In the past, warehouse workers, otherwise known as pickers, would worth with lists and manually run a warehouse. This took pickers a long time to get shipments in order just and this laborious practice soon became outdated when digital advanced, writes Suzanne Vallance, who works for Ferrari Packaging, a wholesale packaging supplies company based in Scotland.
IoE practices in warehouses
Warehouses have started to use the Internet of Everything (IoE), robotic systems which makes the working day much more effective. IoE and voice picking have improved the efficiency of warehouse practices. Sensors can now even detect everything through a robotic system and businesses can check where their pallets are, whether that is in the warehouse or en route to the shipping dock.
Progressively, businesses are adapting to IoE technology and are connecting the different departments in their organisation. These warehouses, like new technology that we use every day, are called “smart warehouses” and have increased productivity across the board.
IoT and cloud software for business
Cloud software is continuing to develop and change security perceptions. Steve Banker from Forbes Online has stated that there are benefits of using IoT in warehouses and has highlighted how pickers are management are adjusting to the change: “Most well run warehouses have a Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) that depends upon bar code data. Warehouse floor level operations personnel and warehouse managers execute their tasks based upon this data.”
This is true, figures from 2015 have shown the growth of IoT in business, especially in the use of cloud technology:
Cloud software is hosted elsewhere, virtually and businesses manage their accounts by accessing the software over the internet. Organisations will be charged a cloud fee, however, this includes hosting services.
What is a voice picking cloud?
The main method of internet picking is through a voice picking cloud solution. This means organisations can host their information remotely.
This is beneficial as it means your business does not have to obtain, install or maintain servers. This will not only improve staff efficiency in the long run but it will cut costs. In-house IT hardware can be problematic when it comes to continual security and maintenance.
Argos is just one of the UK’s multichannel retailers that have moved away from paper trail picking. This has been beneficial to the company as they claim it has boosted staff productivity and accuracy.
Getting it right the first time is now more important than ever as the fast delivery pressure from the “Amazon effect” is hitting the retail business. Thankfully for Argos, its level of accuracy is going up and accuracy error rates have decreased from just over 1% to less than 0.3%.
By adopting a voice picking system a business will become more consistent. The paper trail has become outdated, therefore it may be worth businesses looking into business improvement across the board, especially in the operational side of businesses.
Operational vs technical in the warehouse
Remember, improving the technological side of your business is vital, but maintaining the operations section of it, is just as important.
Adopting cloud technology will allow for reduced operational costs, but it’s good practice not to reply on the cloud alone to protect your goods. Amazon uses the cloud to help protect against theft, by using a system that updates every thirty minutes, however for the SME traditional methods for protecting your stored items should not be disregarded. Invest in suitable packaging supplies that will act as a secondary dimension of protection for your goods.
IoT warehouse operations
Changing your business ethic can be risky, therefore it always worth trialling different methods of IoT. By using the internet to enhance your workplace it will not only encourage your employees to work harder but they will learn new, digital skills. The beauty of the internet is that is growing and it is never too late to change, you could see the benefits of IoT in your warehouse works in a matter of months.
July 27, 2016
Posted by: George Malim
It has been predicted that an incredible six billion people will have a smartphone by 2020. In our pocket, we possess a supercomputer, millions of times more powerful than all of NASA’s combined computing capability during the Apollo space missions, writes Simon Skellon, the vice president of sales at Mitel. (more…)
July 25, 2016
Posted by: George Malim
The World Cities Summit in Singapore explored how cities can better govern and build up resilience through policy, technology and social innovations. City leaders and planners sought to look for ways to create and integrate innovative urban solutions for a more sustainable future, writes Nigel Chadwick, the managing director for EuroNorth at Dassault Systèmes. (more…)
July 22, 2016
Posted by: George Malim
Infosec pros have spent the past decade fighting a rising tide of both more users and more devices connecting to enterprise resources while at the same time trying to decrease the attack surface — that is, trying to shut down as many points of access as possible, writes Joe Schorr is director of advanced security solutions at Bomgar. (more…)
July 18, 2016
Posted by: George Malim
It’s easy to see why Gartner predicts 2016 will be the year we see 6.4 billion connected things in use: the ability to operate devices remotely opens the door to a whole range of opportunities for businesses to bring an innovative service to their customers. The smartphone most of us have at hand almost every waking moment ensuring we never have to enter an unlit home or shiver in an unheated car are just the tip of the iceberg, writes Bryan Kirschner, a director at Apigee Institute. (more…)
July 12, 2016
Posted by: George Malim
The networks that support the Internet of Things (IoT) rely on connections between a huge number of different devices, platforms and tools in order to function. The basic building blocks within these applications are the application programming interfaces (APIs) that are used to make the IoT work, writes Rami Essaid, the chief executive at Distil Networks. (more…)
July 11, 2016
Posted by: George Malim
We have been aware of global warming for decades, but 2015 saw world leaders take united action with the UN climate conference of parties (COP) reaching a landmark agreement to limit the rise of global temperatures to less than two degrees Celsius. This puts pressure on renewable energy to play a bigger role in how we power the world around us. However, can it keep up as we move into the age of the always-on smart city? Here Steve Hughes, managing director of power quality specialist, REO UK, explores how the smart grid could hold the key if it evolves properly. (more…)
July 8, 2016
Posted by: George Malim
Jonathan Wilkins, the marketing director of EU Automation, continues his blog. The smart cities era will be made possible by a move towards sustainability and reduced power consumption, both of which are being led by industrial automation. Sustainability, in terms of energy and resource efficiency is a key ingredient for the success of the global manufacturing industry. (more…)
June 30, 2016
Posted by: George Malim
In 2015, market research firm Juniper Research declared Barcelona the smartest city in the world. As a result of the city’s support for local public transportation and electric vehicles, there are now 500 hybrid taxis on the streets of Barcelona, as well as nearly 300 public electric vehicles and an estimated 400 private electric cars. Barcelona has also implemented a programme that calls for the intelligent networking of energy and water supplies, recycling, lighting and mobility systems. The aim is to improve quality of life and protect the environment. (more…)
June 29, 2016
Posted by: George Malim
A report just published by Beecham Research (Wearable Technology in Public Safety – The Dominant Role of Body Worn Cameras)examines the growing market for body-worn cameras in police forces around the world, writes Robin Duke-Woolley, the founder and chief executive of Beecham Research. These are not your average webcams. These devices need to be able to withstand some pretty rough treatment, being used day in day out while providing video of high enough quality to be used for evidential purposes. In other words, in court. Increasingly, they also need to be connected – and the content needs to be encrypted so it cannot be misused. (more…)
June 27, 2016
Posted by: George Malim