8 Distribution Technologies to Watch. Fortna 1

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1 8 Distribution Technologies to Watch Fortna 1

2 Innovation is driving new opportunities to make distribution a competitive advantage. Advances in technology are making it possible to solve the challenges of e-commerce and meet customer expectations for speed, customization and a seamless experience. Here are 8 new technologies you need to know about today to drive competitive advantage in your business. 1. Locus Robotics: multi-robot solution that works alongside humans Locus Robotics offers an outbound picking solution that improves warehouse labor productivity 5-8 times over traditional cart based methods. Warehouse associates and robots work together to reduce travel time and increase time on task. The robots do the walking to meet associates in the aisle. Workers work more, walk less for higher labor productivity. At the heart of this technology is a simplified way of picking that will cause you to rethink goods to person more in terms of task to person. The technology works in existing operations, using the existing infrastructure Convoy: Uber for trucking reinventing local and regional transportation Shippers often need access to trucks on short notice. But broker fees are costly and then there s the patchwork of systems and processes that lend themselves to human error and rounds of phone tag to locate freight in transport and resolve disputes. Smaller carriers want to minimize empty runs, idle trucks, paperwork, slow-paying customers and costly broker fees. Convoy helps connect shippers in need of last minute capacity with pre-qualified carriers using mobile technology to provide up-to-the-minute information about shipment progress and location. It s like Uber for the trucking industry. Fortna 2

3 3. RightHand Robotics: one robot to grab it all The problem with each-picking robotics occurs when a robot with a rigid grip encounters a product that is fragile or not uniform in shape (from bananas to auto parts). Each picking then becomes a labor-intense problem. Righthand Robotics order-picking solution leverages a smart gripper, proprietary vision package to see items, and Grasp Intelligence to grasp individual objects from cluttered environments such as bins, totes, boxes and shelves. And the best part is that the robot learns as it works. The technology is designed to reduce the cost of e-commerce order fulfillment. The complete end-to-end solution requires limited integration and maintenance BionicHive: retrofitting automation for flexibility and scalability on existing infrastructure any item, anywhere in the facility. BionicHive is developing a synchronized autonomous robot (SQUID) that can be retrofitted onto existing warehouse rack infrastructure. It attaches directly to warehouse shelves, with 3D maneuvering capabilities that allow the robots to move up and down the rack even on shelves that are not perfectly aligned with extendible arms to retrieve product from high shelves without the need for a lift. Using data from the WMS robots can pick 5. Wise Systems: putting the logic back in logistics Wise Systems help make last mile delivery more flexible and responsive to real-time events while optimizing routes for maximum efficiency. Typically driver routes are planned at least a day or two in advance to optimize them. But on the day of delivery things change--traffic, weather, cancelled orders, new orders. It s difficult for a driver to make quick decisions on the road. Wise Systems enterprise software with dynamic scheduling updates ETAs, makes route adjustments dynamically and keeps both drivers and dispatch informed as things change. The result is reduction in late deliveries and overall miles traveled. Fortna 3

4 6. I AM Robotics: autonomous robot to do each picking Travel, see, pick, travel now there s a robot that can each pick in the same way people do. SWIFT, the autonomous mobile each-picking robot combines mobility, perception and manipulation to pick as many as 300 eaches an hour. Using depth sensors and computing, the robot can recognize items and extract 3D geometric information that is gathered by IAM s 3D FLASH imaging tool. As new SKUs enter the warehouse, operators FLASH the Product to get dimension and weight information. When fed to the system and accessed by the SWIFT robots, the solution enables a completely lights-out each picking environment to help supply chain managers address e-commerce challenges and increasing customer demands Flirtey: stuff by air anytime anywhere Flying robots (drones) are getting off the ground with FAA approval. Well before Amazon s Prime Air announcement in 2015, Flirtey was delivering medical supplies in Southwest Virginia. Recently, they conducted the first FAA-approved drone delivery of supplies to a residential suburb and they are working with a major brand owner on a pilot to deliver in urban cities. Capable of delivering tissue samples from the doctor s office where they are collected to the lab where it can be tested, Flirtey is the future of delivery. And Flirtey is also exploring more humanitarian goals by working with an international relief agency to delivery humanitarian assistance in places where delivery trucks and personnel can t go. Fortna 4

5 The company s OTTO heavy load transporter focuses on long-haul transport, meaning that it delivers miles per route. 8. Clear Path Robotics: self-driving vehicles for material transport Clear Path s line of self-driving vehicles allow for pointto-point transport that is responsive to changes in the environment. Like subway lines in a city, Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) and fixed conveyors are great for moving products quickly along a pre-determined route, but if you miss the train you need to wait for the next one, which creates delays. And if the line goes down, nothing moves. Clear Path Robotics solutions enable ad hoc transport along non-fixed routes. The units are fully autonomous, responding to changes in the environment. It works by building a map of the environment and then sensing change, such as person or other vehicle in the vicinity, changes paths automatically, so it doesn t require fixed infrastructure such as track lines or rails or human operators to guide it. To retrieve product the unit locks with a conveyor or lift cart. Without the productivity challenges of bringing a large automation system online, Clear Path robots allow for greater density and improved flexibility in your operations. Summary New technologies are opening a world of possibilities for material handling and transportation. Fortna continually explores new technologies and helps clients evaluate potential solutions to drive competitive advantage in distribution. To stay informed and learn about innovative and new technologies, follow Fortna on LinkedIn. Fortna 5

6 How can we help? Fortna helps companies optimize their distribution operations, build a business case for investment, and implement solutions that drive competitive advantage. To learn more, ask to speak with one of our Associates. Call: info@fortna.com Web: Don t miss these other articles on our website: Video: The Business Case for Automation Has Changed Webcast: DC of the Future Webcast: Prepare Now for Major Changes Ahead Article: The DC of the Future: Disruptive Technologies and Justifiable Solutions ABOUT FORTNA Fortna is a professional services firm helping companies with complex distribution operations meet customer promises and competitive challenges profitably. We develop a solid business case for change and hold ourselves accountable to those results. Our expertise spans supply chain strategy, distribution center operations, material handling, supply chain systems, organizational excellence and warehouse control software. Fortna 6