Warehouse automation is becoming a necessary investment for all businesses. Today, we see more warehouses transition from dark and bulky buildings to smart, organised and technologically advanced spaces. In the modern era, warehouses are adopting ways to enhance performance and efficiency of services. Automated warehouses apply structure and patterns of technology such as Automated Storage and Retrieval System's (ASRS), and combine them with a Warehouse Management System (WMS). These work together to reduce manual work and to minimise human error.

What is Warehouse Automation? 

Warehouse Automation is the procedure of moving inventories in your warehouse using less human interaction. In supply chain, this makes execution much easier. Warehouse automation includes data management, stock control and a Warehouse Management System (WMS).

Warehouse Automation Types:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics is an advanced feature of warehouse automation. Other categories include:

Primary Automation

Primary Automation assists you with tasks like moving products. Automating these tasks helps lessen manual involvement, risk and injury.

System Automation

System Automation uses machine learning, robotics and data analysis to automate processes. It helps you to organise your data as well as ongoing daily management. 

Mechanised Automation

Robotic and mechanical automation picks the products and delivers them to human pickers.

Enriched Automation                                         

Enriched Automation uses robotic systems to replace labour-intensive work and processes. 

Automation Examples:

There are plenty of warehouse technology and systems available. The primary aim being to decrease manual work and to speed up processes. Following are examples of automation processes:

GTP: 

Put simply, ‘Goods to Person’ helps to reduce congestion. Through conveys and vertical systems, you can double the speed of warehouse picking.

Picking Voice:

Voice co-ordinated stockroom (also called Pick-by-Voice) is used for discourse acknowledgment programming and portable headsets. This framework informs workers how to pick or take care of an item.

Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems:

These methods include automated systems such as GTP (Goods to Person), as well as vehicles and mini loaders to store and retrieve products. Warehouses that have high volume space are more likely to use this system.

Automatic Guided Vehicles:

Automatic Guided Vehicles (AVG’s) require significantly more computing strength. The use of this system is limited to large, accessible warehouses modified with layered navigation.

Advantages to Automating Your Warehouse:

Automation improves overall warehouse operations, helps you run more efficiently and eliminates human errors. Here's some other examples of warehouse automation:

Decrease Human Handling and Costs

Robotic assistance helps you store products more safely. Without human handling, you can store products in more efficient and organised places, helping you save cost on storage area.   

Improve Productivity and Efficiency  

Reducing human labour and increasing Robotic Automation improves warehouse productivity. Skilled systems help you complete processes more efficiently and can also improve the consistency of your warehouse performance. 

Optimised Warehouse Space           

Warehouse Automation offers intelligent insight into your product and layout data, including available storage space. Space optimisation includes equipped area reports, free storage reports and more. 

Will All Warehouses Eventually Be Automated?

Warehouse Automation provides excellent advantages and systems for warehouses, and so it's expected that they will become an increasingly desirable choice to the manual alternative over the next few years.

At uTenant, we are more than happy to provide you with solutions when you are looking for options on Warehouse Automation.

Published: 23 August 2021