An unassisted order picker averages about 60 to 80 picks per hour. Pick-to-light systems may improve this number by up to 50%, while new technologies such as pick-to-light, RFID, and pick-to-voice improve accuracy by up to 67%. It’s this data that is driving an increasing trend of warehouse automation — and it’s this data you need to pay attention to if you want to remain competitive.
Labor Costs are Rising – and Warehouses Are Filling Fast
Warehouses are seeing their square footage and SKUs expand quickly. In large part, this is due to consolidation: many businesses are now consolidating in large “mega-warehouses” to streamline and optimize their operations. However, this also makes picking and packing even more important. To remain competitive, companies need to be able to strip down their warehousing costs, while still improving upon their logistics and supply chain management. The challenges that warehousing companies face today are more complex than ever, but they can be aided by advances in warehousing technology and big data analytics.
Creating a Wireless IoT Network to Improve Warehouse Productivity
Workers spend about 50% of their time walking from location to location. The use of IoT solutions can route employees more effectively, making better use of their time. IoT technologies are also able to greatly improve upon accuracy, thereby reducing the ultimate costs of errors and error correction.
A wireless IoT network can integrate a number of components that are designed to facilitate both speed and accuracy:
- Pick-to-light systems. When controlled through the right warehousing solution, pick-to-light systems are able to direct pickers with increased efficiency.
- Barcode and RFID scanners. To improve upon accuracy, scanners can be used to identify the correct items and ensure that they are placed in the right boxes.
- Logistics and analytics. While pickers and packers work, IoT devices collect dense information about their performance, which can then be used to improve upon systems.
Through a unified system, all aspects of warehouse efficiency and productivity can be controlled through a single portal. This provides accurate data and superior controls.
Moving forward, new technologies such as augmented reality are being explored to make it even easier for workers to pick and pack items. AR is expected to improve efficiency by giving workers a heads up display, which can track their personal stats as well as highlighting relevant items.
Of course, all of this requires a reliable and robust wireless solution. Warehouses now need to collect and utilize large volumes of data — and when the warehouse’s data goes down, the warehouse does, too. Security is also paramount, as a wireless internet system has to be able to reject incoming attacks and defend against them without disrupting or slowing the warehouse’s operations.
IoT is not only the future of the warehousing industry: it’s being implemented right now. In order to keep expanding while still providing accurate and timely fulfillment, warehouses are finding themselves investing in new technologies. If you want to remain competitive, it may be time for an audit of your existing technology. BCS can help. Contact BCS today to find out more about the advancements that are being made throughout the warehousing, picking, and packing industry.
Learn more about BCS’ Wi-Fi Assessment services, go to Wi-Fi Networks.
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