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With so many supply chain disruption issues, trying to tackle them all takes a Herculean effort. Among the top issues for manufacturers and distributors is the labor shortage. There are many factors that could contribute to this:the Great Resignation,Silver Tsunami,changing job preferences of Gen Z, or simply the desire to avoid rather tough, repetitive, manual labor jobs.
In the face of this ongoing labor shortage, companies are turning to warehouse automation to combat supply chain disruptions, keep their businesses running, and even get ahead of the competition. It is automated solutions, such asautomated storage retrieval systems (AS/RS)that have been proven to reduce these negative impacts by improving order fulfillment processes, driving company growth and profitability, and putting the workers in safer environments. Westfalia’s Ryan Smith, VP of automation, recentlydelivered a presentation at MODEX 2022, identifying the effects of the labor shortages and discussing the key benefits of automation solutions in the warehouse.
劳动力短缺的主要影响
It’s seen all over the news: millions of workers are quitting and retiring, and it’s up to the few to pick up the slack thanks to the exodus of the many. Naturally, DC and warehouse managers are doing their best to maintain and gain new employees. In fact, they are trying harder than ever, offering huge signing bonuses, regularly increasing hourly pay, providing free college tuition and textbooks, increasing benefits even when it can hurt long-term bottom lines, and conceding to unions. Yet, there are countless stories of companies, like a warehouse in Florida, stuck with unloaded trucks at the dock, dealing with high turnover, and in a constant loop of hiring and re-training staff. The problem has changed now to where you have to figure out how to get the same amount of work done with less people.
How to Fix It
第一步是退缩并查看您的分销模型。提出类似的问题：
- 我该如何运送？
- What metrics will I be using for my operation?
- What are my pain points?
- Who can I contact?
How you ship determines where, how, and which type of automation will work for you. It could include full pallet/unit load only, some layer picking, some case picking, or a hybrid model. Once that is determined, use data analytics to evaluate your options. A good automation company will take the data you have for how you ship today and help you better understand your path. Optimization is key, so while it may sound simple enough to automate everything, a hybrid solution is generally not only cheaper, but also more effective. The following automated solutions can greatly help your labor shortages:
- Unit Load Automation -单位负载处理可以使用AS/RS自动化。如果您知道当前的推出，补货和运输活动的速度，则每个S/RM都可以提高效率，并使叉车驾驶员的员工总数降低了相当大的百分比。另外，对空间的需求大大削减，缩短了单位负载的旅行量，并让您更高，并将更多的托盘包装到较小的空间中。
- Layer Picking -Fully automated layer picking can pick exponentially more than if done manually, picking up and moving entire layers from one pallet to another and creating rainbow pallets. Not only does automation allow for a higher number of SKUs to successfully be picked, but each machine only requires one person to simply work with it and unwrap the pallets.
- Case Picking –If a fully automated case picking solution is too expensive, a hybrid solution may actually be best. Automate what you can and keep manual the processes that are prohibitively expensive. When integrated with an AS/RS, headcount can be reduced while also empowering those that still do manual labor. There is less need for replenishers while pickers are more efficient and accurate with the help of automation.
Robots are Friends
简而言之，自动化要求更少的人去做相同的工作。但是，让我们将其分解，进行数学并考虑这种情况：您的仓库每晚需要挑选50,000个案例，这将使50人完全手动操作。如果您实现了已集成了送货品的AS/RS，则已经可以减少11人。在机器人的帮助下，您可以在案例和层级别上更快，更有效地补充旅行距离。现在，如果您使用集成的采摘和自动化层采摘，则实现AS/RS，则您的人员数量可以减少40％，最多可减少20人。
这种效率自然会提高安全性。通过手动采摘，关于人体工程学的几乎没有做。不断的运动，弯曲和机会受到伤害。随着自动采摘，不安全的动作和较小的旅行距离会减少。毕竟，保持我们的工人安全是将他们保持在工资单上的重中之重。
What To Do Next
有了所有这些好处，下一步就是找到合适的仓库/DC自动化专家。在Westfalia，我们的专家团队花时间分析您当前的情况，以帮助您提出AS/RS成本合理模型，将基准的常规构建与自动化系统进行比较。我们在投资和设备成本中的5步合理模型因素，并使用20年的预测来正确计算投资回报，IRR和NPV。您可以放心地知道我们的解决方案非常适合环境，降低能源成本，减少建筑占地面积，减少浪费并减少环境影响。