Together, shipping, receiving and storage account for less than half of all warehousing activity costs. The lion’s share of expenses – a whopping 55% – lies in order picking. Breaking down the various activities associated with order picking, we find that over 60% of the time is spent walking, with writing, searching, and picking tasks comprising the other 40%.
Given the data, it’s safe to say that automating the walking portion of an order picking operation will have a strong positive impact on overall warehouse efficiency. Omron Logistics strategic account manager, Yaqing Sun, recently discussed some strategies for using autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) for this purpose at the Automate 2022 show.
Strategy 1: Transporting items to employees (‘goods to person’)
By having an AMR autonomously move goods to a warehouse associate, you can reduce the amount of time that associate spends walking, which in turn reduces fatigue and generally improves work satisfaction. In addition, it improves traceability by automating the QR code scanning process.
Some potential downsides of this method include high upfront investment costs, relatively long integration and/or installation time, and the likelihood of infrastructure changes to the facility. Still, logistics facilities by and large find that the productivity benefits heavily outweigh the initial costs of deployment.
Strategy 2: Transporting items between zones (‘person to goods’)
This strategy involves breaking the warehouse into separate order picking zones, each of which will have a dedicated employee. Since a single order might involve picking from more than one zone, an autonomous mobile robot will move between the zones, stopping whenever an employee needs to retrieve a particular item.
Although each employee must still do some walking, having AMRs traverse the long distances between zones significantly reduces walking times. The main downside of this method is that employees must still scan items manually, so traceability isn’t fully automated.
Strategy 3: Transporting items to a robot (‘goods to robot’)
This method has the dual advantages of high accuracy and low dependence on labour availability, making it a good option for companies struggling to hire personnel. Minor downsides include high investment costs and the possibility of lower throughput relative to manual picking.
Nonetheless, collaborative robotic (cobot) technology is advancing by leaps and bounds, and solutions that connect an autonomous mobile robot with a cobot are going to just get more and more efficient. Furthermore, both AMRs and cobots can work around the clock with minimal downtime.
Innomotics powers largest heat pump system in the Netherlands
Motion Control & Drives
Innomotics, a global leader in the provision of electric motors and large drive systems, has played a pivotal role in the realisation of the largest heat pump system in the Netherlands. It is located at the municipal wastewater treatment plant in Utrecht.
Read more...Building the control panels of the future Omron Electronics
Enclosures, Cabling & Connectors
The industrial automation world is built on robust and efficient control panels. These control panels are designed precisely and assembled, managing machines, processes and equipment across different industries. Omron assists panel builders in navigating complex challenges that could impact project efficiency and profitability.
Read more...Problem solving under pressure Axiom Hydraulics
Motion Control & Drives
The greatest strength of Axiom Hydraulics lies in the company’s ability to solve complex problems and adapt systems to meet unique challenges. This capability stems from two key factors: the diverse experience of its team members, which spans decades across multiple disciplines, and their unwavering dedication to their clients.
Read more...New AI advisor for robot selection igus
Motion Control & Drives
igus’ new AI chatbot has been added to the online platform RBTX.com. The interactive consultant is designed to enable companies with little previous experience and technological expertise to quickly and reliably put together low-cost automation solutions to becoming more competitive.
Read more...Taking the pain out of panel building Omron Electronics
Electrical Power & Protection
Panel building stands as a cornerstone of industrial automation, shaping the efficiency and reliability of automated systems across different and diverse industries, from manufacturing to infrastructure. Omron leverages over 80 years of experience to furnish OEMs and builders with cutting-edge control panel solutions.
Read more...The world’s most powerful worm
Motion Control & Drives
Geothermal energy from the natural heat of the Earth is an inexhaustible resource, yet the growth of the global geothermal power sector lags behind other renewable energies. Now Swiss startup, Borobotics is hoping to speed this up with its innovative new electric-powered geothermal drilling robot, which can be used to fast-track and lower the cost of heat pump installations in confined spaces.
Read more...Building resilience in extreme environments ACTOM Electrical Machines
Motion Control & Drives
The petrochemical and oil and gas sectors operate in unforgiving environments. In this high-stakes industry, operational efficiency is vital, and unplanned downtime can have severe consequences. To thrive in this demanding landscape, a proactive and sophisticated approach to maintenance is no longer an option, but a necessity.
Read more...Collaborative robots pioneer automation revolution
Motion Control & Drives
Collaborative robots (cobots) are a versatile, cost-effective robot form factor that is demonstrating value across many industry verticals. According to a new report from ABI Research, revenue from cobots will increase from $970 million in 2023 to $7,2 billion by 2030.
Read more...SKF shines at Mining Indaba SKF South Africa
Motion Control & Drives
This year marked SKF’s second consecutive participation at Mining Indaba, where the global bearing and seal manufacturing giant spotlighted its premium quality, future-smart, environmentally sustainable mining and industrial products, technologies and services.
Read more...Reducing the risk of sewage spills
Motion Control & Drives
The UK government has announced plans to impose tougher penalties on water companies in England and Wales that fail to prevent sewage discharges into rivers and seas. David Strain, technical director at the automation systems specialist, Technidrive explains how solutions like variable speed drives and smart monitoring systems can help water companies reduce the risk of sewage spills and ensure compliance.
printer friendly version