AUTOMATION & CONCEPT SELECTION
Which direction should we go?
Looking around for possibilities to automate your warehouse processes? Then you are no longer alone...
Due to the gigantic growth of E-commerce, warehouse automation is currently hot:
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Shortage of personnel in combination with rising wages
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Less and less time to collect and pack an increasing volume of smaller orders.
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The manual operation blocks.
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"my neighbor is automating as well..."
Does this also apply to your warehouse?
Then you could visit other companies that already have a nice shuttle system or mobile robots. Or do you let your team rank all forms of automation and invite all suppliers? We don't believe in this approach.
Break into smaller steps
In order to make the right choice and to use your time as efficiently as possible, we break your warehouse automation project into in three parts.
We start with a joint assessment of the strategic importance for the organization. So, why would you do this anyway? We fill in a ranking and give points to factors such as cost reduction, staff shortage, space saving and me too. If you score low on all factors, you may question whether automation is the right choice.
If you score above average, it is good to know which concept makes the most sense.
Concept selection model
And for this we have developed a model that compares both qualitatively and quantitatively different systems. We feed the model with data that we collect during a warehouse scan and logistics key figures that we filter from a concise data analysis. The quantitive comparison is based on expected annual costs for the following concepts:
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Manual basic concept with several order bins per pick cart (cluster picking)
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Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) in a Dynamic Zone Pick system
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AMRs in a Goods-to-Person concept (the original KIVA system)
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Shuttles (mechanisation)
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Autostore (hybrid)
With this comparison you can immediately see which concept(s) fit the operation best, of course strongly dependent on the number of operational hours per day, your own order structure, peaks, assortment and product dimensions, stock levels and of course the technological features of each concept. We have reduced a study path that normally takes six to eight weeks to three to four weeks.
The results are displayed in a single dashboard.
Stability
As the number of articles increases and (hopefully) the number of lines per day increases, other concepts may become interesting. Good to know before you start investing.
Our crystal ball gives an approximate insight into when the concept will break.
Design and supplier selection
That leaves one or two solutions to focus on.
Of course, we can then help you with a design, detailed calculations, finding the right suppliers and Project and Interim Management during and after implementation.