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January 2022

How Tech Has Revolutionized Warehouse Operations

How Tech Has Revolutionized Warehouse Operations
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There are various technological advancement in the world that has made all types of work easier for people.

Robots are amongst the world’s greatest inventions especially in the field of warehouse operations and industries.

Robots are state-of-the-art machines capable of doing the most extreme jobs in the world such as lifting heavy machines.

There is also software that can be used to perform some complex tasks. For example, you can use software for an inventory of flooring, decking, and also rough sawn wood in many different wood species.

However, that’s only a small fraction of how tech has revolutionalized warehouse operations. There’s more to it which we’ll tackle as we go along.

What are the latest technological trends in warehouse operations?

With COVID-19 hitting, e-commerce has grown dramatically, with consumers increasingly ordering items online rather than going to a store, and they want rapid delivery and easy returns.

To stay competitive in today’s market, you must operate your warehouses efficiently. So, here are some of the latest technological trends in warehouse operations:

Warehouse Management Systems

With more and more organizations digitizing their warehouse operations, warehouse management systems (WMSes) are becoming more vital. Companies use WMSs to keep track of moving parts inside the warehouse.

WMS applications include inventory management, putaway, order picking, replenishment, shipping, and labor management, according to Gartner’s 2020 Magic Quadrant for Warehouse Management Systems. WMS systems can increase warehouse productivity and lower costs.

Automation Technology

According to Saurabh Mehta, global head of markets, manufacturing, logistics, energy, and utilities at Cognizant, a consulting firm located in Teaneck, N.J., warehouse automation can help companies meet the new market demands.

He said automation can improve customer service. Due to the growth of warehouses and the number of SKUs, operations complexity is increasing. By automating, you can increase throughput and optimize space, resulting in faster delivery to customers.

Voice-Activated Technology

For warehouse workflow processes, more companies are turning to voice-activated technology instead of conventional scanning. However, expect more organizations will use a multimodal approach combining voice and barcode data collection.

A multimodal approach involves a worker picking up an item and feeding its information to a WMS using a headset. A handheld device with a barcode scanner can be used by an employee if the serial numbers are extremely long.

How has technology improved warehouse operations?

Several companies operate their own warehouses or distribution centers, but opening a new facility requires substantial capital.

Some companies use third-party logistics providers to handle warehousing, distribution, and logistics, while others use on-demand warehousing to secure additional space when needed.

Aside from securing additional storage capacity, warehouses are increasingly relying on technology innovations to provide fast, accurate delivery services.

Here’s how technology revolutionalized warehouse operation over the years:

  • Collaboration mobile robots, another automation solution for warehouses and distribution centers help keep warehouse associates on-task and improve order picking accuracy by guiding them through each task.
  • Using IoT, sensors, and barcode scanners, warehouses can digitize processes that were previously manual, time-consuming, and error-prone.
  • Nowadays, mobile devices have barcode scanning capabilities, thereby eliminating the need for dedicated barcode scanners. Warehouse associates can easily access software systems for real-time data access with cloud computing. GPS tracking reduces thefts and inventory losses. GPS also allows end-to-end supply chain visibility with real-time shipment tracking.
  • Warehouse robots increase efficiency and accuracy by augmenting human labor. As a result, robots reduce the physical strain on human workers, which improves morale and keeps them motivated. By enabling faster fulfillment of orders, they reduce the cost of overtime.
  • Data-driven processes supported by AI and machine learning are making a big impact on warehouses. Collaborative mobile robots, for instance, use machine learning and artificial intelligence to optimize work and pick routes in real-time, reducing unnecessary walking to increase productivity. Using collaborative mobile robots, associates can carry out multiple tasks in a single trip to the warehouse floor, and make rapid decisions based on the current work and warehouse conditions.
  • Drones are used to collect and enter the item location information into the WMS – a process up to 50 times faster than manual entry. In 2016, Walmart tested drones for inventory management, using sensor-equipped drones that flew through warehouse aisles and sent alerts for low stock levels and items that were not stocked.

Final Say on How Tech Revolutionalised Warehouse Operations

Innovations in logistics technology will surely continue to have a noticeable impact on the entire supply chain landscape well into the future.

In a challenging environment, warehouse operators who are willing to adopt new and effective capabilities will gain an edge.

In that sense, it is important to learn how to properly utilize technology to make warehouse operations more efficient and less costly.

Could The World Around Us Be More Accessible For the Visually Impaired

Could The World Around Us Be More Accessible For the Visually Impaired?
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Something that we can all agree on is that we all share a mutual fear of someday losing our eyesight. If you are someone that has already had good senses, then you may not appreciate just how much someone else would value the senses that you take for granted.

As you get older, both your eyesight and your hearing starts to decline, and this is just a natural part of life. However, for some people, these senses start to deteriorate much sooner than others. For those that are unlucky, these sensors are already in a poor condition from a young age and for some, these senses are something that they simply never had.

Poor eyesight in particular is becoming a growing problem. In Sweden alone, 15% of the population suffers from a condition that impairs their sight. Though this does not mean that they are completely blind, it does mean that they struggle with their sight.

When people think of blind people, they often lead with the presumption that people with visual impairments constantly have assistance to help them deal with their visual impairment. However, this is not the case. Most people with poor eyesight live completely independently, aside from the help of a guide dog or the occasional visit from a support worker.

Visually impaired people are just like everybody else and they crave independence and to be able to live a normal life, which they would not have if they had to depend on someone else. Because a lot of visually impaired people decide to go it alone, they really depend on the world around them to be accommodating to their condition.

We have come leaps and bounds in terms of providing accessibility for the visually impaired. In the past, there was almost nothing out there that could support visually impaired people living independently, which is why so many of them became dependent on the help of others. Though this is no longer the case, there is definitely room for improvement. Here is how the world could be more accessible for the visually impaired.

Tactile Guidelines

Something that a lot of blind people depend on to be able to navigate the streets is their walking stick. A walking stick can allow them to identify if there are any objects in front of them or if there are any inclines and declines ahead. However, their sticks are not enough to help them identify where they are.

Something that you may have noticed when walking out and about is bumps and lines on the paths. These are not just there as a style choice, they are actually tactile guidance systems for the visually impaired (taktile ledelinjer til svagtseende in Danish) and each pattern has its own meaning. For example, if there are bumps on the side of the pavement, that will indicate that a blind person is at a crossing.

Though these guidelines are extremely helpful, they are often neglected. They become worn down after time, which can make it hard for someone to notice that they are there. Many people are advocating for the current bumps to be replaced with metal versions, as these will stand the test of time and continue to be prominent, which means that they will be more accessible for the visually impaired. Metal tactile bumps will also make an audible sound when they are hit, which is great for visually impaired people that depend on sound a lot.

Traffic Lights

If you have ever stopped at a traffic light, it is likely that you have heard a ticking at the stop. If you have found yourself curious, it is likely that you have also felt the bottom of the stop sign, only to find a turning cog.

All of these features are in place to help the visually impaired cross busy roads. However, a lot of visually impaired people believe that these are very subtle and could be improved. For example, the ticking sound that they depend on to know whether or not it is safe to cross can easily be covered up by the sound of traffic and people chatting.

Not many people are comfortable touching the cog, especially after Covid and so many visually impaired people are asking for a better audio solution to crossing the road.