Autonomous robots support the trend of direct unloading

Push-pull effect

Many warehouse and distribution center (DC) operators are eager to quickly deploy autonomous robots (AMRs) in their facilities. These businesses need to speed up order fulfillment and improve the flow of goods. However, they do not have enough workers to meet demand, especially during peak periods, and they need flexible automation solutions to augment their workforce.

While increased order volumes, shortened delivery times, and poor worker productivity are not always the cause of delays in picking, packing, and shipping processes, this becomes even more apparent when autonomous robots (AMRs) are deployed in downstream processes. Workers will have fewer miles to travel, allowing them more time to pick and pack more orders, resulting in significant increases in efficiency and productivity.

This is why responsible managers decided to conduct a comprehensive audit of their operations, where they found that the current receiving and replenishment processes were not automated in the above-mentioned ways, which was the root cause of efficiency and quality failures. Since the processes were still manual and labor-intensive, workers had difficulty receiving raw materials and incoming products for storage or transfer, even when forklifts and other machinery were used.

The huge volumes of cargo being handled daily are multiplying at a record pace while customer demand is exploding. So while the workloads of both front-end and back-end teams are equally impacted by the surge in orders, the back-end teams are performing better thanks to the support from AMR.

As a result, warehouse and DC operators are realizing that in order to move goods out of warehouses faster and in greater numbers, more AMRs need to be deployed in the inbound process. This balance is key to shortening the direct unloading cycles needed to keep up with the rapid pace of high-speed outbound operations.

Operators are increasingly recognizing the value of automatically delivering materials and goods to the right bin locations to maintain a steady flow of inbound goods to fulfillment locations. Without this task, receiving teams can focus on high-value tasks such as checking and scanning critical information into the warehouse management system (WMS).

Applying technology to warehouse operations helps businesses achieve high efficiency

Opportunities for warehouse operations businesses

Running a warehouse involves many complex processes that must be coordinated to work efficiently, accurately, and smoothly. If only one of the processes is optimized—as we saw with the imbalance between order fulfillment automation and no replenishment automation—the effort is wasted.

To meet the needs of users, delivery speed plays an important role as well as the role of product quality. Logistics services are one of the factors that determine consumer purchasing behavior and sales of e-commerce businesses. With the boom of online businesses, Vietnam's logistics and warehousing industry has many opportunities to develop.

However, flexible automation is a relatively new concept for many supply chain professionals, especially those who have been using fixed automation for decades. On-demand automation solutions, such as cloud-based AMR (autonomous robotics) or robotics as a service (RaaS), are very different from other automation platforms that require long-term commitments and large upfront investments.

Today, AMRs effectively support logistics operations, both outbound and inbound – ensuring the safe movement of raw materials, semi-finished goods, packaged goods, pallets of goods, and even recyclables to the right place at the right time. Put simply, if the unloading cycle is optimized with AMRs, the efficiency of the subsequent picking, packing, and shipping processes can be taken to new heights. When the entire facility runs like a machine, employees, shareholders, partners, and customers are satisfied and happy.

Details: https://www.zebra.com/ap/en.html

Bich Dao

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