Combining AutoStore with pick & place robots for optimal fulfillment throughput.

We all know that the e-commerce sector has gone through a massive growth surge in the past few years, especially due to the pandemic. This growth surge is expected to continue in the coming years. To be able to adapt to this growth, e-commerce and logistics companies have turned to (further) automation of their warehouses. Fulfillment processes must become more flexible and efficient to accommodate the growing consumer demand whilst at the same time dealing with rising labor shortages. Luckily, there are various automation options available to optimize warehouse capacity. 

Autostore: from goods-to-person to goods-to-robot

Many warehouses have already implemented a goods-to-person system to improve the productivity of their warehouse employees and to reduce the storage space needed. A great example of such a system is AutoStore, an Automated Storage and Retrieval System delivering goods directly to a fixed order picking port where a human operator is present to pick the goods. However, what if you turn this goods-to-person system into a goods-to-robot system for optimal fulfillment efficiency?

Advantages of automated AutoStore ports

Manual AutoStore ports can be transformed into automated ports with the addition pick and place robots to these ports. These pick and place robots enable the automated handling of items stored in AutoStore and can assist in various picking processes, such as order picking, batch picking and sorter loading. This cooperation brings various advantages to fulfillment processes:

• Decreased operational costs: a fully automated AutoStore port will help reduce operational costs. As fulfillment efficiency and accuracy are improved, operational costs will decrease. In addition, as the need for manual labor is reduced by the pick and place robot, further cost savings can be achieved. All in all, this will result in a favorable ROI. 
• Tackle labor shortages: Employees willing to execute the repetitive and mundane tasks of picking and placing goods are scarce, and turnover is often high. Add to that the rising global labor shortages, and implementing pick and place robots in an AutoStore port can be a huge advantage as the need for manual labor is decreased. 
• Improved working conditions: besides reducing operational costs and tackling labor shortages, implementing pick and place robots in your AutoStore warehouse will improve working conditions for the employees remaining. The pick and place tasks in an AutoStore port are dull and repetitive and physically demanding. Add to that the noise of the AutoStore system and the (possible) need to work night shifts to keep up with consumer demand, you can see why the job is not very popular and has a high turnover rate. By implementing pick and place robots, you relieve your employees of these repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on tasks that require more human skills. 
• Improved operational efficiency: as a pick and place robot can operate 24/7, so can the AutoStore system. This will increase efficiency and ensure optimal throughput for your warehouse. In addition, pick and place robots will help eliminate human errors resulting in a higher level of accuracy.   

Improved efficiency with Autostore & pick and place robots

By combining AutoStore with pick and place robots, fulfillment efficiency will be improved, leading to faster order processing times, shorter delivery times and improved customer satisfaction. At Smart Robotics, we can help you reach uninterrupted operation in your fulfillment process with our reliable pick and place solutions, such as the Smart Item Picker. The Smart Item Picker can easily be implemented in an ASRS system such as Autostore and can help you transform your goods-to-person process to a goods-to-robot process, enabling you to improve efficiency, save time and costs and scale your business.