipper of choice,” which in turn can lead to lower rates.

Making Warehouses More “Carrier-Friendly”

Ellen Voie, president and CEO of Women in Trucking (WIT), sees an opportunity to help warehouses become more “carrier-friendly.” With the help of Dan Serewicz, co-founder of Dock411, Voie is gathering data in hopes of giving shippers incentive to make their facilities more welcoming for drivers.

Dock411 is an app that lets truckers share information about shippers such as hours of operation, loading times and driver amenities. The app also includes a simple three-question survey about treatment drivers receive at specific stops. Regular reports are provided to Voie, and she and Serewicz personally contact facilities that receive negative feedback.

Move Trailers Safely and Easily with Yard Trucks from DJ Products

Do your employees spend precious time and energy shunting trailers? Let our friendly sales engineers explain how the Electric Yard Dog from DJ Products improves productivity and safety at your warehouse or distribution center.

Robotics Disrupt Warehouse Picking Systems with Productivity Advances

Ecommerce and the Speed of Fulfillment Drives New Robotic Technology into Warehouses

The rise of e-commerce has increased demand for automated material handling equipment in the warehouse and logistics industry. In particular, the field of robotics is becoming a primary source of solutions for a wide range of warehouse and distribution center applications.

Automation: The Key to Raising Productivity

As more purchasing is done online, order turnaround and delivery time becomes an important way for companies to set themselves above the competition. In addition, facilities are forced to keep greater quantities of SKUs in stock, making traditional methods of warehouse management less efficient.

According to a recent study by Allied Market Research, the global warehouse robotics market is expected to reach $5.2 billion by 2023. E-commerce currently surpasses even the automotive industry for the largest share of this growing market.

How Robots “Stretch” the Workforce

Robots are an ideal way to handle picking and other repetitive tasks so human workers are free to focus on activities that require more precise skills. This is a distinct advantage in light of today’s labor shortage, especially when warehouses need to ramp up for peak seasonal periods.

Loading docks are another prime target for the influx of robotics. Mobile robots designed to load and unload trucks, such as the ones from Bastian Solutions that debuted at the Modex trade show last spring, are well-suited to withstand extreme weather while lifting heavy loads.

Crystal Parrott, vice president of Dematic’s Robotics Center of Excellence, says the robotics industry is still evolving. Next steps include using artificial intelligence to refine robots for more complex tasks.

Quality Material Handling Equipment for All Applications

Customers say that tugs, pushers and other electric material handling equipment from DJ Products are like adding another worker to the team. Call 800.686.2651 to learn more.

Will Tiny Robotic Warehouses Soon Prepare Local Grocery Delivery Orders?

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.

Maximize Efficiency with Warehouse Equipment from DJ Products

Boost productivity of your warehouse staff with our electric tugs, movers and pushers. Visit our website to chat with one of our knowledgeable sales engineers.

Considerations for Safety and Ergonomics with Using Flexible Conveyors in Your Warehouse

Flexible conveyors are valuable pieces of warehouse equipment that reduce the amount of manual handling required during day-to-day operations. The conveyors are often used in areas such as the gap between a truck and a dock where a permanent system isn’t practical.

Make sure you get the full benefits of flexible conveyors by implementing these safety tips.

Enforce Use of the Flexible Conveyor

While flexible conveyors make their jobs easier, employees may still resist using them. Some people won’t see the value of flexible conveyors, and others simply object to change of any kind. Use of the conveyors shouldn’t be an optional part of the job.

Establish a Training Program

Flexible conveyors aren’t complicated, but there are specific procedures that allow maximum productivity and safety. Institute employee training covering issues such as total weight capacity and locking and unlocking casters. This is also a good way to educate workers on the advantages of conveyors.

Perform Regular Maintenance

As with all warehouse equipment, flexible conveyors need regular maintenance to ensure top performance. At a minimum, follow the manufacturer’s recommended schedule.

Follow Basic Safety Rules

– Make sure clothes, jewelry and hair are kept clear of the conveyor at all times.

– Once the conveyor is positioned for use, lock the casters down.

– Take care to keep fingers and hands out of rollers, skatewheels and side links.

– When transitioning from dock to trailer, use of a dock plate should be mandatory. Be sure to pull the conveyor onto the plate from the front.

DJ Products: Your First Choice for High-Quality Warehouse Equipment

We offer a full line of electric tugs, pushers and movers to accommodate any warehouse application. Visit our website where our friendly sales engineers are standing by to answer your questions.

The Future of the Warehouse – Mobile Robotic Order Pickers

Every year the threat of work-related injuries is disconcerting for the millions of warehouse workers and employers that drive our economy. Tens of billions of dollars are spent by employers annually to address work-related accidents. Technological advances that have been introduced to the business industry are offering life-changing solutions to address mounting safety concerns. It’s easy to open the door to new safer working conditions when robotics plays a key role in bettering your workplace environment and your manufacturing capabilities.

The Best in Material Handling Equipment

Mobile robotic order pickers are quickly becoming the new normal in warehouses. Repetitive motion is a common cause of labor force injuries. Robotic machinery is even now being programmed to organize, pick and move hard-to-reach orders in warehouses across the world. The right robotics can alleviate any excessive strenuous labor your dedicated workforce engages in. At DS Products, we offer the benefits of complex machines to complete tasks that wear on our employees and their physical capacities. Material handling equipment such as these product types below allow enterprising companies to expand production and keep loyal workers from overexertion:

*Industrial Cart Movers

*Bin Pullers

*Aircraft Tow Tugs

*Trailer, Vehicle and Equipment Movers

Running On Robotics

Reaching for packages on high shelves while using ladders or other precarious means can be dangerous. In fact, falls from high places on the job were in the top 10 causes of work injuries. Robotic machinery such as pullers, pushers or various movers is time-saving and allows your employees to expend their energy on more important tasks without the threat of incurring minor or life-altering injuries.

Peruse DJ Products today to find quality material handling equipment that uses technology to counteract safety concerns and unneeded expense.

Tag: Warehouse Robots