Free, on-show-floor presentation explains ways to combine traditional material handling automation with collaborative robotic technologies for optimized order fulfillment
WAUKESHA, WI — On Tuesday, March 10, two experts from Matthews Automation Solutions will present a free, on-show-floor educational seminar, “Optimize Order Fulfillment with Collaborative Robotics,” at MODEX 2020. The session runs from noon to 12:45 p.m. in Theater E and is hosted by Matthews Automation’s Austin Santich, System Design Manager, and Dr. Paul Rivers, Managing Director of Guidance Automation, part of Matthews Applied Technologies Group.
Rivers will draw on Guidance’s 25 years of providing robotic technologies to introduce today’s user-focused, state-of-the-art collaborative solutions. This includes hardware and software advances designed to maximize intelligence, performance, safety and application flexibility.
“The front line of collaborative, autonomous mobile robot (AMR) and automatic guided vehicle (AGV) development focuses on reducing errors, increasing throughput and maximizing operational efficiency, while doing so on a scalable, adaptable platform that flexes with changing demand and requirements. AMRs should further create opportunities to integrate and collaborate with proven material handling systems — and personnel — to optimize all resources.”
“Early adopter use cases of AMR installations in material handling applications are increasingly being shared, showing that these robotic solutions are proving their potential for alleviating the labor shortage while supporting and enhancing the productivity of the existing workforce,” adds Santich. “As a result, many operations — particularly those in DTC and omni-channel order fulfillment — are more interested than ever in determining where within their processes collaborative robots might best fit.”
Santich continues: “Our MODEX presentation will explain several ways in which the selective and incremental implementation of robotics, using a holistic systems approach, will improve throughput rates and labor productivity, with the resulting savings helping to provide a quick return on investment.”
Additionally, robotics can increase the agility and flexibility of an automated material handling operation, notes Rivers: “Combining AGVs, AMRs and other robotic solutions allows a distribution center to more easily customize their system, yet accommodates future changes in fulfillment channels and requirements.”
The session will detail a range of specific application examples in which the addition of robotic solutions increased order fulfillment speed, accuracy and agility. Among them:
- AMR-assisted, semi-automated, light-directed picking systems that travel alongside pickers or tow full and empty carts;
- Put walls fed by pick-carrying AMRs for fast and accurate e-commerce order consolidation and packout;
- Fixed conveyor systems integrated with AMRs sporting motor-driven roller (MDR) conveyor on their top decks for product movement through areas without conveyance;
- Loop sorters interfacing with AMRs to receive full totes for takeaway or bring more merchandise for induction;
- Finishing systems supplied by, or outputting to, AMRs;
- Complete integration of AMRs and other MHE systems with a facility’s overarching Warehouse Execution Software (WES) for end-to-end optimization and balanced, continuous workflow.
Matthews Automation Solutions’ material handling automation and robotic technologies experts will be available to discuss specific order fulfillment challenges in Booth 4013 throughout MHI-sponsored MODEX in Atlanta’s Georgia World Congress Center, March 9–12, 2020. For more information, contact Lynn Drewicz, Marketing Manager, Matthews Automation Solutions at ldrewicz@matw.com, 262.250.2169, or visit matthewsautomation.com.
UPDATE: You can view the complete presentation here.
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ABOUT MATTHEWS AUTOMATION SOLUTIONS
Global brands partner with Matthews Automation Solutions to increase distribution and order fulfillment speed, accuracy and efficiency. Matthews’ broad portfolio of best-of-breed solutions—including leading material handling automation brands Compass, Lightning Pick and Pyramid—offers warehouse execution software, controls, pick-to-light, put walls, order finishing systems, autonomous mobile robots and more. Combined with 25 years of industry experience and proven integration with other material handling systems, Matthews delivers agile and scalable applications throughout the supply chain. Matthews Automation Solutions is a Matthews International company, servicing customers from two North American locations.
