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4 Latest Developments in the logistics Industry Due to Robots & AW Solutions

Efficiency and expeditiousness of Warehouse logistics help you live up to the customer demands placed on your e-commerce store. To ensure that shipments are processed for delivery within minimum time, you need the assistance of next-gen automated systems and logistics IT solutions.

Efficiency and expeditiousness of Warehouse logistics help you live up to the customer demands placed on your e-commerce store. To ensure that shipments are processed for delivery within minimum time, you need the assistance of next-gen automated systems and logistics IT solutions.

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4 <strong>Latest</strong> <strong>Developments</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>logistics</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>Due</strong> <strong>to</strong><br />

<strong>Robots</strong> & <strong>AW</strong> <strong>Solutions</strong><br />

Efficiency and expeditiousness of Warehouse <strong>logistics</strong> help you live up <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> cus<strong>to</strong>mer demands<br />

placed on your e-commerce s<strong>to</strong>re. To ensure that shipments are processed for delivery with<strong>in</strong><br />

m<strong>in</strong>imum time, you need <strong>the</strong> assistance of next-gen au<strong>to</strong>mated systems and <strong>logistics</strong> IT solutions.<br />

The nightmares associated with lack of a sufficient number of qualified staff would be a th<strong>in</strong>g of<br />

<strong>the</strong> past. <strong>Robots</strong> and au<strong>to</strong>nomous systems are go<strong>in</strong>g <strong>to</strong> have a major stake <strong>in</strong> your bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />

success <strong>in</strong> com<strong>in</strong>g days.<br />

Skill gap <strong>in</strong> <strong>logistics</strong> sec<strong>to</strong>r<br />

E-commerce s<strong>to</strong>res have no fixed time <strong>to</strong> accept orders. They have <strong>to</strong> rema<strong>in</strong> functional round<br />

<strong>the</strong> clock <strong>to</strong> cater <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> orders placed from different time zones. Experts who can handle <strong>the</strong><br />

<strong>logistics</strong> issues deftly are <strong>in</strong> short supply. German Confederation of Logistics has recently<br />

published a survey report which reveals that manpower and skill shortages are adversely<br />

impact<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> profitability and productivity of e-retailers. In <strong>the</strong> long haul, <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>adequacy of<br />

warehous<strong>in</strong>g staff would take its <strong>to</strong>ll on <strong>the</strong> success of companies.


Robotic <strong>in</strong>tervention<br />

The phenomenal leap <strong>in</strong> onl<strong>in</strong>e retail<strong>in</strong>g has mandated <strong>the</strong> presence of robots that can adroitly<br />

accept orders and manage <strong>the</strong> supply cha<strong>in</strong>. The <strong>in</strong>herent complications <strong>in</strong> <strong>logistics</strong> sec<strong>to</strong>r have<br />

prevented <strong>the</strong> implementation of robotic techniques although <strong>the</strong> same are prevalent <strong>in</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r<br />

<strong>in</strong>dustry verticals. Earlier, robots were expected <strong>to</strong> sift through limitless products along with<br />

human staff <strong>in</strong> conf<strong>in</strong>ed warehouse spaces. This attributed <strong>to</strong> failures of robots as programm<strong>in</strong>g<br />

logic was not <strong>in</strong> advanced sophisticated stages <strong>to</strong> confer such level of artificial <strong>in</strong>telligence. This<br />

challenge has been overcome through collaborative robots that can agilely work alongside<br />

people <strong>to</strong> pick orders, package products and assist <strong>in</strong> transportation.<br />

Many pilot projects have been launched <strong>to</strong> understand how robots can complement humans <strong>in</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> list of <strong>logistics</strong> management solutions. Activities that require repetitive nature of work can<br />

be effectively carried out by robots. These <strong>in</strong>clude cardboard package commission, removal of<br />

vacant pallets, pallet s<strong>to</strong>rage etc. Intelligent work like malfunction detect<strong>in</strong>g, remov<strong>in</strong>g flawed<br />

products etc. can still be done by human be<strong>in</strong>gs. <strong>Robots</strong> have <strong>the</strong>ir limitations and <strong>to</strong> vault over<br />

<strong>the</strong>m, you need <strong>to</strong> provide <strong>the</strong>m tasks related <strong>to</strong> processes that deal with products <strong>in</strong> perfect<br />

shape.<br />

Advantages of robots <strong>in</strong> <strong>logistics</strong><br />

You can reap profits by allocat<strong>in</strong>g robots for works that have pre-def<strong>in</strong>ed execution periods. This<br />

would significantly reduce <strong>the</strong> burden experienced dur<strong>in</strong>g peak hours. Au<strong>to</strong>mated product supply<br />

cha<strong>in</strong>s would be efficiently handled while humans would take care of manual jobs. The<br />

<strong>in</strong>vestments that you would make on robots can be offset by reduced wages cost and less<br />

premium payable for secur<strong>in</strong>g warehouse space.<br />

Concept of au<strong>to</strong>s<strong>to</strong>res<br />

Ano<strong>the</strong>r weak spot <strong>in</strong> <strong>logistics</strong> doma<strong>in</strong> is <strong>the</strong> availability of warehouse space. The au<strong>to</strong>s<strong>to</strong>re<br />

concept has been designed for sav<strong>in</strong>g space as well as fast-track <strong>logistics</strong> processes realistically.<br />

The concept of shelves has been done away with through <strong>in</strong>troduction of modular self-supportive<br />

alum<strong>in</strong>um stack b<strong>in</strong>s. Concurrently, <strong>the</strong> framework doubles up as rails for robots. Products are<br />

transported through au<strong>to</strong>mation of this cubicle system <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> place where merchandise load<strong>in</strong>g<br />

and unload<strong>in</strong>g takes place. Over here, a spontaneous control system is <strong>in</strong> place which is<br />

programmed by sophisticated warehouse management <strong>in</strong>formation. The program facilitates<br />

seamless coord<strong>in</strong>ation of au<strong>to</strong>mation <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> order pick<strong>in</strong>g system.<br />

Au<strong>to</strong>s<strong>to</strong>re solutions can be effectively implemented for <strong>logistics</strong> companies of various scales<br />

along with <strong>logistics</strong> IT solutions. Efficient management can br<strong>in</strong>g about a significant leap <strong>in</strong> sales.<br />

With<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> same s<strong>to</strong>rage space, <strong>the</strong> actual usable area can be simply doubled with robots<br />

expedit<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> order pick<strong>in</strong>g process. The modular nature of <strong>the</strong> warehouse ensures that <strong>the</strong><br />

s<strong>to</strong>rage capacity can be enhanced <strong>to</strong> keep pace with <strong>the</strong> needs of merchandise process<strong>in</strong>g.


Au<strong>to</strong>s<strong>to</strong>re can also be driven by stack access mach<strong>in</strong>e which is an au<strong>to</strong>mated system used for<br />

s<strong>to</strong>r<strong>in</strong>g and removal of conta<strong>in</strong>ers with<strong>in</strong> an agile conta<strong>in</strong>er system. The conta<strong>in</strong>er can be<br />

spontaneously removed from a stack by this mach<strong>in</strong>e through lift<strong>in</strong>g <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>to</strong>p for <strong>the</strong> purpose<br />

of res<strong>to</strong>ck<strong>in</strong>g.<br />

The bot<strong>to</strong>m l<strong>in</strong>e is that <strong>the</strong> sooner you accept <strong>the</strong> next-gen warehous<strong>in</strong>g technologies, <strong>the</strong> swifter<br />

would be your chances <strong>to</strong> <strong>amp</strong>lify your profit marg<strong>in</strong>s. It is high time that you embrace Au<strong>to</strong>S<strong>to</strong>re,<br />

driverless and robotic systems <strong>to</strong> turbocharge <strong>the</strong> efficiency of your <strong>logistics</strong> processes. With<br />

<strong>the</strong>se technologies, you are actually leverag<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> potential of your exist<strong>in</strong>g workforce. The<br />

holistic solutions are futuristic <strong>in</strong> nature. If you are scared <strong>to</strong> <strong>in</strong>vest <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>m, be prepared <strong>to</strong> fizzle<br />

out of <strong>the</strong> race by not be<strong>in</strong>g able <strong>to</strong> reta<strong>in</strong> your competitive edge. The processes are not meant<br />

<strong>to</strong> replace human workforce al<strong>to</strong>ge<strong>the</strong>r. Instead, <strong>the</strong>y are <strong>in</strong>tended <strong>to</strong> scope out avenues for<br />

improv<strong>in</strong>g coord<strong>in</strong>ation between humans and mach<strong>in</strong>es <strong>to</strong> take a retail bus<strong>in</strong>ess <strong>to</strong> newer heights<br />

of success. <strong>Robots</strong> can work tirelessly round <strong>the</strong> clock and can be efficiently deployed for<br />

activities that don’t require <strong>in</strong>telligent <strong>in</strong>terventions and are mono<strong>to</strong>nous <strong>in</strong> nature. Human<br />

experts would still be needed <strong>to</strong> look after processes where <strong>in</strong>tellectual <strong>in</strong>terventions are<br />

needed. Sav<strong>in</strong>g space <strong>in</strong> s<strong>to</strong>res and time <strong>in</strong> process<strong>in</strong>g would spell <strong>to</strong> be a w<strong>in</strong>-w<strong>in</strong> situation for<br />

all.

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