The Material Handling Blog

Technology and automation have had a place in distribution and supply chains for decades. Typically, high-end automation was reserved for the largest multi-national organizations with ample capital and a vision to improve efficiencies in their supply chain. While the technology adoption curve is much more mature in Europe than North America, N. American business investment in supply chain automation and distribution is increasing rapidly due to changing customer buying behavior, labor shortages, ecommerce adoption, and access to various technologies both mature and emerging. The amount of new technologies emerging to support distribution and supply chain automation is also rapidly increasing; and for good reason.

Parts Town needed a way to get ahead of their 30 percent year over year growth. Order printouts and manual push carts bustling from one side of the warehouse to another just wasn’t working anymore. Wanting to embrace their success without sacrificing their promise to customers of same-day delivery, Parts Town turned to Bastian Solutions. It was time to envision a new approach and make better use of their space.

Automated guided vehicles (AVGs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) are transforming the way manufacturing and distribution centers operate. They are easier than ever to integrate into your operations and are currently seeing a significant boost in adoption.

As an independent systems integrator, Bastian Solutions is constantly evaluating the latest cutting-edge technologies. Largely driven by the continued growth of ecommerce, advancements in automated order fulfillment solutions continue at an unprecedented pace. Here are five order fulfillment technologies to keep an eye on…

Over the years, Bastian Solutions has partnered with several OEMs & spare parts distributors to improve their order fulfillment systems. We’ve found that goods-to-person systems are a great fit.

Automation can provide a wealth of benefits with the right system. Don't overlook these 7 energy-related questions when selecting which automation technologies are best for your operation. Read: 7 Energy Considerations for Material Handling Automation

Considering a goods-to-person system, but not sure which one to choose or what to put inside? Start by analyzing your data. Read: Which Products Should Go into a Goods-To-Person System?

There are many automation technologies available to improve omni-channel fulfillment – but which are right for your operation? Read: Automated Picking Technologies for Omni-Channel Fulfillment

From a mechanical standpoint, a goods-to-person system certainly can attain the tote delivery rate advertised on a vendor’s website.  However, these advertised rates do not consider the primary determinant for the throughput rate that is actually realized at a goods-to-person work station – the pick cycle time.  Read: Key Factors in Goods-to-Person Throughput Design

Apesar da tecnologia de armazenagem e retirada automatizada (ASRS) não ser exatamente recente, é notável o nível de desenvolvimento e sua capacidade de solucionar problemas complexos otimizando processos logísticos economizando espaços ao máximo. Leia: Robótica e a otimização de espaço de armazenagem

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been in the news a lot lately.  Self-driving cars, smart personal assistants (e.g. Amazon’s Alexa), and recommendation engines that serve up your favorite movies and books, are all exciting AI applications that you have probably heard about.  There are, though, many more, including in material handling automation. Read: AI - Hype or Game Changer

Whenever asked about my job, most questions revolve around conveyor and racking, but I can’t help but wonder why the scope of the industry ends there, or at least the perception of it. Today's material handling technology is impressive and more advanced than ever before. Read: The Evolution of Material Handling Technology