For the last 10 years, Scallog has been producing automated logistics solutions based on mobile shelf units in its Nanterre factory. Thanks to our clients, we’ve accumulated a good deal of experience in various sectors of the economy.
Not all of the distribution centre managers we meet have deployed a goods to person automated order picking solution, and only the largest firms can rely on the expertise of consulting firm to help them choose.
Experience has shown us, however, that 5 errors must be absolutely avoided to make sure your automation project is a success.
Error 1 : Not asking for a preliminary design or a visit to your site before inking the contract
Automation solutions have proliferated recently. So every new automation project puts a gleam in the eye of vendors, who often promise to move mountains and work wonders in their zeal to win a contract.
The discussion often revolves around the price of robots - but they’re just one of the elements of your project, and all have to be taken into account. If you don't check all the practical aspects, you’ll almost certainly have some unpleasant surprises.
At Scallog, we systematically perform site visits. These visits make it possible to e.g. check the condition of the floor or determine the location of emergency exits. And those are not trivial matters. A totally refurbished floor can represent over 10% of total project costs.
During our discussions, we detail all the tasks necessary for the successful deployment of the solution. No risk of realizing at the last moment that there’s no budget for the electrician who’s supposed to wire up the terminals.
On top of the initial installation, we also provide local support with an optional call-out service to troubleshoot your site under a clearly-defined SLA (Service Level Agreement).
Error 2 : Selecting the technology but omitting the service aspect
Automation of a warehouse is not an end in itself. The characteristics of robots as vaunted by some brands can make it easy to forget that automation is primarily a question of improving the efficiency of your intralogistics operations. Technology cannot be allowed to obscure the important differences that exist between different businesses and across different sectors of the economy
The configurability of the solution is a crucial factor. The requirements of e-commerce are not the same as those of retail. A general supplies logistics operation in industry will be different from a solution designed to manage textile retours.
At Scallog, we have been meeting the requirements of different sectors of the economy for many years. By listening to our customers, we are able to manage short lead times, successive waves, unit identification (scan) or batch identification (RFID).
Above all, we adapt to your priorities: is the number one priority the preservation of the product, as in the luxury goods sector? Or is it operator comfort (even if that means completing an order the next day)? Or is guaranteed next-day delivery the crucial factor, as with veterinary products? Each installation is different, and the solution deployed must be able to take into account your cut-off requirements.
This ability to adapt to requirements also applies in regard to software: our warehouse supervision software (WCS, Warehouse Control System) can interface with all supply chain applications (ERP / WMS - Enterprise Resource Planning / Warehouse Management System). Cette capacité de s’adapter aux besoins s’applique aussi dans le domaine logiciel : (WCS ou Warehouse Control System) se connecte à l’ensemble des progiciels du secteur de la Entreprise Resource Planning / Warehouse Management System).
Order picking in Decathlon fulfilment centre - © Scallog / Decathlon
Error 3 : Choosing a standard solution and not analysing processes
Automating a process like order picking involves significant change. More than simply replacing an existing process with a new one, the challenge is to determine the best way of putting the automation solution at the service of the overall efficiency of warehouse management
This means every process must be analysed: picking, obviously, but also restocking and inventory. At Scallog, we routinely organize workshops to analyse your processes.
With our expertise in logistics we can also offer valuable tips: sorting articles previously processed in bulk upstream, for instance, or adding a scale to process screws and similar by weight.
We gradually integrate other functions such as IT and operator representatives into our workshops. We take special care in the design of our workstations. They have to be ergonomic, and they have to adapt to the specific characteristics of the products.
The advantage of a Goods to person solution is that up to ten orders, organized in a buffer rack, can be picked simultaneously. If the operator is handling books, the weight of a box can quickly exceed 20 to 30 kg. This is far too much to carry, so the box must be pushed and offloaded to e.g. a conveyor belt
Error 4 : Getting the footprint wrong and omitting to test hypotheses in a live situation
If the solution proposed by your supplier is based solely on surface area and the number of products you’re moving: beware!
Obviously your facility has to be big enough to accommodate the number of shelf units workstations and robots. But the key metric is the ability to absorb load spikes.
Black Friday and Christmas for e-commerce, back to school for books, winter for medicines: every sector has its own pinch point. An incorrect estimation of the order flow can lead to capacity shortfalls in the order of 30%.
At Scallog, we feed your data into a latest-generation simulation tool and then we propose several scenarios. You can then choose the level of service you want, leaning towards peak or average volumes as required.
All conditioning factors are taken into account: spreading orders over the day, truck departure times etc.
Finally, our solution is the most scalable on the market, which means you can easily start with a partial installation to get familiar with automation and its requirements and then gradually extend its scope.
Error 5 : Cutting corners with safety and getting caught out when the inspectors come round
There can be no compromise on safety. French law is extremely stringent in this respect and frames the people-oriented and CSR commitments of employers. Automating a logistics facility involves new risks that need to be clearly assessed and then eliminated.
Remember that the CE mark on equipment, although mandatory, remains a simple declaration by the manufacturer that it complies with the applicable European standards. What guarantees the safety of the installation is the safety audit, whether carried out by a company’s internal services or by a specialist auditor. Your insurer may also demand a safety audit. Safety auditing sometimes begins as early as the sales process, but it always has to be completed once installation is finalized.
It’s very important, therefore, to check the ability of your supplier to accompany you through the audit, especially as it will be your responsibility to remedy the non-conformities which are identified (and there are always some).
To sum up, launching a logistics automation project is not a venture to be taken lightly. Take care always to choose a supplier who’s willing to offer you its expertise over the long term.
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