Electricity and Control December 2021-January 2022

INDUSTRY 4.0 + IIOT : PRODUCTS + SERVICES

Streamlining distribution from warehouse to customer

a shift towards automating processes and implementing smart solutions. The pairing of robotics with intelligent ware- house software like WSR Server – which pro- vides for mixed palletising – simplifies the process. It overcomes the need to do everything by hand, which tends to be laborious and is more prone to human error. “Using a combination of robotics and software like intelligent palletising software (IPS), the warehouse manager can create the perfect pallet,” Moulder says. “For instance, where a retail store requires a particular range of products, IPS groups the order and sends it to the warehouse control system. The individual pallets containing the specific items will be picked out and brought to a de-palletising station where they are de- layered, depending on quantities required. From there, the items are picked and buffered, then off to the mixed palletisers to be prepared for shipment.” The use of robotics in warehouses has other benefits as well.

Robotic logistics are the future of supply chain management, according to Yaskawa Nordic Sales Director, Lee Moulder. In 2018 American companies reportedly spent some $1.5 trillion on logistics expenses. It’s a sum that signifies the importance of supply chain management to busi- nesses. And central to any logistics system in supply chain management is the warehouse. “In the food and beverage industry, for example, there are typically mixed case warehouses,” says Moulder. “They house various products and items under the same roof and from these centres pallets are distributed to the different customers and stores.” Each store will have its own set of requirements and not all of them will order the same items from the warehouse. “The distribution centres therefore need to pack different orders every day for the various stores,” Moulder explains. “It’s a complex process, packing the specific number of goods requested by each store, and more so when factors such as packing kosher products separately need to be taken into account.” Traditionally, most warehouse sorting and packing tasks have been done manually. As businesses demand more efficiency and accuracy, however, there’s been

A combination of robotics and intelligent palletising software enables more efficient distribution.

For more information contact Yaskawa SA. Email: andrew@yaskawa.za.com Visit: www.yaskawa.za.com

9 DECEMBER 2021-JANUARY 2022 Electricity + Control