Top 6 Warehouse Automation Trends to Know

Depending on the type of business you are running, chances are that you will, at one point or another, think about having your very own warehouse. Probably sooner rather than later, because you’ll know right away if this is a necessity for you, or if you could go without it. If you have inventory to store, as well as other types of business goods, then this won’t be a question at all, and you’ll realize right away that it is a necessity. Learn more about the importance of warehousing.

Of course, you may have already been running a warehouse for a while now. Meaning, therefore, that you may already have some ideas about how it should operate, and how you can improve its efficiency. Yet, you have most likely realized at one point that you are lacking in efficiency, and that you may be struggling to keep up with the orders and the demands, especially nowadays, given that the customers are expecting much shorter delivery times, and you have to meet their needs in order to stay relevant on the market.

This is why you may have started thinking about automation. Definitely an important concept that you need to consider and that is surely of crucial importance for the proper management of your warehouse. It allows you to speed up the processes, while also increasing safety, and making sure that your staff can focus on core operations, instead of having to deal with those repetitive tasks over and over again.

Nevertheless, you don’t want to jump into doing this before you figure out which parts you should better automate. And, to make that decision, you first have to get familiar with some of the warehouse automation trends that are big today. That way, you will get a clearer idea about what it is can be done, and you will, therefore, be much more confident in deciding what it is that you actually want to do, and should do, for that matter. Without any further ado, thus, let us start checking out those trends.

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1. Automated Guided Vehicles

Automated guided vehicles are definitely becoming increasingly popular for the purposes of moving goods within the warehouse. They follow predefined paths to complete these processes, thus reducing the need for manual forklifts. This way, they improve efficiency while also increasing safety, as your staff won’t have to operate the heavy machinery.

2. Autonomous Mobile Robots

Similarly to the above, there are now autonomous mobile robots that you can rely on for the same task – that is, for moving the goods within the warehouse. The difference is, these specific products use sensors, as well as mapping technologies, in order to be able to navigate the dynamic paths. So, they are quite flexible and suitable for unpredictable workflows. And, when you integrate them with AI, you will get to optimize routes, as well as increase speed and improve efficiency, all while minimizing congestion, which is definitely a huge plus.

3. Robots for Picking and Packing

You probably understand by now that robotics is actually crucial for warehouse automation. And that goes especially for those picking and packing processes. These types of robots work alongside humans, and they handle those repetitive tasks, including item picking, pallet stacking, as well as carton packing. This reduces error rates and boosts performance. And it also solves the problem of labor shortages in warehouses.

4. AI-Driven Data Solutions

When you rely on certain AI-driven data solutions, you will get to improve quite a lot of processes in your warehouse. From predictive analytics to smarter inventory management. You will be able to easily forecast demand patterns, as well as optimize stock levels, while also improving order accuracy and optimizing routing. All of this will help you make smarter business decisions, as well as increase customer satisfaction, which is quite important if you want to be successful in today’s market.

5. Good Warehouse Management Systems

Without a good warehouse management system, you won’t really be successful. This particular Warehouse Automation Trend is definitely big and important today, allowing you to easily integrate all of your automation technologies. Not to mention that a great system will also offer real-time visibility across more of your warehouse sites, as well as reduce the need for human input, and ultimately reduce costs.

6. Drones for Inventory Management

Here is another trend that you should be aware of nowadays. Basically, a lot of warehouse managers are using drones for inventory management, as they allow for real-time inventory checks, monitoring stock levels, as well as for barcode scans. This can speed up your inventory count and generally make you more efficient than you would be if you relied solely on manual labor. And, of course, when paired up with a great warehouse management system, it will provide you with real-time updates, so you will always be in the loop.