Working with robots may seem like a science fiction concept. However, advancements in robotics technology have rapidly brought the logistics industry closer to that possibility.
According to Aethon, robotics adoption along the supply chain is growing significantly, partly because robots are far more affordable, capable, and reliable as a logistics solution than ever before.
Industry leaders like DHL and Amazon are integrating robotics technology such as drones and driverless vehicles. These technological advances are improving efficiency, speed, accuracy, and safety within their organizations.
Improved Operational Efficiency
Increases in operational efficiency are always a must in logistics, so major industry players are closely tracking this trend and expanding their knowledge base on how growing robotics usage could result in greater returns.
One example of using robotics in logistics is the integration of self-driving vehicles in a warehouse environment. This type of automation enables the transportation of goods and also includes other tasks such as loading and unloading. DHL highlighted in 2014 that this integration is expected to enhance the overall efficiency of the entire process.
Amazon also adopted the same kind of technology when they acquired Kiva Systems in 2012 and began implementing robotic inventory management and order fulfillment solutions in their warehouses. The Kiva robots’ functionality brings the shelves and products from within the warehouse to the staff so they can package customer orders, rather than requiring staff to walk throughout the warehouse and back to find the product, fulfill the order, and package it. CNET reports that adopting Kiva robots improved efficiency by 25% in the fulfillment process and allowed for 50% more inventory in Amazon warehouses that have adopted the process.
Creating Safer Workforce Environments
One advantage of using robotics in the logistics supply chain is the ability to assign robots to hazardous tasks. This helps in reducing the risk to employees. “In addition to providing efficiency gains, self-driving vehicles can also significantly increase safety in transport and loading processes,” DHL stipulates.
When used in warehouse applications, robotic technologies help reduce the risks that employees face. Yaskawa Motoman is a company that provides robotic solutions for unloading and loading trucks in logistics organizations. The company has identified that unloading trucks is a physically demanding job. It requires constant twisting, lifting, and reaching. Yaskawa’s robots help lower the high rate of worker injuries by providing truck unloading and mixed-case de-palletizing.
Risks of Adopting Robotics Within Logistics
One of the major hesitations about adopting robots within the warehouse is the effect it will have on the labor market. People fear that an increase in automation will result in the loss of jobs within the industry.
However, according to Aethon, “more often than not, robots are more efficient and allow employees to perform higher value-added tasks.” Logistics companies that have begun integrating robots into their existing workflow, such as Amazon, insist that adopting automation in their warehouse processes isn’t a threat to their workforce.
In an interview with CNET, David Clark, the Senior Vice President of Worldwide Operations at Amazon, said that the company’s “focus on automation is about helping people do their jobs, not replacing people.” In reality, Amazon announced in June 2015 that it had added 6,000 full-time jobs at its fulfillment centers across the U.S.
For organizations without Amazon’s scale, adopting automation may prove difficult or daunting. Implementing new robotic solutions in the warehouse would require time, as would training and technological resources to support the new processes. All of this comes at a significant cost.
Plus, there are still some functionality hiccups that must be overcome. An Amazon employee confessed that their robots malfunction at times. This causes her to lose valuable time. This highlights the importance of having access to expertise and resources. It’s crucial when considering the introduction of new technologies in logistics.
Robotics as a logistics solution grows more viable as research and technology increase. According to CNET, 10 of the 50 Amazon fulfillment centers had integrated Kiva robots into their warehouses as of 2014. Plus, the pace of innovation in robotics only continues to accelerate. Leaders in the logistics industry are heavily invested in developing new means of automation.
Talking Logistics reports that Amazon recently sponsored a competition at an international robotics research conference to fund a robot that could autonomously pick an item based on provided item description algorithms. That said, don’t be too concerned that robots will fully staff a warehouse anytime soon. Amazon spokeswoman Kelly Cheeseman addresses this concern in the MIT Technology Review, stating, “People are such an important component; the technology wouldn’t mean anything if you didn’t have great employees that help interact and engage with it.”
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