EP 228: Vecna Mark 3
In this episode, I was joined by Matt Cherewka of Vecna Robotics. Matt is the Director of Business Development and Strategy at Vecna and you may remember I spoke with him previously during ProMatDX earlier this year. We discussed the market for AMR’s over the last year and a half, the Mark 3 software update, and interoperability standards. Key Takeaways Vecna Robotics is in the AMR game and over the last year and a half with the pandemic creating all kinds of unexpected changes in the way we operate, I was curious what they have seen in terms of demand. In discussing with Matt, it is clear that AMR adoption is on the rise and as he said a lot of companies have made their 2030 technology plans into their 2020 technology plans to keep up. One of the biggest drivers of this adoption is the labor shortages that many of Vecna’s customers are experiencing. With the ability to take over a lot of the repetitive material movement tasks, AMR’s like Vecna’s are in a great position to help alleviate some of these struggles. The latest from Vecna is their software upgrade called Mark 3. With this upgrade, they are improving a lot of the efficiencies with their hardware but most notably is the increase in speed. From my perspective, AMR and robots are making great strides but they have still been a bit limited in the speed at which they can do things. This upgrade pushes Vecna’s offerings to a max speed of 6.7 mph which is a jump from their previous 4.5 mph. At 6.7 mph they are getting very close to what a standard human-operated machine would perform at. It is certainly a big advancement as it gets closer to the replacement of the typical manually operated machine, however, there are certainly notable efficiencies that an AMR presents versus a manually operated machine which Matt and I discuss. At the end of the episode, Matt and I talk about the Mass Robotics Interoperability Standards which Vecna is a huge champion of. Since they are one of the founders of Mass Robotics, it only makes sense that they are also leading the way when it comes to interoperability standards. Matt discusses the first test and demo of how these standards work and the potential they hold. They did the first demo with Waypoint Robotics and were able to have great results. This is certainly something that will move the industry forward in an amazingly collaborative way. Listen to the episode below and let us know your thoughts in the comments. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 228: Vecna Mark 3
STXI Motion brings low-voltage, Mobile Motion Solutions to SPS 2021
STXI Motion, a global motion control, and servo solution company, presents a range of low-voltage, mobile motion solutions, and cabinet-free motion solutions for decentralized architecture at SPS 2021, held November 23–25 in Nuremberg, Germany. In addition, STXI Motion will host a press conference at its booth on Wednesday, November 24. Dr. Markus Erlich, vice president for marketing and product portfolio at STXI Motion, will present “Low-Voltage Motion for Mobile and Battery-Powered Applications” at Booth 321 in Hall 1 at 10:45 a.m. Wheel-Drive Motion Systems, Simplified STXI Motion will highlight its mobiMS, which delivers a complete wheel-drive system for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and automated guided vehicles (AGVs) in intralogistics and warehousing applications. Comprised of a mobiGM high-torque-density brushless servo motor, planetary gearbox, brake, encoder, and servSD servo drive, the mobiMS motion system brings a robust, energy-efficient, and compact solution to AGV and AMR manufacturing. Additional products geared toward mobile and low-voltage applications will be on display. These include Rayon harsh environment drives, Rayon embedded servo drives, and the new servPM permanent magnet low-voltage servo motors, which offer a power range of 200–750 W and peak torque of 7.6 Nm. Lose the Cabinet, Gain Design Flexibility STXI Motion will also showcase its integrated drive motors for decentralized machine architecture. These allow machine builders to get rid of the cabinet and enhance motor performance with no step loss. Other products on display include the stepIM integrated closed-loop stepper, including the new stepIM Nema 17 EtherCAT model, as well as the brand-new line of servIM integrated servo motors. Scheduled for official launch in the second quarter of 2022, these motors have 60 mm or 80 mm flanges and are currently offered to select beta test sites. Additionally, STXI Motion will showcase the compact softMC motion controller, which enables any major OEM programmable logic controller (PLC) to seamlessly work with any motion control equipment, including robots, drives, and motors. STXI Motion will also showcase Servotronix Motion Control line of CDHD2 low-, medium-, and high-voltage servo drives, bundled with PRHD2 servo motors with a proprietary encoder for dynamic motion applications.
SKUtopia partners with Swisslog to provide new automated micro-fulfillment center with 24/7 click and collect
Swisslog, a provider of best-in-class warehouse automation and software, is providing a boost to delivery efficiency and click and collect availability, with a new automated 24/7 e-commerce solution. E-commerce order fulfillment specialists, SKUtopia, are further extending their Australian leadership by working with Swisslog to introduce an automated Micro-Fulfillment Center (MFC) in Sydney, which mirrors similar systems used in world-leading e-commerce markets, including the US. SKUtopia will use its Coworking and eCommerce Hub company Workit Spaces (fully owned by SKUTOPIA Pty Ltd) to enable eCommerce businesses to scale their business from one order to 10,000 orders. “This is a truly exciting MFC project, and one of the first of its kind in Australasia. Swisslog’s customized and automation-driven solution will allow us to provide outstanding value and ROI to our customers,” says Mr. Talea Bader, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Workit Spaces. SKUtopia enables profitable scalability for the eCommerce industry through software-enabled operations. The company’s four-in-one software package includes inventory management, order management, shipping management, and warehouse management. “Swisslog’s solution provides flexibility to grow as SKUtopia grows, and as our customers grow, which means all companies can stay agile and responsive to growth or changes in product or offering,” said Mr. Bader. “The automated solution has also increased efficiency, accuracy, and throughput, allowing us to deliver products to customers faster. The system provides an average increase of 1200% (12 times) compared with a manual warehouse,” he said. Efficient 4PL operations Fourth-Party Logistics (4PL) operations take 3PL to the next level by also managing technology, infrastructure, and resources, and in some cases building whole supply chains for businesses. SKUtopia’s new configuration will be a 4PL operation serving up to 300 entrepreneurial businesses focusing on eCommerce, including managing inventory, orders, shipping, and warehousing. Swisslog Australia Managing Director, Mr. Francis Meier, says Swisslog’s global experience with 4PLs was a major asset in developing an optimal solution for SKUtopia. “Our 4PL experience shows us that increases in efficiency and throughput are highly valued because they allow the 4PL provider to deliver better ROI to its customers. Another important consideration is customization to add flexibility and futureproof operations,” he said. “SKUtopia was seeking an automated solution that increased storage density to keep up with increasing customer demand, and Swisslog was able to provide a customized solution that met all their needs, and had the flexibility for future growth.” “The click and collect functionality really appealed to SKUtopia, because it allowed them to offer a service-focused advantage to all their customers. Their customers can then provide this efficient service to the end consumer, creating a positive delivery experience,” he said. The solution will utilize SKUtopia’s in-house developed WMS, to deliver home delivery and automated click and collect functionality with 24/7 availability.
Emerging Trends in E-Commerce Fulfillment
When the coronavirus pandemic hit in early 2020, the e-commerce fulfillment landscape underwent a massive shift in response to spikes in consumer demand, with disruptions to labor, logistics, and product supply. Most of those disruptions were already taking shape prior to the pandemic and were only accelerated by new business restrictions and social distancing protocols. Today, e-commerce fulfillment requires more advanced systems and technologies to solve for the changes impacting the industry most: overloaded parcel carrier systems, shortage of labor and increased consumer demand for accurate, fast order delivery. The overloaded parcel carrier system is driving e-commerce fulfillment operations to take on more of the work previously handled by parcel carriers. Sorting packages for ZIP code zones for regional carriers to transport packages to local markets is now handled by the e-commerce company, not the parcel carrier. Space and labor to handle the additional sort processes are now something that e-commerce fulfillment operators must consider if they are building new or upgrading existing warehouse systems. Labor — with its high cost and low availability — is another ongoing challenge for e-commerce fulfillment warehouses. Automation is an obvious solution. However, automating the right tasks and efficiently integrating the technology with the existing warehouse workflow is an ongoing struggle. Automation and any new technology should make fast, accurate decisions that support the fulfillment center’s service-level agreements (SLA) through a synchronized and sequenced workflow, typically driven by a WES (Warehouse Execution System). The significant increase in returns is also having a substantial impact on the labor required to effectively manage inventory. How to considerably reduce labor via automation is a prime consideration when building or retrofitting a facility. Lastly, inventory positioning to keep the right merchandise closest to the demand source is another new consideration for e-commerce fulfillment facilities and requires growing the number of sites within a network. Combining store inventory, dark stores, warehouses, and other sites to create an integrated fulfillment network continues to be one of the most impactful solutions to decrease overall order cycle time. These types of integrated site networks take time to establish and are strategically placed geographically. Each node/site will maintain a different inventory mix, have different workflows and varying processes for fulfilling orders. Adapting to these three factors is driving several key developments in e-commerce fulfillment. Creative solutions are emerging to mitigate the challenges brought by the above-mentioned market forces. Here are four of the most prominent trends in e-commerce fulfillment today. Trend 1: Implementing Micro-fulfillment Sites Large distribution centers maintain huge volumes of idle inventory, potentially long distances from the demand source, which increases the inventory carrying costs and transportation expenses. To mitigate those expenses and reduce order cycle time, there is a movement toward operating multiple “micro-fulfillment” sites. The key to undertaking the micro-fulfillment strategy successfully is repositioning inventory across the various sites to accurately meet demand supported by the required transportation resources. Positioning inventory for micro-fulfillment can be done in several ways. Store fulfillment — In this model, online orders are routed to a local store and processed for pickup or sent out for delivery from the inventory located within the store. Store fulfillment allows labor to be deployed across store purchases and online orders, and it is typically close to the demand. The accuracy of the inventory locator systems can slow down the order cycle time and integrating the point-of-sale with the warehouse system to accurately track orders and inventory can create challenges as well. Dark stores — This option is like store fulfillment, but it utilizes closed stores that perhaps did not have enough foot traffic to maintain needed sales per square foot requirements. Operating as a fulfillment center, the dark store offers proximity to demand and labor to support reduced order cycle times, transportation expenses, and inventory carrying costs. Taking over a dark store can be a cost-effective way to expand into a new territory or market, without a long-term commitment and the capital expense associated with a full distribution center build-out. Converting a dark store to a micro-fulfillment center does present certain obstacles. The location will only house limited inventory and identifying the correct inventory mix may take some trial and error. Even carrying a small inventory can require a warehouse/fulfillment technology stack, albeit one that is scaled down and customized for the space and merchandise mix. Package storage spaces must be included in the space as well. Designing and building a system that takes advantage of the existing infrastructure and the smaller scale of the dark store can offer real cost savings and higher returns. A successful deployment model and execution strategy can be replicated in dark stores globally, allowing for quick and inexpensive expansion opportunities. Dedicated micro-fulfillment centers are often planned as part of the fulfillment process to decentralize fulfillment in densely populated centers. In this model, daily inventory transfers occur based on inventory location. In many ways, they are like dark stores –scaled up in size with on-hand inventory in strategic locations to support consumer demand. Trend 2: Incorporating Returned Merchandise Returned merchandise is one of the most labor-intense processing functions within an e-commerce fulfillment operation. Returns typically require human intervention for the initial dispositioning — the complex decision tree of whether an item gets destroyed, restocked, or donated requires manual inspection and special handling. Understanding disposition criteria and criteria for each item per vendor adds another layer of complexity. Lastly, entering the return into an inventory system and noting its disposition is typically another process that can’t be easily automated. Designing a system that makes the disposition process efficient, smooth, and fast requires a high level of customization to account for the warehouse’s specific workflow and space layout. Consumer demand for easy returns, refunds, exchanges must be satisfied, while also minimizing inventory loss and maximizing resale. Integrators are increasingly focusing on more automation in the initial storage area for returned merchandise. One strategy is equipping the area to handle multiple SKUs and simplifying the “put- away” task for each SKU. In addition, having multiple locations where each SKU is
Mesa Air Group becomes first scheduled airline to launch Drone Delivery Business in the U.S. in partnership with Flirtey
Mesa Air Group, Inc., has signed an agreement with aerospace technology company Flirtey to order four delivery drones, with an option to order an additional 500 aircraft. The agreement marks Mesa becoming the first scheduled airline to launch drone delivery in the U.S. Mesa and Flirtey are initially focusing on the last-mile food delivery industry, enabling Mesa to expand beyond the global airlines market and into the global foodservice market. The immediate goal of the partnership is to conduct commercial drone deliveries in the last-mile food and beverage market in the U.S. The parties plan to expand the drone delivery service in the U.S. and New Zealand. With this agreement, Flirtey, the aircraft designer and manufacturer, is supplying its best-in-class technology including the Flirtey Eagle, an electric-powered, advanced drone that conducts precision delivery to homes and businesses, and Flirtey’s autonomous software platform that conducts autonomous flight operations, for Mesa to operate commercial drone delivery. The partnership will prioritize operational excellence and data collection, enabling rapid expansion with Mesa’s operational experience as a leading regional air carrier with approximately 450 daily departures across the U.S. and Flirtey’s technical experience having conducted over 6,000 drone delivery flights in the U.S. with its technology protected by over 1,000 patents claims issued and pending in the U.S. and worldwide. Flirtey recently expanded the production of delivery drones to meet growing demand. Flirtey’s aircraft are made in the USA. “Mesa is excited to partner with Flirtey to become the first scheduled airline to launch drone delivery in the U.S. Drone delivery is a huge market and it’s here now. This is the future of small package last-mile delivery,” said Mesa Chairman and CEO Jonathan Ornstein. “Flirtey is excited to partner with Mesa to operationalize our best-in-class drone delivery aircraft and autonomous software platform. With Mesa’s operational excellence, we look forward to rapidly expanding drone delivery focusing on the trillion-dollar last-mile food delivery market,” said Flirtey Founder and CEO Matthew Sweeny.
Warehouse operations addressing worker and space shortages with technology
In a market with reported labor shortages and shifts in supply chain conditions, material handling companies have a series of evolving challenges to face. This month, we offer a look at some of these technological advancements and solutions for warehouse operators looking to staff operations and fulfill orders. ‘A lot of opportunities’ At Vecna Robotics, a focus on logistics has been at the forefront in recent years, according to Jeff Huerta, head of business development at the company. The business began about 20 years ago, working on government projects before moving into health care and robotics for commonplace environments and now to logistics, Huerta said. “There’s a lot of opportunities there for automation, robotics. We have supply chain growth along with labor shortage,” he said. With over three billion pallets moved every day worldwide, the current need in warehouses is substantial, according to Huerta, who said Vecna now offers means for taking standard material handling vehicles and converting them to fully robotic. As nearly as five years ago, Huerta said Venca’s customers were focused on controlling costs. “Now in 2020 and 2021, it’s really labor shortage,” he said. “They can’t hire people to sit in a fork truck or vehicle in a warehouse.” Some of the difficulty relates to the type of work. “People sometimes are not looking to do that kind of job,” said Huerta, comparing some warehouse positions to work like driving for Uber, which he said is perhaps more popular. “As an Uber driver, you make your own hours. You work outside, every day is different. You’re driving around and you’re talking to somebody. In the warehousing world, there are very defined hours. If you’re in a warehouse, it is not temperature controlled. The social aspect is really not there. You are solely driving from point A to B and B to A.” So Venca’s robotic products seek to fill the roles of tasks that are dirty, demanding, or dangerous, freeing up people to work in more desirable roles, Huerta said. He said companies of all sizes use Vecna Robotics, particularly those operating over multiple shifts. And the robotic technology continues to improve, Huerta said. “Sensors have evolved and are better, smaller and faster,” he said, adding that the technology hardware the company launched at PACK Expo moves faster, similar to the speed people move in the warehouse. “The new Mark 3 software release helps warehouse, distribution, and manufacturing organizations double fleet performance to improve efficiency and throughput while continuing to exceed industry safety standards,” a press release from the company said. As to safety, Huerta said there are multiple layers of protection built into the company’s robotics. “There are sensing devices that have multiple levels of redundancy,” he said, noting that the sensing equipment assesses the direction a vehicle is traveling and decelerates if there is ever an uncertain situation. Huerta sees robotics and automation as continuing to help create solutions in warehouses. “I think we’re just hitting the tip of the iceberg. The labor shortage isn’t going away,” he said. “I believe the new trend in logistics is ‘How do we get people to do the jobs in warehouses and what jobs do we want to do?” Huerta said Vecna takes a ground-level approach when working with customers, focusing on moving products and helping a business see how to build an effective strategy. “The technology is ready today and anyone can use it,” he said, noting that representatives from Vecna talk with workers on the ground floor and have heard stories firsthand about logistics needs. “There’s a serious problem here; it’s not going away. Automation and robotics don’t take jobs, it just helps people that need help,” Huerta said. Filling workforce gaps At Hyster-Yale Group, Kevin Paramore said the company’s robotic lift truck suite is helping warehouses fill the gaps. The company’s new-to-market operator assistance system also is key. In addition to the labor shortage, there is a high turnover rate of equipment operators, said Paramore, emerging technology commercialization manager at Yale. Yale’s systems help inexperienced operators by combatting a lot of potential mistakes, he said. “It can detect things like objects, pedestrians and then react to it. It can decelerate the truck, enough for the operation to see what is going on,” Paramore said. “It will not let you pick up a load that is greater than the lift truck’s capacity.” The operator assistance system is available in nearly all Yale’s warehouse models, he said, noting that the system provides help without taking over the equipment. “It doesn’t’ take over the truck, your operator is always in charge,” Paramore said. But what it can do is provide calculations in speed and loads. For example, the system would help an operator decelerate at the correct rate based on the load, fork height, and other calculations, according to Paramore. As at Vecna, Paramore said Yale Robotics helps in filling labor gaps due to open positions, absenteeism, or high turnover by completing many of the redundant tasks. “Automation allows a person to go into more of a value-added role,” he said. “I think your highest turnover is in these lower-hanging tasks. It’s probably not very fulfilling to do the same things over and over again. Automating that allows them to progress into other roles and give them more job satisfaction.” In the coming year, Paramore sees the adoption of robotics only speeding up. “Those that have not already gone down an automation strategy road, they are quickly getting to that place today,” he said. “They see the value in it, the return on investment is a lot more realistic.” Renting space ‘one chunk at a time’ Others are using technology to meet warehouse space needs. At Chunker, Brad Wright has created an Airbnb-style software program for warehousing. The platform is a marketplace, facilitating short-term rental agreements for warehouse space. “Our tagline is, ‘Warehouse sharing, one chunk at a time,” said Wright, CEO of the company. He noted that in an industry driven by long-term leases, Chunker is helping businesses use and find the short-term space they need. Users access the platform when needed and can craft deals
Seven ways Warehouse Automation keeps food and beverage operations running smoothly
Efficiency is key in all warehouses, but especially in the food and beverage industry. If operations don’t run smoothly, products could spoil, waste money, and potentially endanger people’s health. It should be no surprise, then, that food and beverage supply chains have embraced warehouse automation. Automation is growing in warehouses across industries, with food and beverage leading the trend. According to one survey, 94% of food packaging operations already use robotics, and half plan to increase their automation levels. Here are seven ways how this warehouse automation trend is sustaining smooth operations in food and beverage. Accounting for Labor Shortages Like many industrial facilities, food and beverage warehouses face a growing labor shortage. Fewer people are entering the industry while demand rises, leaving companies short-staffed and facing rising personnel costs that exacerbate the issue. Warehouse automation mitigates these concerns by improving productivity without hiring more workers. Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and other autonomous machines can help the workers that facilities do have accomplish more at once. Consequently, food and beverage warehouses experience the benefits of a larger workforce despite their staff numbers remaining unchanged. These benefits are particularly helpful during peak seasons. A warehouse may have sufficient staff during most periods, but some seasons bring higher demand. By renting or re-deploying robot fleets, these facilities can meet this higher demand without looking for hard-to-find seasonal workers. Reducing Picking Time Picking is often one of the most inefficient areas of any warehouse operation. This inefficiency creates further complications in food and beverage warehouses, as many of the handled goods have limited shelf lives. By automating picking processes, either in whole or in part, facilities can prevent spoilage and ensure optimal freshness. Automated case picking systems can pick and palletize pallets with no direct labor even when pallet orders have mixed SKUs. Semi-automated solutions like pick-to-voice systems can also help, increasing accuracy by 50% and productivity by 10-15%. Picking automation systems are remarkably diverse, enabling any warehouse to find a solution that works for their needs and budget. As food and beverage product offerings become increasingly varied, these automated picking solutions become all the more valuable. More efficient picking processes will help warehouses ensure specific SKUs reach their intended customers without sacrificing productivity. Improving Inventory Management Robots like AGVs (automated guided vehicles) may be the most recognizable examples of warehouse automation, but they’re not the only type. Food and beverage facilities also employ software-based automation solutions, particularly in inventory management. These automated inventory management systems improve visibility, enabling more timely and effective actions. For example, smart bin-level management systems can provide immediate and reliable feedback about grain silo levels. These automatic updates help facilities see when they need to order more inventory or ship products nearing the end of their shelf life. Automated warehouse management systems can also analyze operations to propose layout or workflow changes. These adjustments, in turn, help facilities optimize their operations. While a human analyst could theoretically provide the same service, automated solutions work far faster and provide ongoing improvements. Optimizing Maintenance Schedules Similarly, automated alerts over machine maintenance minimize disruptions in food and beverage operations. Predictive maintenance systems track equipment performance metrics to predict when a machine will need maintenance. These systems then automatically alert workers, informing better maintenance schedules. In addition to preventing costly breakdowns, predictive maintenance prevents unnecessary equipment checkups, saving additional money. By automating the performance-monitoring process, warehouses free workers to focus on other tasks. Since they only schedule maintenance when it’s needed, they reduce unnecessary downtime, too. These optimized maintenance schedules become increasingly valuable as facilities implement more machines. Automating this process ensures other automation reaches its full potential. Preventing Safety Incidents Warehouse automation also makes facilities safer, in turn ensuring smoother operations. Food and beverage companies can use robots to handle the most hazardous tasks, removing human workers from danger. With fewer injuries, facilities will have fewer disruptions, letting them achieve more consistent workflows. Safety incidents have a massive impact on workplace efficiency. In 2019, workplace injuries led to 70 million lost days, not including time lost on the day of the injury or for future medical checkups. A such, preventing injuries doesn’t just protect workers; it ensures ongoing productivity. The most prominent hazards in food and beverage warehouses are also in the most easily automated areas. Carrying heavy objects, reaching products at heights, and loading trucks can cause repetitive strain injuries and falls. But robots can handle most if not all of these tasks. Raising Storage Density As operational costs and demand rise, food and beverage warehouses must find ways to increase their storage density. Warehouse automation is the ideal solution here, as it can complete tasks without needing as much room as traditional means. For example, automated vertical lift machines can substantially expand storage capacity by utilizing a warehouse’s height. Most of their infrastructure remains off the ground, leaving more room for inventory. Picking and moving items from the top would be impossible with manual processes, but automation makes it possible. Since automated systems can move more nimbly and safely in tight spaces, they don’t need as much “buffer” room for safety’s sake. Consequently, food and beverage warehouse or distribution center managers can pack more items into the same space without sacrificing efficiency or safety. They can then meet higher demands while minimizing space costs. Enabling Flexibility While it may seem counterintuitive, warehouse automation can also improve flexibility. It’s true that human workers are more adaptable than machines, but automation lets them use this flexibility to their greatest potential. Since automation improves efficiency in so many processes, it makes holding just-in-time inventory more feasible. Facilities can then decrease or diversify their on-site inventory, giving them more flexibility when demand shifts, changing processes or stock quickly. This advantage is crucial in food and beverage businesses, as just-in-time shipping maximizes shelf life. Automation solutions like flow-through sortation improve the accuracy and timeliness of store replenishment, giving warehouses more time to adapt as necessary. Machines can handle the processes they do best
What’s the hype in hyperautomation?
Coined by Gartner to describe one of the biggest automation trends of 2020, the concept of hyperautomation has rapidly spread across the industry. But how does it differ from regular automation, and is it a viable option for manufacturers who don’t wish to revolutionize their entire production or assembly lines? Here Claudia Jarrett, US country manager at automation parts supplier EU Automation, explains the fundamentals of hyperautomation. In its 2019 report Move Beyond RPA to Deliver Hyperautomation, Gartner pointed out a lack of guidance in how organizations should integrate robotic process automation (RPA) with other tools. The report also highlighted that business managers experience pressure to focus on automating simple routine procedures but lack a strategy to extend automation processes to the whole factory. The solution, according to the global research company, is hyperautomation, defined as end-to-end automation that combines complementary technologies such as deep learning, advanced analytics, machine vision, natural language processing, RPA, and artificial intelligence to augment business processes. Automation or hyperautomation? The main difference between traditional automation and hyperautomation is that the first tends to focus on automating individual tasks — such as deploying a cobot rather than a human worker for repetitive pick and place applications — while the latter aims to optimize the whole production process with a holistic approach. Gartner predicted that hyperautomation would be one of the top strategic technology trends from 2020 onwards, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that manufacturers must buy into the hype. To understand whether end-to-end automation can deliver substantial business value, it can be useful to create a roadmap that clearly aligns business goals with the automation tools needed to reach them. Gartner suggests considering three key objectives — revenue, costs, and risks. With these parameters in mind, manufacturers might want to think about which technologies can drive revenue by enhancing customer engagement, increasing output, and automating repetitive tasks. They should then redesign processes to reduce the cost of poor quality and streamline production. Finally, they might need to consider the compliance risks of inefficient processes — for example, feeding parts to a machine manually might be not only inefficient but also risky, and it might therefore violate safety regulations. What about legacy equipment? Hyperautomation is based on the latest automation technologies available, so manufacturers might think that it is not a viable business approach for factories that use legacy equipment for critical applications. Machines that form the backbone of factory automation, such as programmable logic controllers (PLCs), might last several decades, and there’s no reason to replace them if they still perform adequately and comply with the most recent guidelines. However, legacy equipment usually lacks the communications capabilities required to implement a hyperautomation strategy. Luckily, if plant managers develop a solid business case for hyperautomation, there are ways to retrofit older equipment with smart sensors. In this way, the machines can be connected to the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and send valuable data that can be used to streamline operations, reduce costs, and increase productivity. An automation parts supplier that specializes in obsolete equipment can easily provide manufacturers with the hardware they need to retrofit their machines and make them fit for Industry 4.0. Another thing to consider is whether IoT-connected machines will speak the same language. For example, the factory’s PLC needs a communication protocol that is compatible with the field devices. Manufacturers don’t necessarily need a protocol from the same brand of their PLC — for example, ProfiBus can connect with all PLCs from the Allen Bradley family, but some protocols do not play well with others. This means that to implement hyperautomation, manufacturers will have to research the best protocols to make sure that all their equipment can communicate. When possible, developing systems based on an open-source architecture — such as the Robot Operating System (ROS) — rather than proprietary software can help minimize frictions and ensure interoperability. To find out more about the latest trends in automation and manufacturing, visit EU Automation’s online Knowledge Hub
Signode launches new Multi FleX1 Electric
The latest addition to the popular Lachenmeier Stretch Hood Technology Line features a smaller footprint, minimized maintenance Signode, a global manufacturer of a broad spectrum of end of line packaging equipment, tools, and consumables, has announced the introduction of its new Multi FleX1 Electric stretch hood technology. The Multi FleX1 Electric is the latest addition to Signode’s popular Lachenmeier brand of stretch hooders used around the globe for optimized load containment. The newest offering features an electrically operated stretch frame and the machine frame movement is electrical as well. Its overall smaller footprint, due to reduced safety-area fencing, means that the Multi FleX1 Electric can also maximize valuable production floor space and be placed closer to a facility’s perimeter. “Our customers count on Signode to listen and respond to their needs with new technology, consumables, and service offerings,” said Mogens Jessen, Global Product Manager for Signode. “The new Multi FleX1 Electric is a direct result of our close collaborations and partnerships across the globe.” The Multi FleX1 Electric shares the same powerful five-sided protection attributes as the traditional Multi FleX1. It has the ability to be fitted with several film rolls, allowing it to wrap multiple load sizes with greater variations quickly. The machine hosts a variety of film patterns, including fully closed hoods, film sleeves, short hoods, and film reinforcement capabilities. The Multi Flex1 Electric is engineered for cubed loads, irregular loads with protrusions, and varying product shapes, and is capable of wrapping more than 200 loads per hour. From palletized goods in the food, beverage, and pharma industry to bricks, blocks, and bagged commodities in the building industry, the Multi FleX1 accommodates variable load sizes and types. Depending on the industry environment where the machine is operating, the Multi FleX1 is now available with either a hydraulically or an electrically operated stretch frame. And with multiple film options, including transparent, colored, perforated, and printed, it can be further tailored for other production requirements from those requiring high-shelf storage to those for transparency to read barcodes. According to Jessen, the machine’s reliability and low maintenance are enabled by its new steel-reinforced timing belt movement. This ensures a well-balanced frame due to its Quatro timing belt suspension, the 4-sided frame suspension as in the existing Multi FleX1. As a leader in transit packaging, Signode provides extensive testing and verification of its technologies and products before application on the production floor. Signode’s International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) certified lab provides a host of state-of-the-art testing devices, including temperature-controlled rooms, drop-test equipment, and vibration tables. It also performs European Safe Logistics Association (EUMOS) testing, which is a dynamic test that can help evaluate the rigidity and stability of a load that is subjected to horizontal accelerations and decelerations during transport. Video and more information: https://www.signode.com/en-us/news/signode-launches-new-multi-flex1-electric/
EP 220: Saddle Creek Logistics
On this episode, I was joined by Tony Hollis of Saddle Creek Logistics. Tony is the Director of Technology & Innovation at Saddle Creek Logistics so you can bet we talked about the technology and innovations they are getting into. We discussed how Saddle Creek decides on what technologies to move forward with, their business, and their experience with Locus Robotics. Key Takeaways Saddle Creek Logistics is a third-party logistics provider that includes over 31 million square feet of warehousing space and a large fleet of trucks as well. They focus on omnichannel fulfillment for both B2B and B2C businesses. With their long experience, they bring extensive knowledge to the table when it comes to distribution and they are well poised to be adopting new technology as we discussed in this episode to help continue to create efficient and forward-thinking ways to tackle the challenges in the current warehouse market. One of the big challenges that Saddle Creek Logistics is facing and has been facing is the shallow labor pool for warehouse employees. This is something I believe we have all been struggling with and something I know that I have talked about a few times on the podcast. When they started to look at how could they address these issues and then deal with the pandemic as well they looked to technology for help. Tony explains that they recognized that the ability to make current employees perform better by utilizing technology to make their jobs easier would help them get more throughput without adding headcount when they cannot find it. Looking towards this problem they landed on implementing AMRs and their ultimate decision was to go with Locus Robotics to help their pickers in a healthcare supply company. What Tony liked most about Locus was their route optimization which helps maximize the efficiency of picks and allows for the robots to do all of the travel while keeping employees in a certain zone. Reducing the walk time and assist employees in moving products is a big help in ensuring employees are having a good work experience. Additionally, the simplicity of utilizing the Locus Bot was a plus for Saddle Creek as they are able to quickly train new employees. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 220: Saddle Creek Logistics Share on Facebook
PSA announces addition of viisights to technology partner line up
PSA, the world’s largest consortium of professional systems integrators, just announced the addition of viisights to its approved technology partners. viisights adds behavioral recognition systems for real-time video intelligence to the PSA offerings. “PSA is excited to be able to offer such an in-depth and advanced AI service to our integrators,” said Chris Salazar-Mangrum, PSA’s vice president of technology partners. “viisights is providing a technology that takes video surveillance to the next level and allows our integrators to advance their clients’ video analytics results. Our partnership with viisights is an example of how we aim to elevate the industries we serve through our relationships with industry-leading products and solution providers.” viisights developed technology that allows video surveillance systems to provide information on what subjects in the captured video feed are doing. Its system analyzes real-time data to determine unique information for behavioral results of objects. These results assist in reviewing past and harmful activity as well as help to predict potential risks and hazards. viisights’ products and solutions have been utilized in a wide variety of markets such as smart cities, transportation hubs, enterprise and educational campuses, critical infrastructures, and banking and financial sectors. “Partnering with PSA is a very important step to expand and establish our US presence,” said Pat Aiello, viisights’ vice president of sales and business development in North America. “With PSA, we will quickly introduce to the market highly advanced, complete, and affordable video analytics for helping with daily security, safety, and environmental challenges.” A benchmark in video intelligence, viisights’ behavioral analytics provide systems integrators with a new and unique selling proposition for existing and potential customers that will lead to business growth. viisights personnel will be at ISC East in November to discuss these opportunities in one-on-one meetings with potential technology partners and systems integrators. The company offers extensive support for integrators including project registration, price protection to protect and secure bids, engineering, design and implementation support, installation documentation and setup tools, training and certification for technical staff, application consulting for specialized projects, software demo licenses, and more. “viisights leverages artificial intelligence to facilitate human-like pattern prediction, creating fully autonomous video intelligence systems,” said Asaf Birenzvieg, CEO at viisights. “We go further than simple object recognition by analyzing full-motion video for objects and their behavior in the context that they operate in. Our real-time behavioral analytics transform video streams into actionable insights by autonomously recognizing behaviors that demand immediate attention, allowing customers to be more proactive.” In this first phase, viisights will be offering PSA integrators to resell its flagship product, viisights wise, which is sold today for on-premises configuration. Later in 2022, viisights is planning to release wise fully as a SaaS product. It is important to note that viisights technology protects public privacy by only analyzing general behavior patterns of individuals, groups, vehicles, and traffic-flows. It does not identify faces or license plates.
Locus Robotics opens European Headquarters in Amsterdam
Locus Robotics, the provider of autonomous mobile robots (AMR) for fulfillment warehouses and distribution centers, has announced the opening of its European headquarters in Amsterdam. The new facility will support Locus’s existing EU and UK customer base and develop new opportunities within the fast-growing European warehouse fulfillment and distribution segments. “Our decision to expand our presence in the European market was a logical step in our business growth strategy,” said Rick Faulk, CEO of Locus Robotics. “Choosing Amsterdam gives us a central location that is ideal for serving our customer base, as well as giving us access to a vibrant and diverse talent pool to recruit from.” With warehouse fulfillment volumes increasing globally, access to labor has become a critical issue. Companies are turning to automation to meet the exploding demands while keeping labor recruiting, training, and retention costs down. In fact, Locus recently passed the half-billion picking milestone and LocusBots are now picking nearly 2 million items every day. “Our Amsterdam office will allow us the flexibility to support our European clients in real-time as the needs of order fulfillment continues to grow around the world,” said Denis Niezgoda, Vice President, Europe. “We are ideally positioned to scale as their business and operational needs grow.” The new location will also assemble and service the company’s award-winning autonomous mobile robot solution for the European market, providing faster deployment, management, and support services. Locus Robotics will be celebrating the official opening with a press event at the new location, located at Toetsenbordweg 26, 1033 MZ Amsterdam, Netherlands on Wednesday, October 6th. The event will include guided tours of the new facility and access to Locus senior management. Locus will also be exhibiting at Deliver, an e-commerce and logistics trade show being held on 6-7 October in Amsterdam. This event brings together key industry thought leaders and brands and features speakers from Locus in breakout sessions and panel presentations.
Improving user interface and accessibility of robotics
As part of MHI view’s ongoing video program, this MHI view episode focuses on: Making robots accessible to warehouse employees is a task that material handling professionals are tackling as automation becomes more common in fulfillment centers. Whether it’s a matter of integration, software, or design, this episode of MHI View will explore how to improve the user interface between human workers and robots. To view the video, click here.
Brian Golden joins Brown Machine Group as Sales Director Americas, GN Thermoforming Equipment
Bringing deep and broad experience in complete turn-key processing solutions BMG (Brown Machine Group) has announced the appointment of Brian Golden as Sales Director Americas, GN Thermoforming Equipment, bringing decades of industry experience to the GN team based in Chester, Nova Scotia Canada. Since 1983, Brian has earned a reputation for his breadth of knowledge and his hands-on approach to solving technical problems. He understands customer needs through his long career serving as both an equipment operator on the factory floor, as a service engineer, and sales executive supporting many different customers on behalf of machine manufacturers. Golden comes to BMG after a tenure as Director of Innovation and Customer Satisfaction at SencorpWhite, where he was responsible for the research and development of product-line enhancements and new-machine developments for the thermoforming business unit. Before that, Golden served as the Vice President of Sales for the Sencorp division of the company, during which he was directly responsible for overseeing the sales activity for the Thermoforming product line. “I am excited to join BMG because the holistic approach of working closely with customers to design and deliver complete systems matches the strengths I offer,” Golden explains. “I look forward to assisting customers in the medical and food packaging industries as well as many other industries that could benefit from the proven turn-key thermoforming, tooling, and automation solutions that BMG offers.” “Throughout his career, Brian has been very active in the Thermoforming community, including being a board member of the Society of Plastics Engineers. He is very well known throughout the plastics industry as a trusted mentor and technical advisor” says Bob Gordert, Vice President Sales – Americas. “Brian’s focus will be to lead the experienced GN sales team to achieve our strategic growth plans, including new customer development and growing BMG’s medical presence for the GN Form Cut Stack machines and Turn-Key Solutions.” BMG acquired GN Thermoforming in the spring of 2021. GN has built a global reputation for excellence in innovation, equipment design, and service throughout the industry. For over 40 years, GN has grown its global presence in the plastics industry, including offices in the Czech Republic, and many agents operating worldwide. GN is the global leader in contact heat thermoformers and a growing provider of innovative form cut stack thermoforming machines.
EP 217: FedEx Autonomous Trucking
In this episode, I was joined by Suman Kharbanda of FedEx. Suman is the Director of Advanced Technology and Innovation at FedEx and has been very instrumental in developing their autonomous efforts. We discuss how FedEx preps for peak season, their new autonomous truck pilot, and what’s next for FedEx on the technology front. Key Takeaways I was very excited for this episode because I have been seeing all the amazing things FedEx has been doing with robotics and autonomous vehicles in our space and also because my guest from Episode 02 texted me recently asking how far do we think autonomous trucks and FedEx is here to deliver, as usual. FedEx has started piloting a line haul route between Houston and Dallas in Texas with an autonomous truck. This is the result of a partnership between FedEx, Aurora, and PACCAR. Suman explains how this industry-first three-way alliance is helping to ensure the autonomous truck is successful and first and foremost safe. The involvement of the trucking OEM was crucial in the process of ensuring full safety for anyone that will be around the truck due to the autonomous pilot being conducted on a regular highway with normal traffic. A huge step forward in technology and innovation and I cannot wait to see how it grows from here. Suman also shared how FedEx prepares for peak season with 18 million+ packages being shipped per day. This staggering number is a normal day for FedEx and you can only imagine what happens at peak season. However, the preparation for peak season never ends. According to Suman, FedEx begins planning for peak season in January and the key to being successful is the data. As you will hear, Suman explains how the team at FedEx relies very heavily on data to make the right decisions on how to ramp up capacity and plan for future growth or investment in technologies. This is a huge key for companies to be successful in the supply chain spaces now and into the future, you must not only collect data but be able to interpret it properly to make the best-informed decisions. At the end of the episode, Suman gives amazing advice on automation which is really insightful. She explains that simply automating a single task is not the key to moving forward in our world. You really need to drill down into the processes and the actual physical movement of the materials. When you fully understand these and how they can work together in a better way then you can begin to automate the tasks that make up the movements. It allows you to get the materials and the people at the right place at the right time. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 217: FedEx Autonomous Trucking
Hyster joins Association for Advancing Automation
Hyster Company continues its leadership in robotics, has announced its membership in the Association for Advancing Automation (A3). Formerly the Robotic Industries Association (RIA), A3 is the global automation trade association for robotics, machine vision, motion control, and industrial AI. “Industries like auto manufacturing, packaging, and more are grappling with persistent labor challenges, increasing costs and efficiency shortfalls,” says Steven LaFevers, Vice President, Emerging Technology, Hyster Company. “With robotic lift trucks capable of automating a broad array of applications and delivering speedy ROI, we’re equipping businesses to overcome challenges they may not have thought possible to solve.” As a member of A3, Hyster will continue to innovate on top of its current comprehensive lineup of robotic lift trucks, which includes a robotic tow tractor, end rider, counterbalanced stacker, and reach truck. Hyster will also exhibit and present an educational session at the Autonomous Mobile Robots & Logistics Conference hosted by A3 in Memphis, Tennessee on October 13. The educational session, “AMRs with Forks,” will be held from 3:15 to 3:45 CDT and will explore the evolution of mobile robots and the capability of robotic lift trucks to not only provide horizontal transport but lift product up off the ground and even reach into higher-level storage locations. Hyster® robotic lift trucks automate a range of horizontal transportation and vertical storage tasks, such as milk runs, transportation of pallet loads to staging areas, stacking and unstacking loads, sequencing components to assembly lines, and depositing and retrieving loads from as high as 30 feet. The trucks provide operations flexibility of dual operating modes, meaning that an operator can switch the truck from automated to manual mode with the touch of a button. Infrastructure-free navigation, using LiDAR simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) technology, allows the trucks to integrate into existing operations by mapping structural features, without laser reflectors, guide wires, or magnets. The ability to deploy a single unit before expanding also helps provide a lower cost of entry and greater scalability for customers. Because the trucks are standard Hyster lift trucks with robotic technology installed, customers can count on the same local dealer personnel that provides service for their other equipment, without the downtime and expense associated with calling in specialized technical resources.
EP 214: Kindred.ai
On this episode, I was joined by the CEO of Kindred.ai, Marin Tchakarov. Kindred.ai is bringing together advanced robotics and artificial intelligence to bring smart sortation to life in the fulfillment world. We discuss the origins of Kindred.ai, its Sort product, and its recent acquisition by Ocado. Key Takeaways I remember seeing Kindred.ai’s Sort solution way back at ProMat in 2019 and being really intrigued by the way it looked. It seemed like nothing else I had seen and it is an incredibly interesting solution to solve a very complex problem. The spherical put wall, as I would describe it, utilizes artificial intelligence and a grasping robotic arm to sort through deformables like poly bags to put them into their proper cubbies. This reduces the sort time needed by humans and helps them to concentrate on fulfilling the right orders after the intelligent sort. Marin stresses that these are collaborative solutions helping to elevate the human’s tasks and he also shares how they have created a competitive environment amongst workers to increase the fun. The Sort system itself is very complex and really remarkable in what it can do. It is taking something that is very difficult for a robot to do which is grasp a soft item and really doing it with ease. Where this really comes into play is with deformable items like poly bags that you would typically find clothing items in, hence their big partnership with Gap. I asked Marin why the team decided to take on such a challenging problem to solve and he explains how it was pure ambition and really the curiosity to solve something that had not been solved before. This is the way that the world innovates and it is really incredible to see how taking on a complex problem that might scare others away can turn into a great solution. Kindred.ai was recently acquired by Ocado Group which has its roots in grocery fulfillment but as Marin explains they have grown into focusing on changing the way people shop. This includes bringing in new technologies and automation solutions to the fulfillment world. The acquisition will allow Kindred.ai to expand further and keep pushing more innovation into their Sort solution and other future solutions. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 214: Kindred.ai
Oshkosh Corporation invests in Carnegie Foundry to build upon Autonomy and Robotics capabilities
Oshkosh Corporation, an innovator of mission-critical vehicles and essential equipment, and Carnegie Foundry, a robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) venture studio headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pa., announced a strategic partnership and Oshkosh Corporation investment in Carnegie Foundry to accelerate innovation in autonomy and robotics. Carnegie Foundry has an existing relationship with the National Robotics Engineering Center (NREC) at Carnegie Mellon University, the world leader in autonomous robotics and artificial intelligence. The new partnership will build upon this relationship and will complement Oshkosh’s ongoing work in autonomous vehicles and equipment, providing significant benefits to the millions of people that do important work every day – including the nation’s soldiers, firefighters, and first responders, as well as environmental service, refuse collection and construction workers. “The Carnegie Foundry team is comprised of industry leaders with outstanding expertise in autonomy,” said John Pfeifer, Oshkosh Corporation President and Chief Executive Officer. “For years Oshkosh has been developing autonomous technology that delivers greater productivity while reducing total cost of ownership for our customers. Oshkosh’s strategic investment in Carnegie Foundry will put our customers at the forefront of emerging innovation and technology in the robotics and autonomy space.” “We are very excited to partner with Oshkosh Corporation as we bring autonomy, robotics, and AI innovations to market,” said Carnegie Foundry Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Robert J. Szczerba. “Industrial-scale innovations require specialized experience, a deep understanding of these unique markets, and a long-term approach. It’s our good fortune that we found investment, aligned mindsets, and large-scale industrial specialization with our partners at Oshkosh Corporation.” As part of the strategic partnership, a member of Oshkosh Corporation will join the Carnegie Foundry Board of Directors.
Berkshire Grey partners with AHS to accelerate Next-Generation Warehouse Robotics for Fortune 100 eCommerce and 3PL providers
Berkshire Grey, Inc., the provider of AI-enabled robotic solutions that automate supply chain processes, is partnering with Advanced Handling Systems (AHS), a system integrator of fulfillment and distribution solutions within the supply chain, to help companies grow despite the labor shortages and logistics challenges that are straining the supply chain. This partnership combines AI-enabled robotic automation and system design and integration services to deliver next-generation warehouse robotics to the world’s largest and best-known eCommerce and third-party logistics (3PL) providers. “Berkshire Grey’s Intelligent Enterprise Robotic solutions set the industry standard – they have the most robust robotics portfolio, handling the broadest range of SKUs,” said Drew Eubank, Sr. Director of Engineering at AHS. “AHS brings a 40-year customer portfolio that spans Fortune 100 brands to emerging eCommerce leaders and they know that robotic automation is core to their supply chain strategy if they’re going to remain competitive. That’s why we’re partnering with Berkshire Grey – to accelerate the integration of next-generation robotic solutions into our customers’ warehouses and facilities.” As more companies feel the pressures of the eCommerce boom and labor shortage, Berkshire Grey’s AI-powered robotic solutions are improving fulfillment across eCommerce and 3PL industries by increasing fulfillment throughput by up to 3X. AHS, an established leader in traditional material handling, is evolving its innovation portfolio through this partnership to help companies streamline processes, improve employee productivity, and deliver flexible solutions that scale. “Only five percent of companies currently have any level of robotic automation in their warehouses and are at risk of losing market share because they can’t keep up with demand — we can help fix that,” said James Hendrickson, Director of Strategic Partnerships & Global Alliances at Berkshire Grey. “Partnering with AHS allows us to deliver a comprehensive robotic automation portfolio, accelerate the adoption of AI and robotics and enable warehouse supply chains across industries to scale and grow.” Berkshire Grey’s Partner Alliance program works with a select group of strategic partners to provide customers across Retail, eCommerce, 3PL, Grocery and Package Handling industries with scalable robotic solutions developed to improve fulfillment throughput while driving down operational costs. Berkshire Grey solutions deliver faster ROI than other providers in the industry and their partner program enables them to team up with the best consultants, integrators, technology providers, and material handling leaders to extend its value-added solutions to customers.
EP 212: Blue Horseshoe
On this episode, I was joined by the VP of Digital Strategy at Blue Horseshoe, Steve Shebuski. Blue Horseshoe is a supply chain integration company that helps companies leverage technology to move into the future of their business. We discuss Blue Horseshoe, high automation solutions, and where to start with automation. Key Takeaways Blue Horseshoe is focused on bringing technology to your company in order to help disrupt your business and maximize efficiency for growth into the future. When I asked Steve what they do, basically there is nothing they don’t do when it comes to bringing technology to the supply chain space. Steve explains how their team has a diverse background from all different parts of the industry and is really able to come together to offer multiple solutions for the whole supply chain process. Steve speaks a lot about high automation and how it has become a hot topic for the supply chain world due to the pandemic. High automation refers to the type of automation that is lights out where no human interaction is needed in the distribution process. Blue Horseshoe has been implementing high automation solutions and helping companies to go lights out to combat the labor shortage and become more efficient. One interesting about high automation is that even though it may be a great fit for your business model right now there would be something that disrupts your business model. While Steve agrees that high automation solutions make for a safer environment, there is also that case that high automation limits what you can do. For example, we discuss how a company could be shipping strictly cases in a high automation environment but then consumer behavior shifts and they need to break cases but the automation solution is not built for that. Where to start with automation? This is always an interesting question and I really enjoy hearing the varying answers. Steve makes some incredibly good points about automation and how many people get caught up in automation being robots or conveyors but automation can go down to the level of new handheld scanners. These points help to show how automation can be a slow incremental journey. As you learn about new solutions and try out new solutions you can start to see how we will do things better in the process you are addressing. With these small incremental changes, a lot can add up over time. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 212: Blue Horseshoe