MHD SUPPLY CHAIN
THE RISE OF THE COBOT MHD sits down with Körber Supply Chain’s dedicated AMR team in APAC to find out how cobots can improve operations in the DC and explore the unique benefits they bring to supply chain and retail operations.
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utomation is having a significant impact on distribution centres across the APAC region, largely due to its ability to improve efficiency, safety, and productivity. Collaborative robots, also known as cobots, are the latest technology solution helping DCs enhance their workflows and empower employees to better manage their time and boost efficiency. Simply put, a collaborative robot is a type of robot intended to physically interact with humans in a shared workspace. They are smaller than large-scale high output automation and are cost-effective, safe and flexible. According to Körber Supply Chain’s Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) team in APAC, cobots are making automation easier and more accessible than ever before and they are suitable for almost any business size. But how do they differ from other tech solutions?
THE COBOT PROPOSITION Cobots are designed to work with people and work alongside humans to complete daily tasks more effectively and productively. There are many workflows that can be improved with this technology. Picking is one example – cobots can assist in this process to eliminate time-wasted walking from one picking location to the other. The cobot can travel between pick locations and analyse the most efficient way to get there. An essential element of the cobot proposition is that these robots are built to improve human efficiency, not replace them. Collaborative robots complement what an operator or team member does within the DC, essentially reducing nonproductive time and processes (such as travel) while improving accuracy. Using picking as an example, Körber research estimates that a warehouse operator completing a picking workflow will often walk around 10 to 15 kilometres a day. “A cobot can move stock in less
According to Körber’s AMR team cobots are more accessible than ever before and suitable for almost any business size.
Due to increasing benefits of cobots in the DC environment, Körber has partnered with Locus Robotics. time while the employees focus their energy and expertise on value-added tasks involved in the process,” Körber Supply Chain’s dedicated AMR team in APAC told MHD. Of course, cobots can improve other workflows beyond picking. Any task that requires travel or carrying stock can be enhanced and completed by a cobot. While the machine does the heavy lifting, all the team member needs to do is pick and put products onto the cobot and it does the rest.
HOW DO COBOTS DIFFER FROM OTHER TECHNOLOGY? Cobots have many unique attributes that make them ideal for use in DCs. Körber Supply Chain’s AMR team in APAC reveals the seven reasons why cobots make good business sense: 24 | MHD APRIL 2022
