Logistics covers everything involved in organising and coordinating the movement of goods from one place to another. The goal is to manage the process to satisfy customer needs while maximising efficiency. Operators can implement a Warehouse Management System (WMS) to optimise storage, picking, and shipping processes. They can also use autonomous robots for picking, packing, and sorting to increase efficiency and reduce human error. Automation is critical to improving efficiency. Embracing automation has the potential for significant cost savings through reducing energy use, according to the Supply Chain Consulting Group.
This article was first published in the July 1st 2024 issue of Warehouse & Logistics News, subscribe to the magazine by clicking here.
To enhance overall efficiency and optimise the order picking process, zone picking and tote consolidation are concepts commonly used in warehouse management. Done right, and in the optimal situations, it can bring great gains in productivity to your warehouse operations. By having pickers focus on a specific zone, travel time between different areas of the warehouse is reduced, leading to increased overall efficiency, says Chandru Palaniyandi, Business Analyst, Lucas Systems.
A crucial aspect of warehouse operations, picking comprises the retrieval of items to fulfil customer orders. This labour-intensive process typically requires a significant portion of the workforce. With rising labour costs and difficulties in hiring for strenuous and monotonous tasks, automation becomes essential, according to SSI Scha?fer.
Traditionally a highly labour-intensive enterprise, order picking is one of the most important activities in a warehouse operation. If a warehouse is not efficiently laid out, if stocks are not easily located or retrieved, and if the order fulfilment cycle is particularly demanding to complete, picking can easily become a chaotic process. It needs to be carefully managed and the right investments made to ensure it is optimally efficient, Indigo told WLN.
ABB has announced the launch of its 2024 Robotics AI Startup Challenge, a global competition designed to accelerate the development of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions in robotics, which could potentially make order picking more efficient. The challenge is part of the company’s ecosystem for innovation, with a previous challenge resulting in the acquisition of Sevensense in January 2024, a Swiss-based start-up and leading provider of AI-enabled 3D vision navigation technology for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). This latest challenge will foster innovation and collaboration between ABB and pioneering startups and scaleups worldwide.
It’s exciting to see the technological advancements that are making order picking faster, smoother and more efficient.
George Simpson
Features Editor
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