The robots pick goods from totes coming from a cube storage automation from AutoStore and place order items into outbound cartons. This approach has already led to real-world deployments for e-comm pack out.įor example, Netherlands-based apo.com Group, a leader in automated online pharma, uses a fleet of RightPick piece-picking robots from RightHand Robotics to automate key parts of its order fulfillment process. These vendors don’t make the robots-they offer a solution layer for robotics, leveraging best-in-class hardware from robot vendors. Numerous vendors have emerged who offer software, AI and vision technology for robotic applications like e-commerce packing. Robots used in pack out need to have adequate smarts to both pick and place, and to instantly learn on the job as new items come through to be packed. “The technologies that provide robots with the ability to handle more variety are vision and artificial intelligence (AI), better grasping, as well as machine learning and better exception-management capabilities.”īerkshire Grey’s robotic solutions take a turnkey, systems-level approach that includes supporting intelligent materials handling elements like conveyor to properly position and move goods. “The opportunity that has opened up is companies have these more variable operations, where the inputs and outputs change, and that is driven by industry needs like more SKU variety, changing inventories, and smaller batch sizes that are happening today as companies try to be nimbler,” says Dryer. But now things are changing, he adds, both in terms of industry needs and the intelligence level in robotics. Historically, robots have not been very intelligent, but functioned well within narrow tasks with known inputs and outputs, says Stephen Dryer, senior global product manager for robotics at MHS Global. Traditional packaging automation vendors are thriving and enjoying high demand for their solutions, but robotics-based packaging has emerged as another tool that can be applied to packing out the growing volume of e-commerce and small replenishment orders.įortunately, industrial robots and similar collaborative robots (or “cobots”) can be combined with robotics software to provide the intelligence to handle the SKU variety found in e-commerce, or for that matter, packing small orders for stores or B2B customers.Ī robotic pick-and-pack solution from RightHand Robotics at online pharmacy apo.com in The Netherlands places e-commerce orders directly into shipping cartons. Warehouse robotics vendors also are coming up with solutions that can do things like induct and verify goods going into autobaggers. Companies like MSC Industrial, apo.com and DCL Logistics are leveraging robots to place goods directly into shippable cartons. What’s more, the leveraging of intelligent robotics for e-commerce packaging isn’t futuristic, it’s actually being done. The difference today is that robots are edging further into e-commerce pack-out, where rather than dealing with one SKU, the robot needs the intelligence to handle thousands of SKUs that may come its way. Not that packaging with robots is an entirely new frontier-they are often used to package goods coming off manufacturing lines. The next packaging solution that comes into your DC may look less like a traditional automated pack out line and more like a robotic work cell in manufacturing.
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