ROLLOUTS
Productivity-boosting WMS and wearables: ZebraTechnologies Corp. has unveiled FulfillmentEdge, a new warehouse management system (WMS), and two new wearabledevices (a head-mounted display and a ring scanner) to modernize warehouse operations and to meet the needs of the on-demand economy.
FulfillmentEdge integrates existing real-time WMS data withreal-time location information, providing visibility into the location of workers, inventory, and material handling assets. Thesolution then analyzes the information and creates real-timeworkflows delivered as electronic tasks that can contain visualdirections to the next pick location and photos of the item toensure picking accuracy. Now, one worker can simultaneouslypick multiple orders, enabling businesses to cut order-fulfillmenttimes and boost worker productivity by as much as 24%, thecompany says.
The rugged monocular HD4000 head-mounted display is anoptional accessory for select mobile computers capable of running the FulfillmentEdge solution. It tethers via USB, providingall-day power and increased productivity to warehouse, manufacturing, and field-service workers who can benefit from hands-free, directed-action workflows.
Zebra has also introduced the rugged single-finger RS5100Bluetooth ring scanner that helps improve worker productivity byfreeing up workers’ hands for inventory management, picking,packing, and sorting applications in industrial environments.Zebra’s smallest and lightest ring scanner, the RS5100 offers along battery life and features a single-sided or double trigger toenable workers to use gloves or bare hands for all-day comfort.It also supports NFC tap-to-pair with most Zebra enterprise-classBluetooth-enabled mobile devices and offers high-performance1D/2D omnidirectional scanning to maximize worker productivity. (Zebra Technologies Corp., www.zebra.com)
Space-efficient AS/RS: Automated storage and retrieval systems(AS/RS) manufacturer Kardex Remstar has introduced FramePick,a new intralogistics solution designed to reduce the turnaroundtime of orders. Thenew FramePick solution consists of theLR 35 vertical buffer module (VBM)in combination withorder-picking trolleysfor picking articles.
These order-pickingtrolleys are simplyplaced behind a Put Frame with put-to-light displays. The operator can connect the customer order bins on the trolley to the displays with a simple scan. When one of the LR 35 VBMs presentsa new storage bin, the displays show how many items should beplaced in which bins.
When all orders are complete, the trolley with the full bins canbe easily transported to the packaging area, and a new trolleywith empty bins takes over the position in the Put Frame. Thisnew solution can reduce walking distances by up to 65% andreduce floor space by 80%, the company says. (Kardex Remstar,www.kardexremstar.com)
High-payload modularAMR: AutoGuide MobileRobots has launched theMax-N15, the company’shighest-payload modularautonomous mobile robot(AMR)—a tugger capable oftransporting up to 15,000pounds. The Max-N15 provides a common base thatcan be adapted for multiplemanufacturing and warehouse material handlingtasks with different attachments to create lift trucks,tuggers, or high-bay pallet lift trucks, according to Rob Sullivan,the company’s president and CEO.
In addition, AutoGuide’s vehicles (as well as robots from othermanufacturers) are controlled with the company’s SurePath fleetmanagement software. The software provides an easy way tospecify routes, coordinate autonomous lifting and transport ofpallets, and manage AMR traffic to optimize load handling andtransport, the company says.
SurePath can integrate with existing manufacturing execution systems (MES), warehouse management software (WMS),warehouse execution software (WES), and other systems tocoordinate vehicle routing with inventory movement needs,determining the shortest travel path for optimized throughput.(AutoGuide Mobile Robots, www.agmobilerobots.com)
Artificial intelligence chatbot: Iptor Supply Chain Systems, aprovider of supply chain management software and services, haslaunched “Sara,” its AI chatbot. Sara gives customers detailed,big data-driven, real-time insight into their Iptor DC1 and IP1 ERPplatforms and is ideally suited to service companies for whomcustomer support is a critical success factor, Iptor says.
The launch of Sara signifies Iptor’s transition toward a “zeroUI” (zero user interface) and micro services approach along withconversational interfaces, driven by voice and chat. To enablethis, Sara incorporates both IBM and Google technologies, withthe chatbot relying on IBM Watson Assistant technology andGoogle Assistant, providing the ability to connect with Watson todeliver both a voice- and chat-enabled interface. Consequently,Sara can run anywhere (both on cloud and on-premise) by usingIBM Watson Assistant.
Sara is integrated in real time with Iptor’s flagship ERP platforms, Iptor DC1 and IP1, via the connectivity layer “aperio.”(Iptor Supply Chain Systems, www.iptor.com)
3PL accelerator program: Warehouse automation providerLocus Robotics has launched a third-party logistics (3PL) accelerator program that provides statistics and technical details for3PLs that are trying to win business from retailers. In order toencourage more retailers to seek solutions with 3PLs, Locus isproviding 3PLs with free toolkits containing videos, case studies,and other information that can help them gain more customers.In turn, those 3PLs may order more Locus technology to handletheir growing business, the company says. (Locus Robotics, locus-robotics.com)
