ultimationinc   Album Posted Nov.23rd, 2021, viewed 143 times

4 Ways to Improve the Efficiency and Safety of Your Warehouse

Warehouses are a vital part of any commercial industry. These storerooms are used to hold, move, package and ship items to businesses and individuals all over the country. With ever-improving technology comes the opportunity for warehouses to boost the efficiency of their operation while also increasing safety and reducing accidents, damage and other risks. Here are 4 ways you can improve your warehouse operations.

1. Invest in a conveyor system
Most warehouses have some form of conveyor system in place. The classic roller and belt Conveyor Systems have been around since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. These systems often require human assistance to load and unload items, monitor the process, and intervene when required. But these days, there are automated and robot-managed conveyor systems that can be overseen by just a few employees instead of an entire team. This reduces the amount of labor involved in the process, as well as the risk of potential injury to employees on the floor and potential damage to products as the result of human error.

2. Replace forklifts with warehouse robots
AMRs or Autonomous Mobile Robots are large, pallet-sized machines that can move through your warehouse independently of a seated operator. These robots can be programmed to follow a path, or operated from a distance by an employee. AMRs come with sensors that avoid collision with both static and moving objects. This means, unlike a human-operated forklift, they cannot crash into anything. This reduces the potential damage that can be caused by the misuse of forklifts and other human-operated vehicles in a warehouse setting.

3. Implement pneumatic devices
Pneumatic devices aren’t new in warehouses. Pneumatic tubes are often used to transport lightweight items across long distances, and can even be used to help with sorting, packaging and delivering. When it comes to lifting and moving heavy items, pneumatic lifts can really help reduce the strain on employees. These devices use air pressure to control the height of the lift. Items can be moved from Conveyor to AMRs or right on to trucks with the use of pneumatic lifts. What’s more, these devices don’t typically require electrical power, so there is no safety risk from cords.

4. Automate as much as possible
While you will always need human employees for quality control and machine maintenance, the more you can automate your warehouse, the better off you’ll be. This can be simple automation such as turning your equipment on and off at certain times, automatic alternative light sources in the case of a blackout, or automatic motion sensor doors that open or close when trucks come and go. You can also invest in more advanced automation such as programming conveyor systems to sort, assemble, package, label and load items from start to finish. This type of automation usually requires conveyors that are fully customized to your business and integrated into a software program, however this type of investment is usually worth in the long run.