The Material Handling Blog

Order fulfillment operations play a crucial role in today's fast-paced world, where customers expect their orders to be processed and delivered quickly and accurately. With the increasing demand for seamless and efficient order fulfillment services, businesses are turning to innovative solutions to meet the needs of their customers. One such solution is the use of robotic buffer systems.

Sin duda alguna, el “microfulfillment” es un concepto que se está volviendo tendencia dentro de los esquemas de cadena de suministro. La habilidad de llevar productos a las manos de los consumidores más rápido que cualquier competidor es el objetivo último, así que, no sólo es una tendencia actual, si no que ha evolucionado en una estrategia de descentralización a través de la cual los productores buscan mejorar la experiencia de los consumidores. Entonces, ¿cómo se define?

It’s no secret that, since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, foot traffic in brick-and-mortar stores has seen a dramatic decrease. Recent reports show a slight increase and recovery but it is becoming increasingly clear that online shopping is the way of the future. How are businesses responding to this trend and what does this mean for parcel shipments?

In 2022, Bastian Solutions announced a working relationship with Caja Robotics to integrate robotic systems in the U.S., with a plan to leverage each other’s capabilities in the material handling space to serve a range of projects and customer sites. We talked to Ilan Cohen, the CEO and Board Chairman at Caja Robotics, for a deeper insight on the technology and future of DC automation development. Ilan is an external founder with a Ph.D. in AI (artificial intelligence) and an extensive career in automation and robotics.

Adapting to uncertain markets, goods to person continues to prove to be a robust foundation for distribution center operations that can grow and adapt.

O Diretor de Fulfillment atribui a você um projeto para especificar um novo sistema de triagem e transportador capaz de "dobrar" as capacidades atuais. Por onde começar? Primeiro, comece entendendo e desafiando a verdadeira triagem e os requisitos do sistema. Os sistemas de transporte e triagem são soluções projetadas. Como a maioria dos problemas de engenharia, a solução geralmente é tão boa quanto suas entradas.

In today’s global market – facing an acceleration in ecommerce and managing the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic – flexibility is not only key, but a necessity. The flexibility to scale up or down and use automation where it fits best in order to help to maintain a leading edge in the industry markets. Facilitating greater speed, agility and adaptability in warehouse distribution and order fulfillment, Tompkins Robotics’ solutions are designed to allow customers to be more successful in dynamically changing environments. In 2019, Bastian Solutions added Tompkins Robotics’ autonomous mobile robot (AMRs) solution to our growing portfolio of automation capabilities. We talked to Mike Futch, the CEO and President of Tompkins Robotics, for a deeper insight on the technology and future of DC automation development.

Conveyor and sortation systems are engineered solutions. Like most engineering problems, the solution is typically only as good as its inputs. Accurate data upfront ensures the solution is tailored to your individual business requirements and product specifications.

In many distribution centers, timely order fulfillment relies on operators having access to empty boxes so that they can quickly complete their picks. This is often completed by building a box and then delivering it to the operator within the pick module. The question is – “What is the best way to get the box from the box erector to the operator?”

Put walls aren’t new but their many operational benefits continue to stand out and help drive distribution center efficiencies, despite some common drawbacks. For companies with high order commonality and batch picking, put walls can easily have a dramatic impact to picking labor. Put walls are simply shelving units with several cubbies of the same or varying sizes, dependent on the orders being processed. Modern units have light indicators at the front and back of the wall to help direct operators to pick and put items.

Pick, pack and ship is fairly straightforward but with increasing pressures to process orders faster and faster, these tasks can give your company a competitive edge.

As industrial robotic technology has improved over the years, so has related simulation software. So much so, that a majority of the upfront programming for a robotic system is typically now completed in simulation software first before being implemented in a physical robot. The sophisticated software programs used for robotic simulations replicate real world robotic conditions within a 3D virtual environment. These tools allow for detailed customization providing a reliably clear view of how a robot will operate before its built and integrated. This gives customers peace of mind of how their investment will support their operations.