Warehouses embrace technology
The warehouse. It is perhaps one of the places most reflective of the state of the material handling industry, a key hub from which products flow and supply chains function. It is also the place where both new technologies blossom and some long-standing industry components hold fast. This month, we asked a few sources to talk about the current state of warehouses in material handling. Here is some of what they are seeing on the ground floor of warehouses industry wide: Robotics Although it has a reputation for being new, mobile robots have been around since the 1960s, according to Josh Cloer, Mobile Industrial Robot’s North American sales director. But what is new is the technology being implemented, in particular slam robotics, or simultaneous location and mapping. MiR is a manufacturer of collaborative mobile robots. “We’re the front-runner in this space,” said Cloer, adding that the use of the company’s autonomous mobile robots is “growing rapidly” in both manufacturing and warehousing. MiR’s own growth is reflective of this, as the company hired over 125 employees last year, opened a new office in San Diego and most recently opened a new office in Long Island. The company’s robots can be used for many different applications in the warehouse and, according to the business, can be used to “optimize workflow, increase productivity and reduce costs,” according to a press release. Development continues in designing robots that can learn the specifics of the warehouses where they are stationed, identifying everything from forklifts to products, according to Cloer. Also, in the near future, Cloer said MiR is working to enhance the ease for users of programming its robots with components like clear interface designs. The main market for the company’s robots currently is the automotive sector, according to Cloer, who said the industry has an innate knowledge of making adjustments, as it already does to accommodate different vehicle models. Still, warehouses throughout the industry are “a rapidly growing space” for the business, he said. “We see opportunities in parcel space as well as third party logistics space,” Cloer said. Asked whether the company has heard concerns about robots taking over human jobs, Cloer said MiR leaders understand those worries. But he notes the current state of marketplace labor, with many businesses reporting difficulty in finding necessary workforce. Robots can aid in the completion of work by freeing up human staff for other jobs within the warehouse or business, he said. Aaron Conway, president of Mezzanine Safeti-Gates, Inc. said in an interview with Material Handling Wholesaler last spring that the growing combination of automation and human workers means other warehouse systems are now being designed with the shift in mind. “With the mix between automation and traditional human workers around the (warehouse) areas, one of the keys is to get those two different styles to operate seamlessly and safely,” he said. Mezzanine Safeti-Gates is incorporating more power operations into its gates and Conway said company designers also favor controlled access areas. With sensors added to safety devices, products can detect if a worker or piece of equipment is in the area. “It aids in the communication throughout the system. It can also tie into their software so they know how many areas are being utilized,” Conway said. Packaging At DHL Supply Chain, cartons are top of mind. It’s an issue almost every consumer, even outside of the material handling industry, is likely familiar with. “When you receive a shipment from Amazon or whomever, oftentimes that box can be grossly underutilized,” said Adrian Kumar, global head of operations science and analytics for DHL Supply Chain. “You might be wondering, ‘Why is this happening? Haven’t they figured out that they should be using a smaller box?’ The answer is that sometimes, a business does not have the right boxes on site at their packing stations, Kumar said. In addition to the packaging waste, this is problematic because parcel carriers charge by dimensional weight, he said. So, for example, a three-to-four-pound object in a large box could end up being assessed a weight of 12 to 15 pounds. And so. DHL Supply Chain recently developed a carton optimization tool that reduces shipping costs by ensuring products are packaged in the optimal size boxes. The tool uses analytics to determine cartons needed in a warehouse to match order profiles and minimize dimensional weight charges, a release from the company said. “Customer pilots utilizing the technology have witnessed up to a 20 percent reduction in shipping costs when combined with other parcel optimization tools, the release said. The DHL tool assess customer order history and item weight and then determines what 10 to 20 preconfigured box sizes should be on hand at the packing stations. “We make suggestions to customers to potentially switch out box sizes,” said Kumar, who said advice can also be to retool practices. “Some of our customers like to ship everything together,” he said. “If you’re shipping a baseball bat and baseball helmet, if it was a separate order you would put the bat in a long narrow box and the helmet in a square box. “If you put it together you need a big rectangular box blow, it might be driving up your shipping costs. “Those are the types of things we advise our customers on that are usually eye openers,” he said. DHL’s tool also helps customers look into what carriers might offer the best rates for their specific needs. The company also helps client’s factor in how they want products to be presented and how much space they want in packaging. So far, DHL has used the tool for about five customers. Kumar said with ready access to the data, it can be put on DHL’s warehouse management system and the tool works fast. “The analysis is run pretty quickly. And the data doesn’t have integrity issues,” Kumar said. Following the implementation strategy, it can take about a month for savings make their way into the books, according to Kumar. As the push for rapid fulfillment continues across industry sectors, DHL is working to help
Vanderlande to present innovative concepts and solutions at PARCEL Forum
Vanderlande will share a number of market insights relating to automation and storage solutions at this year’s PARCEL Forum at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center in Dallas, Texas. The company’s Postal and Parcel Market Director, Rob Qualm, will be a featured speaker at the event on October 30 and discuss the need to reshift storage to multi-functional hubs. Consumer demand is at an all-time high and parcel companies must cope with the increasing demand for speed, flexibility and higher service levels. In addition, building space in urban areas is already at a premium and labor is increasingly hard to find. Until a few years ago, the ‘push’ concept was the standard procedure, in which products were pushed through the supply chain to be sent out for delivery. However, this led to high levels of consumer dissatisfaction due to the limited delivery options available. In the ‘pull’ concept, the buyer is firmly in control by demanding convenient delivery windows and keeping track of items at all times. Automation is essential in realizing these new requirements and Vanderlande has vast experience in the smooth integration and installation of automated storage and retrieval systems. The inherent flexibility of such sorting solutions will allow parcel hubs to seamlessly move away from traditional ‘pull’ methods, embrace new business models and rapidly respond to changes in the market. “Adaptability within the supply chain is needed to support this new approach and parcel center operations must change to remain as efficient as possible,” says Sean Wallingford, President Warehouse and Parcel North America. “Market trends predict that more delivery routes, additional local storage near consumers and multi-functional hubs are necessary to meet the increasing requirements for final-mile deliveries and to manage costs more effectively.” “Modular sort-on-demand solutions offer the potential to create a temporary storage option to quickly adapt to changing delivery times or locations,” adds Qualm. “Hubs will benefit from higher levels of service, flexibility and operator efficiency, as well as shorter loading times, the effective consolidation of orders and enhanced route planning. In addition, integrated and intelligent automation software can provide full control over the entire process.”
HANNOVER MESSE USA 2020: A global perspective on next-generation manufacturing
To succeed in global markets, we need global perspectives. We need access to cutting-edge ideas, solutions, technologies and best practices from thought leaders around the world. In a time when manufacturing and automation are changing faster than ever before, we need tools that help us keep pace — and stay ahead of the competition. At HANNOVER MESSE USA, co-located with the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS), we find all this — and a great deal more. The future of manufacturing is limited only by the strength of our ideas and our willingness to change. Join us in Chicago as we and plot a prudent way forward for your business and your brand. A comprehensive view of industry trends HANNOVER MESSE USA and IMTS are co-located at McCormick Place in Chicago (Sept. 14-19, 2020) and will provide a unique, comprehensive view of trends and technologies dominating the manufacturing industry. An estimated 600 exhibitors from leading companies around the world will gather to provide a clear, detailed picture of the transformations affecting our industry. This exciting, rapidly-evolving event is a showcase of the latest in automation, predictive analytics, artificial intelligence, the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), control systems, digital twins, data-led manufacturing, robotics, logistics 4.0 and more. Join us, and get the full story on the future of manufacturing. You won’t find it anywhere else. North America’s largest manufacturing technology gathering HANNOVER MESSE USA and IMTS are the perfect tandem. Combined, they make up the largest gathering of manufacturing and automation professionals on the continent. More than 125,000 qualified attendees from more than 100 countries — most with major purchasing influence in their organizations — will be on hand to network, build business relationships and move our industry forward. HANNOVER MESSE USA is a thriving, highly-anticipated event that will be bigger and better than ever in 2020, with more exhibitors, more floor space and more free educational opportunities. Stay ahead of the curve All show attendees also have free access to the Solutions Theater — a chance for exhibitors to share presentations, case studies, demonstrations and special events to a large audience. Thanks to our partners, HANNOVER MESSE USA also features a full conference program, including: Global Automation & Manufacturing Summit (GAMS). This half-day summit provides opportunities and strategies for plant managers, control engineers, and manufacturing business leaders to take back to their plants. Integrated Industries Conference (IIC). The IIC offers solutions for current manufacturing concerns, new trends, and best practices, helping companies looking to thrive in today’s dynamic manufacturing environment. Open Platform Communications (OPC) Seminar. This conference focuses on the rich feature set of the OPC Unified Architecture and the unique ways end users put these features to use in real-world applications. Imagine the possibilities Digital transformation is happening across the globe, and it provides a strong business opportunity for both established manufacturers and start-ups. It’s crucial to embrace the change that comes with technology and to evolve our businesses along with it. HANNOVER MESSE USA is a portal to the kind of knowledge this evolution requires — a living library of exhibitors from Germany, Taiwan, China, Italy, India, Japan, the United States and many other countries who are moving us forward. The future of manufacturing is limited only by the strength of our ideas and our willingness to change. Join us in Chicago as we imagine the possibilities, and plot a prudent way forward for your business and your brand. Click here to register.
Evaluating systems with digital modeling
Companies are now turning to robotics and other automated technologies to meet customer demands. Updating facilities with new equipment used to involve purchasing and installing systems to see if they worked in your operation. Now companies are able to see and evaluate their options using digital modeling and virtual commissioning. Click here for the video. Tags: AI automation data digital modeling distribution predictive analytics robotics software update virtual commissioning
KUKA Robotics Canada showcases mobility and collaboration along with the new generation KR QUANTEC Robot
KUKA will present on mobile robot safety at Canada’s largest manufacturing event from Sept. 30 to Oct. 3 KUKA Robotics Canada Ltd., an intelligent automation solutions global supplier, will be exhibiting and presenting on mobile robotics safety measures at the Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show (CMTS) in Ontario from Sept. 30 to Oct. 3. The bi-annual event provides a unique, hands-on learning environment where global leaders from Canada’s largest manufacturing industries, such as aerospace and automotive, can discover revolutionary manufacturing technologies to support and grow their businesses. Visitors will have a chance to attend a variety of sessions to learn more about the newest technologies, areas for growth and best practices within the industry. At the event, KUKA will display its automation solutions at booth #1087 including its mobile robots to demonstrate precise material handling and touch sensing; a welding demo with two KR CYBERTECH nanos: a KR 8 R1620 and a KR 8 R1620 arc HW that uses KUKA RoboTeam software to show synchronized motion between both robots and the DKP 400 positioner; and a ready2_educate cell. Representatives from KUKA will be on-site to assist with demonstrations, answer questions and explain the benefits of these solutions. KUKA will also display the newest version of its best-selling product, the KR QUANTEC robot, an all-around robot that can be used for a number of applications, such as handling, spot welding, and high path accuracy processes such as laser cutting and milling. The newest version can carry a payload of up to 300 kilograms and is ideal for nearly every market segment, including the automotive, aerospace, foundry and medical industries. This robot uses enhanced oil for a longer lifespan and has leaner interference contours and is faster and more precise. The KR QUANTEC series is the world’s first industrial robot range to have digital motion modes which ensures optimal robot motion for specific applications. “The new generation of our KR QUANTEC robot is our best yet – built for maximum flexibility and lowest total cost of ownership, it sets a new standard for traditional manufacturing and Industry 4.0,” said Yarek Niedbala, VP of Sales at KUKA Robotics Canada. “For example, our Digital Motion Modes let customers quickly change the performance of the robot from speed-focused to high path accuracy.” In addition to the demonstrations, Denise Ebenhoech, Regional Head of Advanced Robotic Applications at KUKA, will present the “Safety Considerations of Mobile Robot Systems Implementations in a Collaborative Environment” session at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 2. As the demand for personalized and varied products grows, manufacturers are turning to more flexible solutions like collaborative and mobile robots to meet production needs. The speaking session will discuss the safety considerations that manufacturers must consider when adopting mobile and collaborative robots, as well as share strategies for protecting workers. “CMTS brings together the top global leaders in automation, and we’re honored to be one of them,” said Ed Manera, General Manager of KUKA Robotics Canada. “We’ll have the opportunity to share our vast expertise, introduce new products and demonstrate technologies that will enable our customers to succeed in a global market.” For more information about the CMTS and KUKA’s speaking sessions at the show, visit: https://www.cmts.ca
Vecna Robotics introduces new line of Autonomous material handling solutions in collaboration with UniCarriers
Vecna Robotics, a provider in autonomous material handling solutions, is teaming with UniCarriers Americas (UCA), a manufacturer of material handling equipment and part of the family of one of the world’s largest manufacturing companies, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Vecna Robotics and UCA are collaborating on a line of autonomous material handling vehicles for warehouses, distribution centers, and manufacturing environments. Vecna Robotics is integrating its state-of-the-art autonomous navigation technology, learning algorithms, and workflow orchestration software into UCA vehicles turning them into Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR), capable of moving bulk material through dynamic warehouse environments. The new line will also feature autonomous tuggers and lift trucks capable of vertical and horizontal movements with material up to 10,000 pounds. Renderings of the new autonomous pallet jack will be on display at Vecna Robotics HQ Reveal and Insider Showcase on September 26, 2019. “Vecna Robotics’ collaboration with UCA has come at the perfect time,” said Michael Baier, Director of Hardware Engineering for Vecna Robotics. “Our customer base is rapidly expanding. Companies are no longer asking themselves if they should automate, they are now looking at when to automate and the sooner, the better. Partnering with an industrial vehicle design expert like UCA helps us provide our customers with exceptional products and meet demand without skipping a beat.” The fleet will also feature Vecna Robotic pivot.al™ orchestration system. Pivot.al is an AI-based fleet manager that distributes and redistributes work amongst humans, robots, and standard automation based on capabilities, location, and operational priorities. Pivot.al redesigns workflows, mixing and matching assignments based on the unique capabilities of humans and robots in real-time to ensure current operational processes align with current operational needs. “Customer’s expectations are changing too fast. Companies that restrict themselves to a specific workflow, robot or AGV are not optimizing productivity efficiently,” said Brian Markison, Senior Director of National Accounts and AGV Sale at UCA. “This strategic partnership helps Vecna Robotics and UCA reach a very important shared objective – providing customers flexible and cost-efficient material handling solutions that reliably gets goods out the door no matter how demand or markets change.”
Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR) opens New York office to keep up with growth
Denmark’s fastest-growing robotics manufacturer and industry first mover in autonomous mobile robots adds first showroom outside of headquarters with space for double the employees in MiR’s largest market Mobile Industrial Robots, the first mover and market leader in autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), has opened its largest office in North America to accommodate continued growth across the continent. The new two-building, 7376 sq. ft. office in Holbrook, New York, replaces the Danish company’s first international office, opened in the same city in 2016. It also includes MiR’s first showroom outside of the company’s headquarters in Odense, designed to showcase its wide range of mobile robots and the various applications that can help users optimize workflow, increase productivity and reduce costs. With the new facility, the company expects to add at least seven new employees within the next year to the 13 already in the United States. “With North America continuing to be our largest market at 30 percent of total sales, we have simply outgrown our smaller office here in New York in only three short years,” said Ed Mullen, vice president of sales, Americas, MiR. “In fact, we have actually doubled sales in the U.S. compared to last year as companies from various industries discover how AMRs can automate internal transport to help optimize workflow, increase productivity and reduce costs. The growth potential is huge, with many of our multinational customers now investing in multiple AMRs.” Founded in Odense, Denmark in 2013, MiR opened the first office in Holbrook followed by facilities in San Diego, Frankfurt, Barcelona, Singapore and Shanghai. The company’s family of user-friendly, powerful and robust AMRs for heavy and light internal transport optimizes logistics throughout the entire production chain, from the warehouse to the delivery of goods. The MiR100, MiR200, MiR500 and MiR1000 (launched in April) are already installed in more than 50 countries at companies such as Toyota, Ford Motors, Raytheon, ABB and CABKA North America. The robots help manufacturers and other organizations keep up with ever-changing customer demands with flexible and easily adaptable production facilities. This is in stark contrast to conventional logistics solutions such as forklifts, conveyor belts or automated guided vehicles (AGVs) that are often expensive, inflexible and higher risk. For example, Teamvantage, an injection molding and contract manufacturer, implemented a MiR100 robot with a hook (a MiRHook100) this summer at its warehouse in Forest Lake, Minnesota. “Teamvantage recently embarked on a warehouse optimization project, part of which was to implement an autonomous robot to efficiently transport product between our warehouse and production floor and to enable our employees to focus on more value-added tasks,” said Kelly Stichter, general manager, Teamvantage. “The MiR solution was most appealing for our application due to its ease of use, including mapping features and web-based interface; its flexibility, the available hook accessory and small footprint; and its safety features, which include cameras, sensors and sounds. Another plus was the simplicity of its design (that is, use of standard components) that makes it easy to maintain.”
Dematic announces strategic partnership with OPEX
Dematic has announced a partnership agreement with OPEX Corporation that enables Dematic to act as an integrator of Sure Sort™, a small-item sorting system. The agreement expands the omnichannel order fulfillment offering of Dematic and provides customers with more options that bring productivity and efficiency to item order consolidation. As a system integrator/solution provider, Dematic will apply and implement Sure Sort as a subsystem within an overall Dematic system. For OPEX, the agreement will allow more markets and customers to realize the benefits of the Sure Sort solution. The agreement is for systems implemented by Dematic in North America. Sure Sort is a robotic small-item sorter that functions as an automated order consolidation method for batch picked items. The Sure Sort solution is often required for e-commerce order fulfillment and retail store replenishment applications. Sure Sort maximizes efficiency and accuracy during the order consolidation process while minimizing order processing time, labor required and the amount of floor space needed in the distribution center. Dematic iQ Optimize Warehouse Execution System (WES) manages all functional areas of the order fulfillment system, including small-item piece picking and the Sure Sort. This powerful combination of Dematic WES software and Sure Sort automation enables all the operational flexibility necessary to support the high expectations of omnichannel distribution. With Sure Sort in the solution offering, Dematic is further enabled to provide a holistic, integrated system that harmonizes information and material flow from receiving to shipping. “The Dematic suite of modular and standardized solutions is comprehensive — adding Sure Sort to the mix enables users to obtain the ideal small-item piece picking solution,” according to Mike Khodl, Vice President of Global Solutions for Dematic. “The ability to design and implement a wide variety of pre-engineered, standardized system configurations is critical to effectively accommodate the growing demands of omnichannel distribution in this age of acceleration.” “The partnership between OPEX and Dematic leverages both companies’ industry expertise and positions Sure Sort in front of existing Dematic customers and prospective customers,” said Jeff Hedges, President of OPEX Warehouse Automation. “The labor shortage continues to impact warehouse and distribution center operations, and Sure Sort removes the need for additional operators and manually operated put walls. Sure Sort offers an increased number of sort locations without taking up valuable space inside the warehouse.”
Kryon powers up Its Artificial Intelligence capability with “AI Booster” for even Smarter Robotic Process Automation
Kryon®, a robotic process automation (RPA) provider known for its business-centric approach and unique full-cycle automation solutions, announces its upcoming launch of AI Booster, a set of new artificial intelligence services based on Microsoft Azure’s Cognitive Services, to create a unified RPA and AI experience that delivers smarter end-to-end deployment and management through a single, intuitive platform. The unique AI Booster will be included in Kryon’s Automation Suite Version 19.4 expected in the Fall of 2019. Kryon’s AI Booster will allow business users to deploy and manage AI technology by simply dragging and dropping these elements right into personal process workflows without having to develop complicated AI applications. By connecting seamlessly to Kryon’s full-cycle Automation Suite, these advanced AI capabilities will create a superior, unified RPA and AI experience. “This exciting fusion of RPA and AI is a direct result of Kryon’s ongoing strategic cooperation with Microsoft. This launch takes us to the next level of consciously feeding information and understanding an enterprise’s data movements, generating more intelligent analysis and superior outcomes,” said Harel Tayeb, CEO of Kryon. “AI Booster is yet another weapon in the Kryon arsenal for leveraging natural methods of communication to clearly understand and interpret users’ needs. As such, it’s a natural outgrowth of our innovative, advanced business users’ interface strategy.” The impact of Kryon’s AI Booster will be keenly felt by those responsible for handling unstructured and structured data from documents, including the BSFI and customer service fields. Key benefits are: Enhanced automation capabilitiesReading both printed and handwritten text in images and API: Offering optical character recognition (OCR) to detect embedded printed and handwritten text and extract words into machine-readable character streams to enable text searching Improved customer experienceForm recognizers: Enabling advanced machine learning to extract text, value pairs, and tables from documents, forms and receipts, while understanding the layout and relationships between fields to pull information from the document with exceptional accuracy Smart accuracyText analytics: Facilitating robotics to quantify human intent and apply it to business processes through four different types of highly effective analysis AI Booster’s addition to the Kryon full-cycle RPA solution demonstrates the company’s ongoing investment in the growth and development of customer success. “We’re able to help businesses realize their full potential faster and more effectively through Process Discovery – and now through AI Booster,” said Richard French, CRO of Kryon. “It’s yet another example of our non-stop development of the most innovative and impactful features for the rapidly growing automation community.”