Industrial warehouses have changed a lot since the beginning of the 20th century.
Because the nature and character of the goods they store are ever-evolving, warehouses introduced a lot of innovation and efficiencies over the years.
The changes often resolved existing pain points, only to create new concerns, and this fostered a cycle of technological development. Come see how six new innovations have impacted industrial warehousing and logistics.
#1. Ergonomic Workstations Enhance Safety
Few occupations are more hazardous than material mover. Manually picking and lifting cases from pallets, feeling whole-body vibration when receiving large boxes, elevating 25,000 pounds of merchandise in a forklift with inadequate lumbar support, and looking up to store goods and back to drive in reverse are common causes of musculoskeletal disorders among warehouse workers.
The introduction of ergonomic industrial workstations has reduced the hazards hand packagers, stockers, order fillers, machine feeders, freight movers and recyclable material collectors regularly contend with. Industrial workstations are dedicated stations optimized for specific tasks.
There are examples for these innovations that can be distinguished: picking, packing, and loading and unloading stations. Each of these stations has special equipment that will help each worker perform their job on an efficient and comfortable way that gives them the best chance to avoid any injuries to their muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons and nerves.
#2. Energy Management Systems (EMS) Optimize Electric Consumption
An EMS is meant to measure a warehouse’s energy consumption, then identify where it is energy inefficiencies and work to reduce energy wasting.
Sinks can be measured using an EMS that can help the move to identify systems and subjects where consumption is happening and track heating, ventilation and air conditioning, lighting and others, then report back and analytics showcase key information that the management group needs to make decisions.
EMS solutions help warehouse leaders develop and implement sound strategies to achieve power efficiency goals. Such a system can adjust the airflow and control the indoor climate according to the occupancy level and time of day.
An EMS can ensure ample workplace illumination based on daylight availability to cut costs on artificial lighting. It can also consider electricity demand levels when scheduling equipment operation to take advantage of lower rates.
#3. Predictive Analytics Streamlines Inventory Management
Predictive analytic software gives industrial warehouse leaders the ability to estimate market trends based upon historical data, similar to how it forecasts weather patterns to help farmers plant crops with foresight.
If the demand of certain seasonal products face acute rise in demand and people don’t sufficiently stock warehouse items, it presents challenges for their supply logic in holding heightened inventory levels.
Because consumer sentiment and demand swings without notice, history normally has some lessons to help with inventory management.
Early identification of patterns in big data requires the assistance of statistical algorithms and machine learning techniques can help prove they are accurate, and resources in tracking their action, including traps for making or preventing stock outs when they should not have withheld any resources from product destination.
Analytics based demand forecasting strategies can help reduce stock outs, maximize revenues and employee car parking.
#4. Modular Warehousing Marries Scalability With Affordability
Modular construction represents a convenient and economical approach to distribution center design. It transforms the traditional warehouse into segments of integrated or stand-alone operations made of agile modules.
Warehouse modules are easy to disassemble and reassemble, giving the management the flexibility to reimagine floor plans in numerous ways to adapt to current needs and expand as they grow with less capital.
This warehousing helps promote sustainability, which matters to organizations with environmental, social and governance goals. Modules are reusable and reduce the incentive to remodel traditionally built structures or construct new facilities when scaling up.
#5. AI-Powered Surveillance Boosts Security
The integration of more advanced AI capabilities with surveillance cameras in the ‘20s has reinforced warehouse security. Machine learning lends behavior analysis to video monitoring, highlighting how malicious characters act when committing illegal activities.
AI-assisted surveillance systems can alert management upon detecting suspicious actions based on predefined rules and patterns. This capability is vital for combating shrinkage, catching employees red-handed and stopping them before they leave the warehouse.
Cameras with automation increase the situational awareness of warehouse armed and unarmed security officers when guarding and patrolling facilities. These professionals — who are already adept at proactively correcting security deficiencies — become even more effective in neutralizing break-in attempts and workplace violence.
#6. Automation Supercharges Fulfilment.
Robotics is arguably the most impactful technological disruption to warehouse operations. Bots promote workplace safety, efficiency and productivity.
They harmoniously coexist with human employees to meet ambitious fulfillment goals in such a fast-paced, demanding environment. Automated machines also help alleviate chronic labor shortages, lightening the workloads of understaffed warehouse teams.
Warehouse robots are diverse. Each serves a unique function to support distinct operational requirements. The most common are robotic arms, collaborative robots (cobots), autonomous drones, automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS), and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). Here is what they are for:
- Robotic arms: They can handle the most laborious warehouse tasks, including sorting, picking, packing, palletizing and depalletizing, and loading and unloading. These bots spare human workers from the rigors of strenuous warehouse work, protecting them from adverse and nagging injuries. A 2023 study found that 24% of young male warehouse workers reported low back pain, so adopting robotic arms can safeguard them from this musculoskeletal condition.
- Cobots: These programmable machines work alongside humans, automating repetitive tasks and handling more hazardous tasks. Reprogramming them allows them to perform various functions. Versatility renders cobots crucial assets in ever-evolving warehouses.
- Autonomous drones: These robots reduce human error in inventory management. They can navigate the facility to scan items and update stock data records in real time, minimizing discrepancies. Warehouse drones can fly to areas less accessible to humans to complete thorough inventory checks more quickly and safely. These aerial bots also transport tools and parts across different locations.
- AS/RS: These computer-controlled or robot-aided systems take and retrieve items in storage racks, safely and efficiently moving them to picking stations. They streamline warehouse operations involving larger quantities of diverse merchandise organized vertically. They also deliver items to operators at an ergonomic height, helping minimize strain and other injuries associated with manual picking.
- AMRs: These mobile bots contribute to material handling, inventory management and fulfilment. They safely move around the warehouse floor to transport pallets and other heavy objects to their intended stations or even directly to workers, ensuring a continuous flow of goods.
Industrial Warehousing’s Evolution Continues
Every critical warehousing pain point motivates innovation, and distribution and fulfilment centres rarely run out of opportunities to improve.
Witnessing modern industrial warehouses evolve rapidly may create a few novel problems but inspire more solutions, driving a never-ending technological transformation.