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contingency – not only at peak season , but to cover shortfalls in staff due to recruitment challenges or sickness .
But why stop there ? Significant additional benefits can be achieved by integrating the AMRs into the operation . For example , is the business still reliant on paperbased information to prioritize the activity undertaken by both AMRs and staff ? Or manually checking package size to ensure each is allocated to the correct courier ? Is picking still undertaken based on written lists – either on paper or mobile devices ? Linking and automating one or more of these operations can deliver significant additional productivity benefits .
Step by step
Robots typically have the option of in-built fleet management software to ensure the vehicles are moving safely and efficiently around a facility . Additional benefits can be achieved by integrating the robot – with its picking arms , barcode readers , cameras or grabbing mechanisms – with the WMS or stock management system . The creation of custom warehouse execution software provides an end-to-end integration , where jobs are automatically optimized and AMRs and human staff work seamlessly together .
This is a significant development that needs to be customized to the specific software already in place . But while this is the ultimate goal , automation does not have to be done all at once . One example of simple integration is to use buttons to direct the AMRs to the appropriate locations – for example , press one for production , press two for stores , and so on . This easy software integration with fleet management allows a company to simply automate the orchestration of the AMRs .
A more sophisticated option is to integrate the AMR fleet management software with the WMS , adding Radio Frequency ID ( RFID ) tags on totes , for example , to automatically guide the AMR to the correct production line , conveyor or aisle to drop off or collect goods . This releases further time for staff to concentrate on added value activity , but the efficiency of the workforce can also be enhanced by adding a Pick to Light solution . Replacing the need for individuals to check pick lists with an intuitive model that uses lights to direct the robot to the next item to be picked , can improve the speed of picking threefold . It transforms accuracy and enables inexperienced staff to get up to speed quickly .
Planning ahead
The speed at which industrial robots are being deployed underlines the change in attitudes and confidence . However , it is important to understand the new timescales in place : global supply chain challenges have created significant shortages in AMR availability . The twelve-month lead time on new equipment is frustrating , but it also presents organizations with an excellent opportunity to assess operational priorities .
No business is looking for upheaval during peak season , but companies need
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