Artificial intelligence, cobots and machine learning are some of the technologies that will transform the warehouse.
Warehouses need to improve efficiency to remain profitable. This requires inventory accuracy and the rapid processing of orders at less cost.
The Chief Information Officer of logistics company OXO, Sandeep Sakharkar says:
“The ‘warehouse of the future’, as we’re calling it, brings together the latest technology under one roof. It creates a logistics command center that’s driven by innovation.”
The future of the warehouse is created by a partnership between the warehouse equipment manufacturer and developers of artificial intelligence devices. For example, collaborative robots, also known as cobots, work alongside human order pickers with picking trolleys to accurately locate and pick order items.
IBM is developing the Internet of Things (IoT) systems that use sensors to track items throughout the supply chain. They also provide real time data on the status of machinery and predict maintenance needs. This reduces machine downtime.
Robotics and automation are expensive and beyond the budget of many small to medium sized businesses. A fully automated warehouse may not be the most cost effective to upgrade a warehouse. If a warehouse business analyzes how they operate, areas where automation will improve efficiency and be affordable can be identified. This is where the investment in automation technology will make the most improvement.
The future of the warehouse is most likely a combination of a flexible human workforce aided by artificial intelligence technology applied to the key areas of the warehouse operation.
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