In this article, we highlight some more of the innovative solutions that can help you optimise and automate your operations as you grow. Let us get you ready for the 5000 parcels-a-day e-business that is on your horizon.
Autonomous mobile robots
Autonomous mobile robots are very scalable and are giving the more traditional fixed automation solutions a run for their money. However, the so-called ‘fixed’ automation technologies have not stood still and maybe the right solution for very large-scale e-commerce fulfilment operation, particularly in countries with high labour costs/labour availability issues.
AutoStore is an ultra-high-density storage and buffering system used for goods-to-person piece picking. It works well for high volumes of single products of a certain size (i.e., those that fit well into their plastic totes). The system delivers good storage density and picking productivity by storing the product totes in stacks with no aisles. Robots roam around on top of the stacks and retrieve totes to picking stations. The tote containing the residual quantity is then returned to the top of a stack. Natural ‘optimisation’ occurs with more frequently accessed products staying closer to the top of the stack.
The benefits are:
•Flexibility and scalability. The system allows to easily increase picking performance by adding more robots, increasing storage locations, or adding new workstations.
•Enhanced security. Stock losses are minimised by making products inaccessible until an order is processed.
•More efficient storage density – up to four times better than conventional systems.
•Low energy consumption
The robots require a large amount of floor space/capital expenditure on mezzanine floors.
Autostore is a patented technology that is marketed by authorised partners worldwide.
Automated shuttle systems
Many of the large automation companies offer shuttle systems that store and retrieve plastic totes in racking, typically double deep. The basic idea again is that of retrieving product totes that are needed for orders to picking stations, where a picker moves the goods from product tote to order tote. The shuttle retrieves the tote and brings it to a lift at the end of the aisle. After picking, the tote is then put away again in the racking. Depending on the exact system offered and the throughput requirements, there may be a shuttle in every aisle at every level of the racking, shuttles may roam between aisles on one level via cross-aisles or may move between levels in lifts. These systems can achieve very high throughputs (measured in order lines per hour) and are extremely reliable.
Most shuttle systems are adaptive and scalable making it possible to expand on a ‘step-by-step’ basis. Modern shuttle systems are proven to greatly increase speed, storage density, accuracy and throughput in e-commerce operations.
Sortation systems
Pocket sortation systems are not new, but they provide innovative solutions for high-volume e-commerce operations. They are especially suited to fulfilment centres with a suitable order profile and product range (e.g., apparel, accessories, most general merchandise). The idea is based on taking a hanging garment sorter and adding a pocket, via a special adaptor so that the sorter can carry non-hanging goods. The system can sort and sequence pockets containing the exact order items required so that they will be delivered to the packing station in the desired order. This works well for multi-line orders.
With more than 70 different categories of sports on offer, the range of products s large. Many non-fashion items such as small rucksacks or carton packed camping articles are processed in the pocket, with a large number of individual articles being identified via RFID.
There are more automation possibilities including automatic or semi-automatic bagging systems and box-sizing/ closing machines.
For further information visit www.sccgltd.com or call our head office +44 (0)1926 430 883
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