Why warehouses need to be automated

HomeWhy warehouses need to be automated

Warehouse automation leverages both digital and physical technologies to streamline repetitive tasks and intralogistics with minimal human intervention. By automating these processes, warehouses can significantly reduce labor-intensive work and simplify the management of the supply chain and production pipeline. Modern warehouses are evolving into augmented environments where mobile robots and humans collaborate to enhance efficiency and reduce the risk of accidents.

Warehouse automation can be broadly categorized into two key areas:

  • Digital Automation: Involves the integration of advanced technologies such as Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), software applications, cloud databases, AI/ML, and data analytics platforms. These tools optimize data management, decision-making, and operational efficiency.
  • Physical Automation: Focuses on the deployment of robotics, Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs), sortation systems, Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS), and other physical automation equipment. These technologies automate material handling, storage, and sorting tasks, reducing the need for manual labor and increasing operational throughput.
Why warehouses need to be automated

Why warehouses need to be automated

The rapid growth of e-commerce and rising customer demands have placed immense pressure on warehouses to keep up. Expanding the workforce is costly and can lead to congested spaces, making it difficult to maintain efficiency. Embracing technological advancements is the key to overcoming these challenges and optimizing warehouse operations.

Here are some of the key problems warehouses face without automation:

 

Delayed customers orders

Labor-intensive tasks with risk of accidents

Declining order fulfillment capacity

Inaccuracy in inventory management

Unorganized intralogistics

Decreasing customer satisfaction

Broken supply chain

Inability to optimize budget and workforce with fluctuating demand

Uninformed decisions due to scattered data

Traditional warehouses encounter several common issues daily, which impact both their revenue and profitability. To stay competitive and achieve operational efficiency, digital and physical automation are essential. Integrating mobile robotics and Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) with advanced Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) provides a strategic advantage. This combination helps warehouses effectively meet customer demands, exceed expectations, and enhance overall satisfaction.

 

Warehouse automation provides clear benefits from day one and offers a high return on investment.

1. Increased warehouse throughput – AGVs can handle efficient goods transport to and from selves without any error. It improves overall efficiency for inward and outward logistics.
2. Better resource utilization – Using mobile robots, you can offload repetitive and labor-intensive tasks from your employees and put them to more valuable tasks in the warehouse.
3. Reduced labor and operational costs – Manpower is becoming expensive day by day, and modern warehouses need more of it. Mobile robots minimize manual work and reduce operating costs.
4. Improved customer service – Warehouse automation helps efficiently process every customer order without any delay or delivery error. It increases customer satisfaction and builds trust.
5. Reduced handling and storage costs – Specialized AGVs can move and store goods in an optimized way across your warehouse aisles which is very hard for humans. So it not only optimizes your space utilization but drastically reduces handling and storage costs.
6. Reduced human error – Warehouse automation technology minimizes the chance of human error and avoids service disruptions. It also increases overall accuracy and ability to make informed decisions.
7. Increased productivity and efficiency – Mobile robots and AGVs can operate 24/7
without any tiredness to fulfill orders and manage inventory. It helps achieve ambitious
business goals by accelerating your supply chain.

8. Improved employee satisfaction – Since warehouse automation frees up employees from doing repetitive and mundane tasks, your overall employee satisfaction increases.
9. Enhanced data accuracy and analysis – Warehouse automation supports connected workforce with streamlined data from every process with maximum accuracy. It enables you to process and analyze data for business intelligence.
10. Reduced stockout events – Stockout is one major problem every warehouse faces due to manual data entry and human error. Warehouse automation minimizes the stockout events by relaying accurate inventory information to all stakeholders and systems.
11. Greater inventory control – With warehouse automation, not only can you efficiently move your inventory but also do an accurate forecast. It helps in the timely procurement and efficient management of existing inventory.
12. Improved workplace safety – Mobile robots for warehouse automation can perform risky material handling tasks in a very safe manner to avoid any accidents. It also helps keep humans away from transporting goods themselves, risking injury.
13. No shipping errors – Manual order processing is prone to shipping errors. It can ship different items than ordered to a customer. Mobile robots and automation software reduce the chance of it happening to almost zero.
14. Reduced inventory loss – Manual inventory handling risks the damage of goods, and manual data entry might miss the items in your warehouse, causing inventory loss. Warehouse automation minimizes this problem with safe handling and accurate inventory tracking.
15. Enhanced goods handling coordination- AGV fleet can efficiently coordinate with

Warehouse automation using WMS, mobile robots, and AGVs can support every aspect of order fulfillment, such as picking, packing, shipping, replenishment, returns, receiving, sorting, and put away. It also gives you the capability to forecast the demand and supply for greater control of your inventory and operational efficiency. Warehouse automation is the need of the hour for rapid, seamless, and cost-effective supply chain operations.

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