Requirements for making an automated warehouse

 Reducing operating expenses, overhead and unnecessary costs from errors

 Protecting the company’s assets, brand and reputation with customers and partners
 Increasing efficiency and productivity of human resources
 Minimizing manual processes and handling of stock keeping units (SKU)
 Maximizing warehouse space utilization, layout and flow
 Coordinating usage of material handling equipment (MHE), such as barcode scanners
and mobile computers
 Lower Costs
 Workforce Productivity & Retention
 Healthier Inventory
 Sustainable “Green” Practices

Warehouses contain different items identified as:

 (non-)consumable
 (non-)perishable
 fast/slow movers.

 The storekeeper is responsible for maintaining the quality of stored food items.
Storekeepers must highlight on the stock report any quality problems and all goods close
to the expiry date. The majority of non-food items can be stored in a non-optimal way for
several days without major damage, whereas food items deteriorate very quickly or
immediately.

 In food aid programmers, the loss of food due to bad storage conditions has direct
consequences for beneficiaries. Good storage techniques reduce the risks of food waste.
In addition, specific food quality management is required to detect any possible damage
and to take steps to halt any spoilage and consequent loss.

Automotive Industry Conveyor Features

A variety of materials are incorporated in our conveyors including steel, plastic, rubber and
fabric. Parts of a vehicle that the conveyors in this specific industry can handle are pallet loads of
cartons, vehicles during the assembly process, parts for the assembly line such as bumpers, seats,
or drivetrains.
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ROUTES

PALLETS

Benefits of Warehouse Automation

We already touched on one of the advantages of automated warehouses: speed. The quickest
human with the best memory will always fall behind an automated system that can identify the
locations of items in an order in real-time. Not only that, automated systems leverage optimal
routes that further boost the efficiency of product picking.

Decreasing Cost

Another valuable benefit of warehouse automation technology is cost-cutting across the board. It
is true that integrating automation systems isn’t cheap, but they quickly start to pay for
themselves. Although the upfront cost of adopting and implementing automation systems isn’t
cheap, it pays for itself in the long run. Paying manual labor quickly eclipses the costs of using
automation technology. In fact, a recent experiment comparing manual labor to automation has
shown that over two years manual labor carried a cost of $900,000 while automation was
significantly lower at $540,000. That’s the ROI for a fully automated operation!

This is especially true for retailers that have to deal with overtime during the busy holiday
seasons. When it gets close to the biggest order days of the year, overtime usage can spike as
employees log additional hours to help keep up with the busy season. With warehouse
automation in place, however, you can keep your machines running for a long time without
incurring an extra cost. After all, machines don’t have to worry about holiday spending money.

Maximizing Space

Last but not least, we come to maximizing space. This is a benefit that people don’t always
equate with warehouse automation. In reality, however, it’s one of the most significant
advantages automation provides. Space is a finite resource, especially in warehousing and
distribution facilities that are packed with all kinds of goods. Products create an ongoing game of
Tetris that becomes more difficult the more you grow.

Luckily, warehouse automation systems help maximize the available space. The real question is,
how? For one thing, most warehouse automation systems feature robots or other machines that
handle product retrieval and storage. This means that you can do away with the wide isles human
employees need to navigate pallet jacks as robots can travel efficiently in less spacious
environments. Automated warehouses let robots do all the heaving lifting with mobile shelves
they can re-orient as needed. Implementing robotics frees up valuable floor space, which makes
room for even more product storage.

Enhanced safety – Many warehouse automation systems bring the products to the worker, rather than
the worker going to the products. As a result, foot and equipment traffic throughout the facility is
decreased, enhancing overall warehouse safety. This can also reduce product damage by reducing the
need for warehouse staff to manually move products from location to location.

CHALLENGES
1. than you can at your warehouse, then your partners should perform these tasks and you should
pay them a little extra.
2. Don’t overlook the complexities of data migration. “If your company has been using a mix of
manual and semi-automated systems to manage warehouse activities for decades, then it has
likely racked up a good deal of data along the way. As with any technology implementation,
moving to a highly automated warehouse system will require a data migration (i.e., the process
of transferring data between storage types, formats or computer systems
3. Conduct regular audits of your systems. “In addition to daily maintenance, it is recommended
that you conduct an audit at least once every 12 months, regardless of the specific systems that
you have in place in your operation. Doing so allows you to identify relatively minor issues
(requiring minor repairs) before they turn into catastrophic issues (requiring major repairs, and
downtime in your facility).
4. Improve security with unique password-protected access to all data points in your
WMS. “Password-protect all data points in your warehouse management system. These may
include areas like receiving, picking, packing, and shipping and loading areas. Use unique
passwords and/or ID requirements.

5. Leverage electronic data interchange (EDI) to reduce errors. “Electronic Data

Interchange (EDI) is ‘the computer-to-computer exchange of documents in a standard
electronic format between business partners.’

“EDI can be used in a variety of ways within retail and wholesale businesses – especially
within the warehouse – and its benefits are wide ranging.

Install a high-speed, intelligent warehouse door system. “Modern automated

warehouses are designed to be efficient. As one of the busiest working areas within any
warehouse is the loading bay area, it makes sense that they are fitted with the best
automation technologies available.

6. Establish advanced shipping notifications (ASN). “This may seem like a no-brainer,
but many distribution centers still have not implemented electronically transmitted
 advanced shipping notifications (ASN). Relying on a ‘regular’ shipping & receiving
schedule can result in inefficiency throughout the distribution center.

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50 expert warehouse automation tips and best practices