Planning is the first step in implementing an automated warehousing system. To guarantee you make the optimal investment for your facilities, the earliest steps entail talks, strategies, and data gathering. You must carefully assess which automation your warehouse will benefit from implementing because of its hefty initial expenditures. You can install advanced material handling equipment from equip2go.com.au for efficient warehouse system.
Make a plan with both short-term and long-term automation objectives.
Form a team with representatives from operations, finance, floor managers, and technical services to design the automation process. To assist you choose the finest automated items to purchase, this group will create both short-term and long-term goals for your warehouse.
Collect information about warehouse operations
Gather information about how your warehouse functions and use it to identify inefficiencies and areas where improvements will have the most impact on your employees’ and productivity’s well-being. The planning team’s decision over what equipment to buy will be aided by data collecting and analysis.
Manage Your Inventory
Inventory management is a common component of automation in software-based systems. What system do you use right now? Determine whether it falls short of what your facility requires and what benefits you want to obtain from an inventory management system. Utilise this knowledge to select a warehouse management system that will assist you in maintaining optimal operations and precise inventory counts.
Select and apply WMS
Find a WMS model that works with mobile devices when making your decision so that your employees can keep track of inventory revisions as they store or retrieve items from the floor. Additionally, the software ought to be simple to use and interoperable with other programmes you use to run the warehouse.
Analyse Your Facility Needs to Make an Automation Decision
Finally, make the most of your automation investment by identifying the locations using the data gathered. Balance your existing budget with your expectations and the projected returns on your investment while selecting your choice. For instance, if your facility lacks the funds to purchase an AS/RS, you might want to think about using conveyors or an AGV. Alternately, you might switch to digital inventory management from paper. Your warehouse can see significant increases in productivity and efficiency by making even small transitions from manual to automated processes.
Security tape
People need to know where to go when integrating human and automated technology in a warehouse. Not all robots or autonomous vehicles can avoid impediments in their predetermined courses. Therefore, you must use safety tape to define pathways only for human and automated vehicle traffic on the floors.
By separating the two, accidents are avoided and workers are protected from unintentionally impeding autonomous vehicle operation. This tape is also effective in dividing channels for foot traffic from lanes for people-powered vehicles like forklifts. Additionally, you can simply remove the current safety tape and make new routes to accommodate modifications if you need to change the layout of your warehouse.
Safety Symbols
Safety signs are crucial for facility organisation, enhancing traffic flow, and ensuring worker safety. You can immediately identify the locations of life-saving tools like fire extinguishers or first-aid kits by using signage. Additionally, these signs inform individuals of the allowed areas.
Add signage to deter people from entering the space if you wish to designate a section of your warehouse just for AS/RS. The AS/RS lanes are so small that it is not possible for humans and robots to share the same area. Maximal system efficiency will be achieved by adding signage to prevent individuals from entering certain lanes. Specialised pallets are necessary for AS/RS systems in order for the machinery to stock shelves or remove items from them.
