Matthews Automation Showcases “Fulfillment Forward” Solutions at ProMat

Tour Matthews’ ProMat Booth

Light-Directed Picking:

ProMat attendees begin at a cluster (or batch) picking display, where multiple orders are picked simultaneously with pick-to-light. Instead of being sorted to a light-directed cart or conveyor-based light sled, item puts are applied to Matthews’ new autonomous mobile robot (AMR). Matthews AMRs offer different attachments, each designed to address a specific application. This AMR has shelving to hold multiple totes. Light modules are also affixed to the shelving to ensure items are sorted to the right order, and in the correct quantity. Matthews’ bot-assisted picking solution enables operators to concentrate on their main task—picking—without spending time handling carts or interacting with conveyors.

Put Wall Sortation:

Once the picks are complete, the AMR travels to a sortation area. There, operators transfer the totes from the bot onto a roller conveyor adjacent to one of two put walls. There, a fast scan-and-put process sorts batches of mixed-SKU merchandise into individual customer orders. The put walls display a variety of popular light configuration approaches, including touchless task confirmation modules. These Lightning Pick modules incorporate photo-eye sensors that enable operators to confirm a put without pushing a button. The lights also illuminate in seven colors, allowing users to associate specific quantities, tasks or other operator information with a specific color. The Matthews’ put walls feature a two-sided configuration, meaning as orders are completed on the pick sortation side, operators on the packout side receive light-directed packing directions. Message displays and multi-color lighting options can be customized to enhance pack-out process requirements. Orders marked finished are pulled from the wall and placed into cartons on a nearby packing workstation. An operator then packs completed orders into a shipping carton.

Order Finishing:

After a completed order is packed in its associated shipping carton, a second Matthews’ AMR—outfitted with a motor-driven roller (MDR) conveyor top—transports the carton to a 10-foot length of MDR conveyor to begin the order finishing process. The two MDR conveyors communicate to time the transfer of the carton from bot to order finishing line, upon which the carton travels beneath a print-and-apply labeler that adds the shipping label and completes the order. Additionally, two Matthews’ AMR conveyor-top bots will be on display. One set at a standard height; the other featuring a scissor-lift powered, adjustable height conveyor deck that reaches surfaces as high as 38 inches.

Software and Sensors:

The entire demo is managed by Matthews’ three software options from Lightning Pick, Pyramid and Compass Engineering. Lightning Pick’s picking systems software integrate directly with a customer’s existing warehouse management software (WMS), or warehouse execution software such as Pyramid Director location-hosted WES, or the Compass Order Routing System (CORS), a web-hosted WES. Both of Matthews’ WES offerings integrate and optimize islands of automation, provide centralized system control, balance workflow and increase visibility for superior decision support. A WES Command Center display will feature all three software products on display, including real-time dashboards. Also on display is integrated camera technology that shares visual information back to the Command Center. This may be used to identify issues on the line such as carton jams or other operating errors. At ProMat, this will display anytime a bot stops due to pedestrian safety sensors.