Technology is finding its way into all kinds of industries. Technology isn’t usually associated with being made use of in a warehouse environment, but as the logistics and distribution industries modernise, so do the warehouses. Technology is playing a bigger role than before, with technology from pallet scales to automated software being used to make warehouses safer, more efficient and more profitable. Here’s the essential smart technology that your warehouse needs.
- Automated picking tools. Manual picking might be the traditional method, but it allows room for human error and picking mistakes. All warehouses can benefit from automated picking tools, as these tools have near perfect picking rates. You can use voice automated order picking, robotic picking and barcoding options to integrate into your warehouse management software. Automated picking saves you time and money by creating less errors that need to be corrected.
- Automatic guided vehicles. AGVs can improve the retrieval process when integrated properly into your system. The structural integrity of AGVs is evolving rapidly as the technology improves, but even older models can be used effectively to improve workplace safety and a quicker ROI than manual labor. AGVs can be used for pallet, rack and other container storage, and to control and automate the retrieval process in a faster and more accurate way.
- Automated inventory control platforms. These platforms should be used alongside other warehouse technology, like inventory tags. They can then be used to reduce the amount of manual labor needed. They also reduce the need for guesswork in warehouses processes, saving you a lot of time in inventory control. Use these platforms to automatically count your inventory and generate data for fast and accurate reporting in real-time.
- Warehouse management systems. WMSs are important software system that control all of the important warehouse data and bring it into one platform where it can be easily accessed by internal staff and members of the supply chain. You can then use this data to fast reporting and more efficient planning which allows you to prepare for unexpected scenarios, making your warehouse run more smoothly.
- Internet of Things (IoT). The Internet of Things is not so much one piece of technology, but a concept to integrate throughout your warehouse. A smart warehouse can make use of IoT to control warehouse tasks both manual and automated. Optimise all your processes to get your warehouse data into one accessible network. Optimise your inventory control procedures, your labor planning and your customer experience. This technology can be used to fulfill orders more rapidly, driving up profits and customer satisfaction.
Boosting warehouse productivity with smart technologies
You can integrate a lot of different types of technology into your warehouse which can help your business in a lot of ways. This technology often comes in the form of automation, which can be used to improve employee safety in the warehouse by moving people off the warehouse floor, away from machinery that might cause injury. Automation is also useful for streamlining your warehouse processes, allowing to deliver more accurate results much quicker, with less mistakes. Automation can also deliver data for you to warehouse processes, making your business more efficient and more profitable.