Distribution Center and Warehouse Automation Benefits
As demand for distribution centers grows and warehouses find themselves fulfilling an ever-increasing number of orders, the need for automated systems becomes evident. Warehouse automation can include both physical and digital systems that help reduce the workload faced by human staff members.
Freeing warehouse workers from repetitive but time-consuming duties enables them to focus on quality control and other skilled jobs that require real-time human judgment. enVista can help you overcome the challenges posed by a tight labor market and rising fulfillment costs by helping you find the right automation solutions for your needs.
enVista has a dedicated team of experts in robotics integration, labor management, warehouse design and systems implementation to help you project and model an optimal approach to your distribution center labor productivity and automation.
Digital automation in the form of warehouse management systems improves the efficiency of your inventory tracking, communication and stock management and can also improve the customer experience.
We also work with a variety of other warehouse automation technologies, including:
Automated Sortation Systems
Automated sortation systems identify inventory on a conveyor system and send it to a location in the warehouse using sensors, barcode scanners or RFID. This technology is helpful for many steps in the order fulfillment process, including receiving, picking and sorting, packing and shipping.
GTP (Goods-to-Person)
GTP fulfillment is a common choice to drive efficiency. This automation technology category includes vertical lift systems, conveyors and carousels that reduce the physical burden on your staff.
AGVs (Automatic Guided Vehicles)
AGVs use wires, sensors and magnetic strips to travel down fixed paths in warehouses. They work well in simple DCs with a lot of ground to cover. These tools can be used with IoT systems to help monitor the efficiency of your automation systems and identify bottlenecks.
AS/RS (Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems)
AS/RS includes automated equipment, such as tote shuttles, mini-loaders and material-carrying vehicles. This equipment is used to store, sort and pick inventory. Small warehouses with high inventory turnover benefit the most from automated storage and retrieval systems.
AMRs (Autonomous Mobile Robots)
AMRs use GPSs to find the most effective routes through a specific space. They utilize laser guidance technology to find and avoid obstacles so they can navigate safely through warehouses with a lot of human traffic. Our layout optimization services can help you integrate AMRs into your warehouse more effectively to ensure fast picking and reliable operations.
Voice Picking/Tasking
Also known as “pick-by-voice,” voice-directed warehouse technology uses speech recognition and mobile headsets. This technology finds optimized picking paths so employees quickly know the best way to find, pick and store inventory. Our services include design, implementation and training to help your team make the best use of these technologies in their workflows.
Put-to-Light & Pick-to-Light Technology
These types of warehouse technology use mobile barcode scanning devices connected to digital light displays. These lights tell employees where they can pick up or place inventory.
Combined, these systems can improve your throughput, elevate the customer experience, reduce wastage and shrinkage from missing orders and cut your labor costs by up to 15 percent.
Warehouse automation is often a major step toward scaling your operations, improving communication between sites and supporting faster fulfillment. Warehouse automation can also improve ROI in your facility. Over the lifespan of the systems, your distribution center automation tools should easily earn themselves out with lower staffing costs and increased capacity.
Freeing warehouse workers from repetitive but time-consuming duties enables them to focus on quality control and other skilled jobs that require real-time human judgment. enVista can help you overcome the challenges posed by a tight labor market and rising fulfillment costs by helping you find the right automation solutions for your needs.
enVista has a dedicated team of experts in robotics integration, labor management, warehouse design and systems implementation to help you project and model an optimal approach to your distribution center labor productivity and automation.
Digital automation in the form of warehouse management systems improves the efficiency of your inventory tracking, communication and stock management and can also improve the customer experience.
