4 Steps to Warehouse Automation
Automating warehouse operations requires careful planning to be successful. It’s a bit like renovating in your existing home while you are living in it; Contractors will be milling about, new problems such as old wiring or poor piping will be discovered behind walls, and cost overruns are likely. Add the stress from family members about project completion and it is easy to see that this scenario can turn into a nightmare. But it does not have to be like this. By doing your homework before calling in a conveyor company to get a quote you are able to mitigate major risks and ensure your project is completed on time and within your budget.
Create a process map of the proposed automation process. Make it as detailed as possible. For example, are inbound units (cartons, packages, etc.) received with proper documentation? Are all receipts from suppliers in standard size cartons? The automated material handling system must be able to handle your largest container size for the items that will be included in the automation project. In addition, when a customer is ordering 50 units and there are 40 units in a carton, what process will be followed? Reviewing customer ordering patterns and volume fluctuations will ensure the system can handle the capacity of your operations.
From your process mapping exercise, is there a sub-process that is standardized and repetitive that could be a candidate for automation? For example, all cartons conform to a standard size (length, width, height) or standard number of cases per pallet from suppliers, etc.
How easily can non-conforming items be handled by the automation of the repetitive process? For example, if a carton does not have a label or is damaged, is there an area where it can be handled? It also makes sense to do a sensitivity analysis to determine the impact of additional volume during peak periods and have a process for handling that additional volume.
Ensure you include your warehouse team to the project. Every team member has valuable input into the automation project, especially the team members closest to the work. They have lived through many challenges in the DC and their input is invaluable. Assign a project manager that will track and report on progress.
One of the biggest challenges with automation is ensuring flexibility. Customers, products, order patterns, etc. all change over time. You want to make sure that as these ‘levers’ in your business change that the automated system is able to adapt to them.