• Warehouse silos — disconnected processes — are all too common and require too much manual management. There’s an urgent need for a fluid, intelligent solution.
  • Software needs to take a leading role in the automation process — a culmination of half a century of technology development and distribution.
  • If you’re trying to optimize disparate flows to work together, how can you do it best?

Warehouse robotics and automation are nothing new. But for too long, warehouse management systems (WMSs) have been built disparately, with processes that are disconnected. They’re operating in silos.

Combining them — and making them work with the people who are using them — is the goal of Accelogix.

Ultimately, we want to make people’s jobs better, easier, faster and more streamlined. We’re looking for solutions which provide options and flexibility for the users.

Warehouse robotics and automation are nothing new. But for too long, warehouse management systems (WMSs) have been built disparately, with processes that are disconnected. They’re operating in silos.

Flow control is our key focus here — it enables people to not just look at what is happening in an operation, but also what’s ahead. In other words, it improves planning and prevents bottlenecks, optimizing results in turn.

So, how do we do this together? Read on to find out.

What is a warehouse silo?

A warehouse silo is a process within an operation that isn’t connected to any other system or process. This means it needs to be managed manually by people, harming operational efficiency in the long run.

Whether you’re talking about isolated warehouse robots or a WMS for one particular process, these inefficiencies are going to create bottlenecks. They need to be combined into one system for the best results.

The digital evolution of the warehouse workforce means that humans and artificial intelligence (AI) are ever more closely working together. As such, there’s never been greater demand for solutions that properly connect people and machines.

The idea is that this synergy between warehouse robots and human users will achieve more impressive results than either can achieve alone. How can this be implemented across the whole workforce?

The ongoing transformation to warehouse robotics

There’s a transformation at play within warehouses — from local to global, with a personalized focus on individuals. This is happening at every point within the value chain, from distribution to end customer.

Humans are very much at the center of warehouse automation. The more you empower people with the ability to make smart decisions driven by AI, the better the outcome. It’s about augmenting what people can do with robots — and vice versa.

Processes have always been optimized, but this is the old way. The new way requires true connectivity when it comes to warehouse robotics and the people using them.

There’s a transformation at play within warehouses — from local to global, with a personalized focus on individuals. This is happening at every point within the value chain, from distribution to end customer.

If warehouse robots or humans are acting in silos, there’s less predictability in terms of desired outcome. Neither robots nor humans can do the job alone. There needs to be a software-driven system which connects the dots.

Software is at the heart of the future of automation. This approach, which centers on humans and processes, is critical to operational efficiency. So how do we deploy warehouse robots next to people, creating a positive outcome for the whole business?

What happens when silos exist

Software hasn’t always been the focus for warehouse management and robotics. Technology evolves at a rapid rate, and what is impressive today will be superseded tomorrow. 

Even having the right top-of-the-line systems in place and a firm focus on process optimization may not be enough anymore. Until recently, heavily managed operations involve reacting to problems as they happen. 

There’s a fire, and the firefighters come in to put out the fire. But here’s the thing: fire prevention is a lot easier.

Managing the result via output is a very different way of managing via input. If outdated technology is used, the focus is on immediate problems and inefficiencies.

In addition, any longer-term plans made are disjointed. Alignment becomes very difficult, because when it comes to logistics, no two days are the same. And any observations apply to what is happening on a given day.

This is how bottlenecks occur.

Avoiding bottlenecks with flow control

Bottlenecks don’t happen as a result of an action. They happen when something has already gone wrong. What if we can make different decisions that change the nature of our workflows?

True efficiency gains are made when flow is controlled effectively. Generating this optimized flow is not a new concept. But many companies still find it challenging.

The misalignment comes from optimization of a specific system built for a specific purpose. For example, a conveyor belt for a standard or a peak day, or automation of a manual process.

True efficiency gains are made when flow is controlled effectively. Generating this optimized flow is not a new concept. But many companies still find it challenging.

Each system is optimized in its own silo within one facility. How can they be connected in a static way? A conveyor belt has physical limitations — even with more people at one end, there won’t be more on the other. 

Let’s take the use of our LogistiVIEW platform for a picking operation. The operation is sped up, but then the customer’s packing area gets stuck because there’s too much on the conveyor system. A bottleneck is created.

How can we deploy flow control using a data feedback loop? This is not a new question. However, it’s hard to come by in actual real-world operations. 

Constraint-based planning and optimization need to come to the warehouse. We need to define and model the obstacles to productivity. From there, we can ensure we don’t exceed those constraints across the entire operation and create bottlenecks. 

Each silo might be perfectly optimized, but bottlenecks will still occur. What needs to happen is optimization of the flow between the silos. We can help you identify constraints and implement solutions to avoid exceeding them.

A warehouse robotics tool that matches the model to the plan 

Clients will typically request a single vendor that does everything. This is the right idea, but it’s not quite getting to the heart of the matter. Why not?

After two or more decades gathering data, it’s clear that one-size-fits-all providers don’t bring about clients’ desired results. The ROI people are looking for isn’t there. Big vendors aren’t delivering on their promises.

What you really want is to optimize results across your entire operation. You want a platform that does anything. Whether that’s consuming real-time data from legacy mechanization control systems, warehouse robots or smart glasses, it’s an intuitive process.

What you really want is to optimize results across your entire operation. You want a platform that does anything. Whether that’s consuming real-time data from legacy mechanization control systems, warehouse robots or smart glasses, it’s an intuitive process. 

Simply put, LogistiVIEW automates flow control. It’s a system that responds to what is happening, not reacting to what has already happened. By capturing real-time systemic inputs, we can see not just what to do next and how to do it, but rather what to do at any point in time. 

There are a number of modeling tools on the market, but they’re rarely part of the execution phase. Matching the model to the plan — in real time — is a pioneering approach. This is what makes our focus on flow control different from other solutions.

LogistiVIEW is automating decision making. We’re enabling the new digital workforce — optimizing results rather than individual processes. And as our software is based on cutting-edge AI and machine learning, it wasn’t possible 10 years ago.

Where flow control with LogistiVIEW can lead you

Because warehouse environments are always changing, you want consistent ROI. To achieve this, flow control software drives automation by leveraging warehouse robotics and the new workforce combined with AI.

Normally, once the process flow is understood, each process is defined. From there, people and warehouse robots move around to optimize each individual process, depending on where they’re needed. 

The problem is that systems are dependent on each other in practice but are focused on individually in silos. This occurs even within a multimillion-dollar, highly automated system involving warehouse robots. How one process impacts another is not considered, and this disconnection leads to bottlenecks, harming operational efficiency.

Flow control is about removing these silos. This means an optimized result across all operations.

The LogistiVIEW platform prevents fires. It eliminates bottlenecks. And it allows you to look backward and forward. 

Interested in learning more about flexible automation and connected worker technology? Click here to learn about the LogistiVIEW automation platform or contact us today to speak with our experts to find out how we can help you automate your warehouse processes.

Learn more about Accelogix Cloud here!

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