Use the 4.0: transforming operations
Industry 4.0 isn’t just a buzzword. Swisslog says in the near future, warehouses will be using real-time data and smart robots to monitor conditions and improve operations.
Intelligence will be embedded in facilities, with virtual and augmented reality helping to run “what-if” scenarios, predict how the operation will perform during the peak season and tour warehouses remotely.
Despite the opportunities, many businesses believe they are a long way from using Industry 4.0 concepts in their operation because they are too busy on day-to-day activities to think about the benefits. “In the next few years we will likely see a change period,” says head of sales at Swisslog UK, Shane Faulkner. “People will hopefully move away from this mentality and focus on specific challenges, before building up to a bigger vision.”
With great power comes great responsibility
New technology can be a significant investment, but with any kind of warehouse automation, the biggest risk is over-investing in technology that has the potential of becoming redundant. Implementing a project that promises to increase your productivity might result in business growth, but if the system isn’t flexible, it can no longer keep up with the rise in demand. That’s why smart robotics are paving the way for a culture-change in warehouse automation.
CarryPick, for example, is a mobile system for efficient storage and order picking. The modular concept of the solution stands out for its ability to be extended and relocated on very short notice. In combination with Swisslog warehouse management software, SynQ, this kind of technology makes coping with changing demands simple.
“Change is constant, and businesses are well aware of this fact,” Shane continues. “While change is usually neither all good, nor all bad, uncertainty tends to make major businesses uneasy. It is this that gives them reluctance to consider investing in the future, but uncertainty is exactly why Industry 4.0 should be an important aspect in any kind of operation.”
Swisslog’s SynQ WMS combines connectivity, low-cost sensors, big data and advanced robotics. It’s contained services allow warehouses to adapt to upcoming changes in the smartest way possible – today and in the future. SynQ provides an array of business intelligence tools in a modular platform, meaning it lets warehouse managers choose the functionality they need, when they need it.
The smart way to automate: turn big data into smart data
The best value from robots can derive from working collaboratively with operators. Collaborative robots, or cobots, work directly side by side human operators to assemble an efficient warehouse operation. In some cases, these robots can learn from the collected data that Industry 4.0 solutions provide, and act based on this data.
“Robots today are seen less as a substitute, and more as a supportive and assisting medium for human workers,” Shane adds. “That’s where cobots come in – robots that work collaboratively with humans.” Swisslog’s AutoPiQ solution is based on this principle. The robot picks the items that it is able to pick, which can be up to 95% of the customer’s product range, and a worker finishes the order. AutoPiQ is made up of a smart portable robot cell, ItemPiQ, which sets the base towards artificial intelligence. An intelligent vision system is able to detect unknown items and with four different gripping possibilities, it learns how to handle even fragile products. It is this machine-learning concept that opens up a world of opportunities in logistics.
With big data, warehouse managers have a whole new insight into their operation. The Cockpit Manager module in the Swisslog SynQ WMS uses big data to visualise operations in 3D and real-time, providing a complete digital shadow of the warehouse and how it is operating.
Monitor Conditions to Predict and Prevent Errors
Swisslog’s Condition Monitoring allows users to view the current state of an intralogistics system at any time and ensures equipment works at maximum efficiency for the longest lifespan. As part of Swisslog’s SynQ service-based modular software platform, Condition Monitoring predicts possible problems, reducing the risk of unscheduled downtime and maximising delivery reliability.
“Predictive Maintenance is the next step towards Industry 4.0,” says Shane. “All automation sensors communicate together and learn from each other.”
At the opening ceremony of LogiMAT 2017, Swisslog’s Condition Monitoring was honoured with the “Best Product” award in the Software, Communication and IT category. Swisslog’s solution concept impressed the high-calibre jury of scientists and trade journalists thanks to its substantial contribution towards streamlining processes, saving costs and increasing productivity in intralogistics.
Embedded Intelligence
