Episode 352: Hopstack
The New Warehouse welcomes Vivek Singh, Co-Founder of Hopstack, a software platform that automates and optimizes warehouse operations. Vivek founded Hopsack to bridge the gap between legacy systems and new software for modern e-commerce businesses by creating an open digital operating system that is agile enough to accommodate omnichannel strategies. Hopstack ensures its software meets the complexity introduced via automation in fulfillment operations, such as pre-built integration capabilities for robotic hardware devices like pick-to-light devices or picking robots. Be sure to tune in to learn about software in the fulfillment space, how it’s been changing over the recent years, and how some gaps between legacy systems and new software are being closed. Key Takeaways Vivek refers to Hopstack’s software as a warehouse operating system. He explains that larger companies may employ five to six different types of software, such as a warehouse management system (WMS), Warehouse Execution System (WES), Inventory Management System (IMS), order fulfillment software, etc. This isn’t practical for small and medium-sized businesses (SMB), making a system like Hopstack that can perform all those functions in one package is ideal for SMBs. Vivek shares that companies transitioning from legacy systems into modern cloud-based solutions like Hopstack have seen 30-40% benefits in terms of efficiency, order lead times, and the number of orders fulfilled daily. Hopstack’s system allows for native connectivity with picking robots and requires less implementation time than traditional systems, taking as little as 8-10 weeks on average. Many companies are reluctant to abandon their legacy systems because they cannot afford to have their operations negatively impacted by a lengthy implementation process. Vivek believes that having a software system to run fulfillment is no longer a “nice-to-have” but a necessity to operate in today’s environment. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 352: Hopstack
FORTNA HC-Loop Double Cell sorter wins Product of the Year award
Fast, accurate cross-belt sorter offers a solution for small items with the flexibility to handle larger items, too FORTNA, an automation and software company for the full logistics value chain, has announced that the company’s HC-Loop Double Cell cross-belt sorter is a 2022 Product of the Year, voted the top product in the conveyors and sortation category by readers of Material Handling Product News and MaterialHandling247.com. The product award win is the first since MHS Global and Fortna combined in 2022 to create a single brand, FORTNA. The HC-Loop Double Cell, which offers a maximum throughput of 4,500 parcels per hour and up to 99.9% divert accuracy, features an innovative design that enables it to efficiently sort a wide range of parcel sizes. The sorter uses sections of two cross-belt cells that can work together to handle a large item or independently to handle two smaller items simultaneously for increased system capacity. This flexible approach allows the sorter to accommodate items as small as 2.95-by-2.95-by-0.11 inches, such as flyers and polybags, as well as packages as large as 33.46-by-25.59-by-25.59 inches. “E-commerce and omnichannel fulfillment are driving highly diverse product mixes, an increasingly common challenge for operations,” said Andy Carter, Director of Business Development, North American Sales, FORTNA. “This award-winning cross-belt sorter equips operations with the versatility to handle that large array of shapes and sizes with a single system while maximizing speed and accuracy.” The precise divert of the HC-Loop Double Cell enable the use of narrower chutes, allowing greater chute density and a reduced total system footprint while achieving a high level of sortation accuracy. An intelligent induction system works to increase the utilization of available sorter cells by booking them in advance for target parcels, helping operations reach high rates while using a single compact induction line. “In today’s climate, our customers need to be ready for anything, adapting to disruption and fast-changing market conditions,” says Rob McKeel, CEO, of FORTNA. “The versatility and efficiency of the HC-Loop Double Cell sorter exemplify our commitment to best-of-breed automation technologies that serve as the building blocks for scalable, cost-efficient operations for our customers.” Sensors placed along the sorter track and within each cell constantly monitor the overall system status and individual components. Through predictive analytics, FORTNA can detect when a system failure might be imminent and proactively alert maintenance teams to help avoid unnecessary downtime – especially critical in fast-paced environments like parcel and e-commerce.
Episode 350: A2Z Drone Delivery
The New Warehouse welcomes Evan Hertafeld, Co-Founder of A2Z Drone Delivery. A2Z Drone Delivery develops cutting-edge technology to provide tailored solutions for their customers, allowing them to extend beyond what was previously thought possible in this space. They recently collaborated on humanitarian efforts to deliver food and supplies to otherwise unreachable areas impacted by catastrophic storms. Be sure to tune in to find out when we will see drones delivering packages on a large scale and how that changes the warehouse environment. Key Takeaways Evan shares that A2Z’s state-of-the-art delivery winch technology was the first of its kind to enter the commercial market. He adds that while this product opened many doors for the company, they’ve also stayed keenly in tune with the customer to refine their technology for optimal use in various industries. He also notes that pilot projects are underway where consumers can order items via an app and have the items delivered by drone. However, regulation remains a significant hurdle as it takes a lot of expertise and paperwork for companies or individuals to fly beyond line-of-sight. Additionally, the cost is another prohibitive factor preventing widespread adoption. Evan explains what is needed to overcome these hurdles. Recently, A2Z deployed its drones in Florida following natural disasters and partnered with local operators Zing Drones to provide much-needed humanitarian relief. The mission aimed to deliver meals and other essentials to those affected by the disasters quickly, efficiently, and safely. Local regulators supported the program and waived some legal requirements to make the process faster and smoother. As more companies use drones for humanitarian purposes, it is clear that this technology can be an essential tool for providing aid during natural disasters. Evan believes the warehouse space is the perfect place to investigate and develop drone delivery technology in terms of hardware and automation. Any drone testing can be conducted freely and safely without adhering to external regulations. As a warehouse manager, you have complete control over the environment inside the building. Additionally, an operator can closely monitor the drone’s activities. Since the area is enclosed, there is no risk of outside interference or disruption, allowing for even more controlled conditions and increased reliability. Evan finds these characteristics within the warehouse space provide an ideal environment for researching and incubating drone delivery technology. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 350: A2Z Drone Delivery
Warehouse Automation: Despite short-term pains, Long-term growth expected
The warehouse automation was valued at $36 billion in 2021 Ukraine-Russia war, inflation, and Amazon expected to stunt growth in 2022 and 2023 Long-term, the market will return to healthy growth, reaching $77 billion by 2027 The global warehouse automation market was valued at $36 billion in 2021 and is forecast to grow to $77 billion by 2027. The industry has undergone a series of shocks this year that resulted in a slight decline in order intake in 2022. However, in the mid-to-long term, we expect a return to healthy growth with an estimated CAGR of 13% between 2021 and 2027. According to the latest research from Interact Analysis, there are four major factors having an impact on the market in the short term – the Ukraine-Russia war, lower investment by Amazon, changes to commodity prices, and rising inflation rates. The war in Ukraine is having a negative impact on the whole of Europe, but in particular durable manufacturing in Eastern Europe. Investments in warehouse automation from manufacturing facilities in Eastern Europe have seen an uptick in recent years, especially with the trend toward near-shoring. However, we’ve heard during our research that many companies have reportedly postponed their investments as a result of the ongoing conflict. Europe invested heavily in automation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent labor shortages, but since the war in Ukraine, this trend has started to slow in some parts of the continent. However, in the long term out to 2027, growth is still expected to remain high for the warehouse automation market: at a CAGR of 10-12%. The conflict has also indirectly influenced rising interest rates and inflation. As consumer spending slows, retailers will likely tighten their purse strings and potentially postpone large-scale automation projects until a more stable economic environment has been reached. Amazon is also having a negative impact on the market. Earlier this year, Amazon announced a slowdown in its fulfillment center expansion, which is having a direct impact on the company’s warehouse automation spending activity. In 2022, it is estimated that it is spending on such projects will reduce by 30%, followed by a fall of 20% in 2023. Given how much of the market is driven by Amazon, a slowdown in investments will reduce overall revenue growth. Furthermore, companies that have typically been exposed to Amazon will now be looking elsewhere for business which will likely increase competition and potentially erode margins. Rueben Scriven, Research Manager at Interact Analysis adds, “Mobile robots have become the most significant trend in the automation market in recent years. By 2027, they will account for 30% of total warehouse automation revenues, equating to around $14 billion. “Although mobile robots are thought to be displacing fixed automation alternatives, this isn’t necessarily the case. They are often opening up new market opportunities, which would otherwise have remained manual. This type of technology is best suited to situations that require flexibility and scalability, whereas fixed automation is more appropriate in scenarios where increased throughput is the main goal.”
Hy-Tek Intralogistics acquires Winchester Industrial Controls
Hy-Tek Holdings (Hy-Tek), a portfolio company of Dunes Point Capital, LP (DPC), has acquired Winchester Industrial Controls LLC (“Winchester”). Winchester, located in Bristol, CT, is a provider of control systems and installation for automated material handling systems. Hy-Tek, doing business as Hy-Tek Intralogistics, is a material handling automation integrator serving clients in diverse end-markets and applications, including eCommerce, third-party logistics, and parcel. The acquisition was announced by Hy-Tek’s CEO, Sam Grooms. “Hy-Tek’s acquisition of Winchester Controls broadens our offerings as the predominant player in material handling. With the addition of Winchester Industrial Controls’ highly experienced team, Hy-Tek further enhances its ability to execute concurrent large-scale projects in support of our enterprise logistics platform, ” said Grooms.
ETEL’s new Magnetic Tracks for Linear Motors enable more force with no redesign
Offering a track with stronger magnets for their linear motors than previously available, ETEL introduces the new MWD+. This magnet-track family is compatible with any existing LMG and LMS linear motor from ETEL, enabling up to 15% higher continuous and peak forces compared to the existing MWD product. With the option of more powerful magnets, ETEL is providing a way for customers to give a performance boost to their LMG or LMS linear motors without needing to do any redesigns. All MWD+ magnetic tracks share the exact same physical profile as their MWD counterparts. Because of this, a user can easily increase performance by either upgrading to MWD+ or going from the LMG to an LMS motor that has extra height but otherwise shares the same mechanical profile and magnet tracks. Both of these options allow ETEL component users to increase the performance of a system with minimum mechanical changes. As part of the HEIDENHAIN Group, ETEL now offers this MWD+ with benefits that translate into higher force density per unit volume, allowing either to improve the overall duty cycle or to run a given duty cycle at lower temperatures.
Nucor Warehouse Systems announces Reed Reynolds’ promotion to Commercial Director
Nucor Warehouse Systems (NWS) has promoted Reed Reynolds to Commercial Director effective Jan.1, 2023. In this new position, he will be the head of all sales teams for NWS. Reynolds previously joined the team as the Chief Operating Officer of Hannibal in 2018 and after Nucor acquired Hannibal in 2021, he became the Division Manager. Reed played a pivotal role in growing the business along with the acquisitions of Hannibal and Elite Storage Solutions, and ultimately the transition of Nucor Warehouse Systems. “I’m grateful for this opportunity to help move Nucor Warehouse Systems’ goals forward in this new capacity,” said Reynolds. “Nucor Warehouse Systems has a team of top-level professionals who do the best job on every project and I can’t wait to see what we will accomplish together, in the days ahead.” Prior to his time at Nucor Warehouse Systems, Reynolds worked at California Steel Industries (CSI) for 14 years in various leadership roles in the commercial group and was sales manager when he left CSI in 2018.
Signode unveils global flagship facility in Roselle Illinois
Signode’s Automation and Packaging Technologies division celebrated the opening of their new global flagship facility with the Mayor and other officials from the Village of Roselle, commemorating the occasion with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The 360,000-square-foot structure, located at 1600 Central Avenue in Roselle, Illinois, is the new location for its Automation and Packaging Technologies (APT) division and will feature a state-of-the-art customer experience center, training facility, and expanded equipment manufacturing capabilities. “Roselle is proud to welcome Signode’s state-of-the-art facility to our community, and we look forward to a collaborative relationship to further industry and workforce development together,” said Roselle Mayor David Pileski. As a global manufacturer of innovative packaging and warehouse automation solutions, Signode relocated its APT operations from Glenview to Roselle. The new facility encompasses manufacturing for a broad portfolio of equipment and houses division leadership, sales, customer support, marketing, product management, innovation, research & development, application engineering, operations, and reliability services. “This facility is well-suited to support the APT team now and for the coming years,” said Eric Christensen, Group President at Signode. “As a leader in the transit packaging industry, our capabilities and services extend beyond product offerings. This new space will allow us to better innovate and serve our clients’ needs for automation and optimized packaging solutions.” In addition to manufacturing and office space, over 100,000+ sq ft is dedicated to a new customer experience center that will feature meeting space, a showroom for product demonstrations, a certified test laboratory to optimize packaging designs, and a training space for Signode’s Reliability Services team of field service technicians as well as customer partners and other employees. “We aspire to optimize every customer’s packaging investment, and this new experience center will aid us in delivering on that standard,” said Mike Stein, Signode’s Vice President, Sales, Marketing and Product Management.
Cornerstone Automation Partners with Richard S. Burns & Company Inc. to Automate Patented Recycling Sortation Process for LEED Compliance
With the increasing emphasis on sustainability and recycling, Richard S. Burns & Company Inc. invented a patented system to help companies meet and document LEED Certification requirements. Cornerstone Automation was hired to automate portions of the process making it more sustainable and efficient Cornerstone Automation, a control system integration company based in Telford, PA, has announced the successful completion of the patented Tommy Cart® sortation solution for Richard S. Burns & Company Inc. Cornerstone’s role in automating their unique process included collaboration on the development of the software and designing and implementing the industrial controls required to manage the sortation of thousands of tons of construction waste and materials a day. Richard S. Burns & Company Inc. is a complete recycling and waste recovery facility out of Philadelphia, PA. They patented the Tommy Cart® solution, a highly maneuverable and effective alternative to dumpsters to provide a better alternative for loading out debris for any job site. The Tommy Cart® solution utilizes an automated lift and conveyor sortation system that tracks the collection and weights of all commodities and debris. Their one-of-a-kind process takes the weights of full individual bins of sorted commodities for each individual customer so that they have documentation to prove they are in compliance with LEED Certification requirements. Previous methods to track and weigh materials were not as accurate, and the manual sortation was much more cumbersome. “Cornerstone goes above and beyond the call of duty,” said Allen Burns, President of Richard S. Burns & Company Inc. “They’re a very resourceful group of people, and they’re very knowledgeable. They bring a lot to the table and the word “resourceful” just continually comes to my mind. Anytime we reach out to them they have an answer whether it’s something to do with our system or how to run better equipment.” “We were excited to work with Richard S. Burns & Company Inc. to automate their sortation process and are thrilled with its success,” said Alan Ferrin, President of Cornerstone Automation. “Automating portions of this process makes it more sustainable and efficient. This innovative solution ultimately costs less because it removes so much of the manual process, and is more accurate in terms of reporting than manually sorting all of that material.”
Signode to present end-to-end Automation and Packaging Solutions at PACK EXPO 2022
Signode will be featuring its “end-to-end” solutions at PACK EXPO 2022, to be held at McCormick Place in Chicago from October 23-26, 2022. Connected with live-stream video feeds, Signode will have booths in both the South Hall (Booth S-3742) and North Hall (Booth N-6015). Attendees will get a true feel for the packaging journey and the organization’s ongoing partnership with its global customers through Signode’s highlighted automation and packaging technologies. “The demand for increased automation is derived from multiple supply chain trends and challenges, but what it comes down to is our customers can’t afford for their product to be damaged before it gets to their customers,” said Mike Stein, Vice President, Marketing and Product Management, Signode. “Alongside a robust service team to help customers maintain and optimize their investment, Signode is able to provide a complete automation solution to maximize productivity, throughput, and uptime across industries.” Signode’s comprehensive suite of automated packaging equipment, tools, consumables, and warehouse automation solutions provide crucial support to the organization’s global consumers. The dual-booth Signode experience will provide a detailed look at how the organization serves the supply chain. The journey begins at booth S-3742 in the South Hall, where visitors have the opportunity to learn about the automated packaging solutions Signode provides to pack, unitize and protect products prior to transit. Among the solutions present, the PackPoint automated packaging system, LDX RTB 4.0 Semi-Automatic Random Case Sealer, Multi FleX1 Electric Hooder, and Signode’s Simplimatic® Pallet Transfer Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) will be featured. The PackPoint system combines five job functions into one, providing forming, packing, sealing, printing, and labeling all in one compact, streamlined unit. Configured to match production requirements, this system can be integrated with robotic picking and packing technology to increase efficiency. With belt speeds up to 155 feet per minute, the LDX-RTB 4.0 Semi-Automatic Random Case Sealer features patented technology that enables the processing of void-filled and over-stuffed cases with a pneumatic top cartridge. The robust design enables simplified maintenance and features case-hardened rollers and nonmechanical side rail actuation while delivering long performance and durability in the most demanding applications. The Multi FleX1 Electric is the latest addition to Signode’s popular Lachenmeier® brand of stretch hooders used around the globe for load containment. Featuring an electrically operated stretch frame and film handling system, its overall smaller footprint means that the Multi FleX1 Electric can also maximize valuable production floor space and be placed closer to a facility’s perimeter. Signode’s Simplimatic Pallet Transfer Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) is a fully integrated autonomous mobile robot (AMR) with a transfer conveyor. It facilitates easy integration of autonomous transfer pallets and gaylords in an existing facility. This system is made to dock to end-of-line roller or drag chain transfer conveyors and transfer loads automatically. It navigates autonomously throughout the facility without the aid of lines or magnetic strips and will actively reroute itself around obstructions in its path. Additionally, Signode will showcase a wide range of popular protective packaging options. From components used inside the box – providing edge and corner protection, cushioning, and crush resistance to products – to load-securing dunnage products safeguarding them through the entire transportation journey. Some of the protective product brands attendees will see highlighted include Shippers Dunnage Airbags, Multi-Wall Honeycomb, Angleboard® Edge Protection, and GatorStrap® Composite Lashing. In addition to the Signode solutions featured in the South Hall, the transit journey continues in booth N-6015 in the North Hall. Here, Signode will feature its end-of-line automation solutions for palletizing and storing products. Featured solutions include Signode’s Simplimatic® Essential Compact and Mixed Palletizers, the newly enhanced cart-based StorFast® ASRS system, and Signode’s Simplimatic® Universal Material Transfer Autonomous Mobile Robot. Signode’s Simplimatic Essential Compact and Mixed Robotic Palletizing Systems are engineered to load single or multiple pallets simultaneously. Signode offers palletizers in both conventional multi-axis as well as force-limiting collaborative varieties with payloads available ranging from .5 kg up to 700 kg depending on project need. All robotic palletizers are available with custom recipes to allow a single cell to handle multiple SKUs with variable stacking patterns. The StorFast ASRS system now operates at twice the speed, with improved control for acceleration and deceleration of the robotic carts. In addition, StorFast components can now handle pallets weighing up to 4,400 pounds and cold environment applications down to minus 13 degrees Fahrenheit. Signode has the capacity to design a complete operating system, with the StorFast ASRS system at its core, that manages the location of every pallet for optimal pallet flow and easily integrates with customers’ Enterprise Resource Planning, Order Fulfillment, and Warehouse Management Systems. The Simplimatic Universal Material Transfer Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) is a fully integrated AMR with a transfer conveyor. It facilitates the easy integration of autonomous transfer of tray, tote, pallets, boxes, and other materials in an existing facility. This system is made to dock to end-of-line conveyors or workstations and transfer the materials automatically. It can autonomously navigate throughout a facility without magnetic strips or lines and will reroute around obstructions. Companies of all sizes benefit from Signode’s Packaging Plus® Reliability Services Team. Employing more than 500 field service engineers and technicians around the world, they have the expertise provided by ongoing training and the latest technology tools to keep them efficient, effective, and engaged on behalf of the organization’s customers. As in the holistic approach to devising automation solutions, the Packaging Plus Reliability Services Team engages with customers to develop preventive, protective, and comprehensive care using a specially designed Performance Assessment Report.
Episode 314: The New Peak with 6 River Systems
Welcome to The New Warehouse podcast. In this episode, Kevin is joined by John Evans, Sr. Customer Success Manager/3PL Team Lead at 6 River Systems. 6 River Systems is a solutions provider offering wall-to-wall solutions for warehouse operations of all shapes and sizes. They’re a company that is constantly striving to make warehouses more efficient with flexible, user-friendly, and innovative products. John and Kevin discuss all things peak and how 6 River Systems helps customers address labor challenges and conquer the peak season. Key Takeaways Kevin and John discuss how peak season has changed since the pandemic. They emphasize the importance of data in forecasting peak season and preparing for it. John notes that organizations are becoming better prepared for peak season, partly due to lessons learned from the pandemic. He cites partnering upstream as an example of how businesses try to learn from the past to better cope with future challenges. John discusses the mission to empower associates by making them bigger, faster, stronger, and happier with the help of collaborative robots like Chuck. Collaborative robots are not displacing jobs but empowering the workforce to achieve productivity faster. With a system-directed user experience, the Chuck robot will direct the associate through their workflows with instructions on the screen. The Chuck collaboration speeds up the onboarding process for new associates and helps operations managers to achieve productivity faster and easier. John shares they are seeing new hires achieve a 90% productivity rate within seven days of hire. John shares how important it is for employees to understand their roles within the company and where they fit in the team. Not only a deep understanding of their day-to-day tasks but what are their larger goals like what their manager expects of them each day. They want to see they have a career path of some sort. John shares a story of one such company that displays all of its workflows and a clearly defined training plan for all employees to see. They don’t see a ton of turnover because there’s that career opportunity that they’ve fostered within their building with the transparency that each associate gets. 6 River is working towards empowerment through gamification and making the system fun. John sees the secret to creating a happy and engaged workforce is providing a clear career path, having cool systems in place such as collaborative robots, and making the work simple. Collaborative picking provides a unique employee experience that allows small and medium companies an edge in retaining and attracting talent beyond increasing wages. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 314: The New Peak with 6 River Systems
Episode 313: Zebra Technologies at MODEX 2022
From the booth at MODEX 2022, Todd Boone, Director of Product Management Robotics and Automation at Zebra, joins Kevin for this week’s episode of The New Warehouse podcast. Zebra is a company that has been around for over 50 years and operates in over 100 countries. They offer a wide range of hardware, software, services, and digital solutions to help businesses automate workflows. In this episode, Todd discusses Zebra’s warehouse solutions which include everything from printers to the equipped worker to Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR). Key Takeaways While many people know Zebra as a printing company, Todd points out they offer so much more from machine vision technologies, data capture, sensors, and a variety of other technologies that provide insights customers need. Todd shares Zebra’s unique booth experience at MODEX 2022. Instead of the typical display of products, they created a process flow in the booth with an overhead walkway. Guests could walk through and see which products were involved at different points of the process and get a visual of what insights they could gather from when something is picked until it is shipped out. MODEX 2022 presented one of the first opportunities for people to get together since Zebra’s acquisition of Fetch robotics. While AMRs are a new product for Zebra, Todd feels they are a natural fit for the solutions they provide and a benefit for customers to have one single vendor offer multiple complimentary solutions. Todd explains that most customers are seeing robotics as a complementary worker and not a replacement. Todd explains how the technology they are deploying are tools to empower workers and allow them to perform their jobs at a higher productivity level. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 313: Zebra Technologies at MODEX 2022
AutoScheduler to present at CSCMP Edge 2022
AutoScheduler.AI, an innovative Warehouse Management System (WMS) accelerator, announces it will be presenting and exhibiting at the annual CSCMP Conference in September 2022. Keith Moore, CEO of AutoScheduler will present with Ron Sweet, Customer Supply Chain Senior Manager, Kimberly-Clark, “Smarter & Faster: Your WMS on Steroids with Decision Support,” in September 19, 2022, from 4:00 – 5:00 PM. At CSCMP, AutoScheduler’s Smarter & Faster: Your WMS on Steroids with Decision Support will cover real-world examples of how WMS decision support systems can optimize warehouse operations and help the WMS make better decisions. Attendees to the presentation will learn: What a WMS is good at doing and what it is not How constraints and schedules complicate warehouse planning Activities that are improved within the warehouse What is the perfect operational plan “Many distribution sites and warehouses struggle to manage and plan their labor requirements while maximizing capacity and maintaining high fill rates,” said Keith Moore, CEO of AutoScheduler.AI. “Our solution helps a Warehouse Management System (WMS) work smarter and faster by using AI and optimization to create perfect operational plans.” As CEO of AutoScheduler.AI, Keith Moore focuses on bringing the future of technology into warehousing. He works with the top 10 Consumer Goods, Beverages, and Distribution companies to drive efficiencies and create value. Ron Sweet has held a wide array of Supply Chain roles, including site manager for two large Distribution Centers, private fleet manager, and manager for production planning and deployment teams. He also led implementations of SAP Sales & Distribution, Demand Planning, Production Planning, and Deployment. Ron worked with Tom Moore, Founder of AutoScheduler, on the application design and implementation of the Supply Chain Innovation they’ll be presenting at the CSCMP EDGE conference this year. CSCMP Edge 2022 will be held September 18 – 21, 2022, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, TN. In Booth #412, AutoScheduler will showcase its intelligent warehouse resource planning and optimization platform. To request a meeting with AutoScheduler at the show, email sales@autoscheduler.ai.
Emerson’s Next-generation Machine Visualization Solution differentiates OEM Systems and improves user operations
PACSystems RXi HMI delivers visualization for the digital age: intuitive graphics, smartphone-like usability, collaboration from anywhere, and industrial ruggedness Machine builders in any industrial application can now use Emerson’s PACSystems™ RXi HMI, a next-generation machine visualization solution designed to help set their systems apart for customers. The new system easily helps users overcome the limitations of lower budgets, fewer people, and higher productivity demands. This highly intuitive human-machine interface (HMI) addresses the needs of today’s industrial workforce with easy-to-use, smartphone-like graphical displays without sacrificing rugged, industrial performance. Unlike traditional resistive displays, PACSystems RXi HMI is designed with projective capacitive touchscreen technology that allows users to interact with the visual display with 10-point multitouch capabilities like swipe, pinch or zoom to move to the next screen or expand a chart, enabling easy operation by a wide range of personnel with varying levels of training and experience. PACSystems RXi HMI comes pre-loaded and pre-licensed with the advanced Movicon™ WebHMI software, so the device is conveniently ready to operate out of the box, saving the customer time. PACSystems RXi HMI is HTML5-ready which allows users to collaborate from anywhere so that the operations, management, and maintenance teams can all view the same screen at the same time, no matter the distance. This immediate sharing of information and access to expertise reduces maintenance costs and improves productivity. In addition, customers will value the faster access to data-based operational insights to maximize overall equipment effectiveness. The PACSystems RXi HMI, with Movicon WebHMI at its core, is IIoT-ready for data analysis, troubleshooting, and diagnostics, placing the operational insights customers need at their fingertips. A data trending tool provides a clear snapshot of productivity and quality. The SQLite database tool and PAC analyzer help users troubleshoot problems and minimize downtime. In addition, it provides extensive protocol support with OPC UA for better data contextualization and MQTT for easy cloud connectivity, so the solution goes far beyond visualization. “Machine builders and OEMs are no longer ‘one and done’ suppliers to their customers. Today, they become long-term collaborators by developing new and better ways to solve customer problems,” said Jeff Householder, president of Emerson’s machine automation solutions business. “The new PACSystems RXi HMI is an easy, cost-effective way to add significant customer value to a system by enabling new levels of ease of use, increasing productivity, speeding communications, improving analytics and business intelligence capabilities, and easing the move into IIoT. In every way, the RXi HMI is built for real industrial environments as well as the next generation of industrial workers.” PACSystems RXi HMI protects against both physical and digital risks. It offers protection in wet applications with certifications for both high-pressure water jets and marine use with an IP66 water resistance rating, as well as being approved for use in a wide range of temperatures from minus 20 to 65 degrees Celsius. In addition, the device is resistant to chemicals, impact, scratches, and dust. It is also designed in accordance with IEC 62443 Global Automation Cybersecurity Standards to support end users’ overall digital security strategy.
EP 297: Procensis and the importance of user interface in the warehouse
We are coming to you live from the Procensis Solution Center for this week’s episode of The New Warehouse. My guest this week is Aaron Bolton, a founding member, and CTO at Procensis. Procensis provides solutions focusing on the latest technologies using mobile and wearable computing devices. In this episode, we discuss the evolution of user interfaces and their impact on the warehousing industry. Key Takeaways We reflect on the good old days of Telnet and Greenscreen compared to the Procensis modern interface and how the horsepower of today’s devices allows for a much more flexible user interface than in the past. We have certainly come a long way in user-friendliness. For those interested in reducing training time and speeding up the onboarding process, fun and easy-to-use interfaces cut training time from weeks or months down to days or hours. The Procensis interface creates great flexibility and agility in the face of labor challenges and seasonality. Another advantage of the Procensis mobile interface is the ability to provide real-time feedback. With Procensis, workers can see how they are doing in real-time, including picks per hour and a total number of scans. This visibility gives employees a greater understanding of their performance and how it compares to their co-workers. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 297: Procensis and the Importance of User Interface in the Warehouse
Duravant appoints new COO-Emerging Markets
Duravant has announced the appointment of Petros Diamantides to the position of Chief Operating Officer – Emerging Markets for Duravant. Serving customers worldwide, Duravant has facilities throughout North and South America, Europe, and Asia and distribution partners across six continents. In this new role, Diamantides will be responsible for driving geographic expansion for Duravant products and services across the company’s food processing, packaging, and material handling sectors by delivering world-class brands, solutions, and infrastructure to support our global customers. “Our initial focus will be on supporting our customers and partners through investments in a sales and service infrastructure. Establishing local operations is key to being able to realize the full potential of certain markets and products,” said Mike Kachmer, President and CEO of Duravant. “With over 30 years of experience supporting a variety of multi-national consumer, commercial and industrial goods manufacturers, Diamantides is well-qualified to lead this global expansion for the Duravant family.” “I am delighted with the opportunity to join the Duravant family. The market-leading brands that make up Duravant are known across the globe and I look forward to working with these strong operating companies to serve our customer partners on all continents,” said Diamantides. Prior to joining Duravant, Diamantides was the president and CEO of Metalfrio Solutions SA, a manufacturer of plug-in commercial refrigeration equipment, based in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Diamantides’ distinguished career of diverse global leadership also includes roles as the Managing Director/CEO of Frigoglass SAIC based in Athens, Greece, and General Manager of Panos Englezos & Company, based in Cyprus. Earlier in his career, Diamantides served as a Senior Financial Analyst at Procter & Gamble Health and Beauty Care based in the United Kingdom.
MHS Lift sending two Camden Sisters to Rowan University through Fourth-Annual Scholarship
Boys & Girls Club of Camden County members are 2022 scholarship winners MHS Lift, a national provider of warehousing and distribution solutions, recently announced that two Camden residents are the 2022 recipients of the company’s MHS Lift Scholarship Fund, a full scholarship to Rowan University. Sisters Emani Baines, 23, and Essence Holman, 19, will both start at Rowan in the fall. Established in 2019 by Andy and Brett Levin, brothers and co-owners of MHS Lift, the MHS Lift Scholarship Fund, in partnership with Rowan University, is awarded to Camden students who are active members of the Boys & Girls Club of Camden County (BGCCC) and have demonstrated financial need. “My brother Brett and I are proud to partner with Rowan University and the BGCCC to ensure that students like Emani and Essence have the opportunity to earn a degree debt-free,” said Andy Levin, president of MHS Lift. Baines, who graduated from Dr. Charles E. Brimm Medical Arts High School in 2017 and later attended Rowan College of South Jersey, has been an active member of the BGCCC and currently serves as a Youth Development Professional and head of the teen program. She plans to major in early childhood education. Holman, who graduated from Camden Academy Charter High School in 2020, originally joined BGCCC’s job-ready program at the age of 14 and now plans to major in journalism. “Emani and Essence are not only stellar students but also role models for their younger peers at the BGCCC. They are both deserving recipients of this scholarship,” said Brett Levin, vice president of MHS Lift. The staggered MHS Lift Scholarship Fund was designed to pay for full tuition, room, board, and book costs throughout a student’s education at Rowan. Recipients of the renewable scholarship are determined by Rowan’s Division of Strategic Enrollment Management. “Each year the exceptional generosity of Brett, Andy, and MHS Lift is rewarding the hard work and experience of deserving recipients,” said Joseph Delgado, senior director of development, William G. Rohrer College of Business at Rowan University. “They are providing life-changing access to higher education so that students like Emani and Essence are able to pursue their dreams.” Both Baines and Holman say they understand the magnitude of the scholarship. “This will absolutely help my future goals because I know for sure I will not be in debt, and I will be financially stable,” said Holman. Added Baines, “[Now] I have the opportunity to finish my education and get a bachelor’s degree in education. In the process, I’ve learned it doesn’t matter if it takes you longer than someone else to succeed. It only matters that you don’t quit. Words cannot explain how thankful I am to be selected for this scholarship!”
inVia Robotics wins the 2022 Technology Innovation Goods-to-Person Robotics Award from Frost & Sullivan
inVia Robotics, a provider of eCommerce fulfillment automation systems –– has been awarded this year’s Best Practices Technology Innovation Leadership Award in the North American goods-to-person robotics market by Frost & Sullivan, third-party research and consulting firm. inVia’s true robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) model beat out category competitors as it provides retailers and 3PLs with a flexible, cost-effective solution that dramatically increases productivity in existing facilities. The RaaS system allows customers to pay for the productivity of inVia robots and software versus competitors who lease or sell robots. The subscription service covers all system updates and includes 24/7 monitoring and support through inVia’s Robotics Operation Center (ROC). A team of robotics experts is dedicated to each customer to oversee fulfillment operations and troubleshoot any problems, often fixing them before they are even visible. This model democratizes automation, making it available as an operating expense to businesses of all sizes, versus traditional equipment that was capital-intensive and expensive. “We’re honored to receive this recognition and award for our technology that is solving the pressing issues facing warehouse employees and businesses on a daily basis,” says Lior Elazary, CEO and Co-Founder of inVia. “We recognize that eCommerce demand is continuing to rise and warehouse workers are still facing immense pressures to fulfill orders quickly. Our mission is deeply rooted in creating an environment where people can do fulfilling work and in order for us to ensure this happens, we are committed to improving the technological offerings that our customers require.” “Frost & Sullivan applauds inVia for maximizing worker productivity and providing eCommerce organizations with an attainable entry point to introduce autonomous mobile robots and the PickerWall into their businesses,” says Sankara Narayanan, Industry Principal at Frost & Sullivan. “The company’s RaaS model, ROC, and quick deployment further enhance its customer value proposition.” A key differentiator in receiving the award was the inVia PickerWall, as it demonstrates inVia’s unique workflow that removes interdependencies between robots and people and subsequently unleashes productivity rates, at a time when warehouse labor is hard to hire. The inVia PickerWall helps companies manage higher order volumes without having to increase labor enabling eCommerce warehouses to be 10 times more productive. Most importantly, inVia PickerWall leverages the strengths of both people and robots. Robots work nonstop doing repetitive tasks like traveling and picking. People are allowed to do higher-order tasks like sortation and work on a variety of tasks in bursts. Workers enjoy more stimulating working conditions and businesses enjoy consistently meeting service level agreements (SLAs) without dips in productivity. inVia Picker robots were also recognized by Frost & Sullivan as solving one of the most challenging problems in the eCommerce space; quick and easy access to a wide variety of stock-keeping units (SKUs). eCommerce warehouses are often 250,000 square feet, comparable to three football fields –and may have 100,000 SKUs distributed across the warehouse. The robots are completely autonomous and eliminate the need for people to travel across the facility to retrieve inventory and deliver it to the packing station. Additionally, inVia Pickers are mobile, unlike traditional shuttle systems, and can be moved to work in different zones or in other locations. This eliminates the need for reengineering facilities, allowing inVia to adapt to different environments. The Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards recognize companies across the globe for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. inVia was awarded based on its commitment to innovation, creativity, and application diversity that meet ever-evolving customer needs.
Orbital Wrapper manufacturer reports high demand for wireless, automated operation
Packaging machinery manufacturer TAB Industries, LLC has reported that 90 percent of the TAB Wrapper Tornado orbital wrapping systems purchased in the 11 years since its development feature the company’s wireless automation package. Devised as an optional convenience to speed the pallet wrapping process, the wireless automation package enables a single lift truck operator to manage the entire pallet wrapping function by remote control without leaving the seat of the forklift. By replacing a manual stretch wrapping process that typically requires two or three workers with an automated process performed by a single worker, the wireless automation package offers speed, efficiency, and enticing labor savings, according to Vice President of Sales and Marketing Andy Brizek, noting continued labor force concerns among his customer base of manufacturers. Offered on the TAB Wrapper Tornado Standard and Smart Controls models, the wireless automation package comprises the company’s automated cut and wrap device, which automatically cuts the stretch wrap after each pallet is wrapped and readies it for the next pallet load, and the wireless remote control, which brings operator controls inside the lift truck. These TAB Wrapper Tornado orbital wrappers automatically apply stretch wrap 360 degrees around and under the pallet and load to create a tight, secure, unitized load that resists shifting in transit without requiring banding, boxing, or strapping. The pallet wrappers are designed and manufactured in the company’s Reading, Pa. headquarters and delivered ready for operation with a warranty.
Softeon continues to advance integration and optimization of Mobile Robots, Put Walls, other warehouse automation
Warehouse Management and Warehouse Execution Systems deliver throughput, Operating Cost Reduction, and ROI Softeon, a global supply chain software provider with the industry’s best track record of customer success, announced the continued expansion of its software support for materials handling systems, especially for mobile robots and put walls. While Softeon easily integrates with and optimizes virtually all types of materials handling systems in the distribution center, it is seeing special interest by companies in mobile robots and put walls – technologies for which it provides comprehensive software support. While very different from each other, both mobile robots and put walls share some common attributes. For example, both can be deployed at a lower scale and price point, and expand flexibly over time. Both mobile robots and put walls also offer the opportunity to drive improved productivity and reduce the need for adding workers in what continues to be a very challenging labor environment. Both do so with a lot less heavy footprint (and cost) than full-blown goods-to-person or other major automation systems. Softeon can integrate with robotic systems in different ways. If a customer chooses to use the robot’s application software to manage picking, Softeon can easily integrate its WMW/WES in that way, often still managing location and inventory information and sending needed picks and locations to the AMR software. But Softeon also uniquely offers a mobile robot platform that can integrate with machines of different types and from different vendors. This provides seamless integration, for example, as inventory is passed from one type of robot to another. More importantly, companies can flexibly add robots from new providers with new and varying capabilities, capacities, and configurations. This “future proofs” a company’s investment in robots today, with maximum flexibility to add different types of robots over time. Softeon’s put wall integration starts with algorithms to determine which orders in the pool are best suited to go through the wall(s). This is especially important as companies can start small, with limited put wall capacity. Softeon also provides end-to-end integration and support. No third-party put wall software is required. Softeon simultaneously optimizes both picking and “putting” to the wall to achieve the lowest cost and greatest throughput. It allows multiple waves to be processed on a given wall module concurrently, and multiple associates to work on the same wall at once. Among a number of put wall deployments, one Softeon omnichannel retail customer shows the true scalability of put wall technology. It started with one wall module as a pilot, then added 9 more walls based on the initial success, then later almost 20 more, along with a new mechanized pick module to feed put wall operations. “Softeon provides innovative and differentiated support for materials handling systems with very unique support, especially for the increasingly popular mobile robots and put wall systems,” said Dan Gilmore, chief marketing officer at Softeon. You can learn more about the Softeon Warehouse Management + Execution System.