Automated Warehouse November 2023

NOVEMBER 2O23 theautomatedwarehouse .com

A Supplement to Design World

Logistics companies that drive innovation Inside: Getting North American warehouses up to speed ................................................................... 40 Logistics companies that drive innovation ....................................................................................44 A3 releases more safety standards for industrial mobile robots ........................................49 Measuring speed and position for safety ...................................................................................... 50

AUTOMATED WAREHOUSE

Getting North American warehouses up to speed Rigid systems lose value (and workers) in dynamic markets.

Andy Williams of Exotec North America explains how modular automation and human-centric systems give warehouses a competitive advantage.

RACHAEL PASINI SENIOR EDITOR

Stations present items in the “golden zone” to prevent worker injuries and improve productivity. Image: Exotec

North

America is behind the times in terms of warehouse automation. Most warehouses are entirely manual, and workers may walk 10 miles daily. People do the heavy lifting — literally — which creates safety risks and turns off the emerging, tech-savvy workforce.

Warehouses implementing autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs), automated

40

November 2023

conveyors, robotic arms, pick-and-place systems, and other technology reap the rewards as employees learn to enjoy their robotic companions.

“The part that's a little bit qualitative and harder to grasp is watching the systems in action and the operators interacting with the robots. They enjoy it — it's kind of fun. And it's sustainable so that they can produce more for a longer period,” said Andy Williams, EVP of sales

www.designworldonline.com

in North America at Exotec. “There's this gamification element to it — interacting with the robots but also having positive incentives and a safer, more comfortable working environment.”

Though there’s a lingering stigma that robots are taking jobs away, experienced workers are often grateful for the relief, and the emerging workforce expects to use such modern technology in their daily grind.

DESIGN WORLD

But sentiments aside, a welldesigned, human-centric warehouse transcends generational preferences and ensures businesses can scale according to market and labor fluctuations.

“One of the biggest macro trends is the volatility and uncertainty,” said Williams. “The supply chain challenges and disruptions make it impossible to predict with any great degree of certainty what the future holds.”

As recently as ten years ago, fixed automation systems ruled the roost with large, highly engineered, expensive equipment. With these rigid designs, leaders had to make assumptions about the future, which constrained the value of their investments.

Today, the goal is to be as flexible and adaptable to change as possible — keep moving equipment simple and let intelligent software adjust the system as needed.

“We're working with one of the world's biggest consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies right now, and they want to serve all their businesses from the same facility,” said Williams.

“The ability to protect against future volatility is very important to provide a great environment for their staff. Also, the system we're working on is in a 500,000-square-foot facility. With the

performance we're achieving and our ability to meet the throughput and storage for the different businesses, we're looking at a $75 million investment with really reduced capex. If we took that same system design and rewound the clock ten years, we would have needed a 1.5-millionsquare-foot facility and probably a $250 or $300 million investment, in addition to having all the constraints and playing Nostradamus for the future.”

With a modular, highly adaptable system, the CPG company can locate the facility close to its manufacturing, positively impacting its supply chain and mitigating environmental strains.

“The largest companies, and certainly many more, recognize this as a competitive advantage. It’s a sustainable one that can ultimately lead to advantages over competition and higher profits,” said Williams.

But the benefits aren’t just for large companies that nurture in-house robotics expertise. Any warehouse experimenting with or ready to take the plunge can begin the automation journey with modular, thirdparty systems. And if they don’t try, they’ll likely be consumed by larger companies that do.

“Traditionally, it's been ‘I can have an automated or manual warehouse — let's evaluate the ROI.’ That discussion has

Warehouses can add more Skypods as demand increases without changing production processes. Image: Exotec

DESIGN WORLD

www.designworldonline.com

November 2023

41

A solution for every challenge. doosanrobotics.com

Say hello to the

H-SERIES:

Modular racks leverage vertical space and help warehouses scale. Image: Exotec

The safest cobot on the marketplace, delivered in 4 weeks or less.

Six-axis articulation Force torque sensors on each axis PLe CAT 4 Safety Rating 1700mm Reach 25kg Payload

changed dramatically to ‘This enables a whole new suite of capabilities — I can dramatically change my supply chain,’” said Williams. “Companies that really understand the impact are trying to move as fast as they can to implement it.”

In the past 20 years, warehouse automation technologies evolved out of necessity in regions such as Europe. Their advancements have now sparked a need for North American companies to up their game.

“For our evaluation, when we look at the market today compared to then, the market size in North America is roughly the same as all of Europe combined. And we will see North America accelerate and overtake Europe in the next five to ten years by a substantial margin,” said Williams.

Though a confluence of factors has accelerated the rate of robotics adoption, North America remains at the lower end of the curve for now. And those trying to get ahead know that designing automated systems for human-centered environments will be a differentiator.

“We use a combination of black, white, and signature bright teal color to enhance the workers' experience,” said Williams. “If you've been in these environments in the DESIGN WORLD

past, it's so drab and dirty. When you go to our systems, it's bright colors and very clean, in addition to being ergonomic and more productive. So, having robot stations and storage in stark contrast to the graybeige palette of the past not only aids in the aesthetic appeal of the environment, but there's certainly a safety aspect to it as well.”

Originally founded in France, Exotec entered the North American market in 2020, ready to take on the world’s largest economy. Currently, it has more than 20 customer sites across the U.S. and Canada for leading brands, including Gap, Ariat, and Decathlon. The North American market is expected to represent one-third of Exotec’s global business by 2025.

“With the projects we've already done, we've saved workers from walking nearly 30 million kilometers. It's very substantial,” said Williams. “It’s a human-centric work environment that’s more sustainable and enjoyable. The people look forward to coming to work and feel respected because the companies have invested in technologies to help them.” AW

doosanrobotics.com

Exotec | exotec.com

www.designworldonline.com

November 2023

43 23-0922-Doosan_1-3-Ad.indd 1

10/18/23 11:52 AM

AUTOMATED WAREHOUSE

Logistics companies that drive innovation Couriers can’t automate every aspect of their business, so they focus on automation that adds the most value. UPS and DHL recently announced upgrades to their systems that keep packages flowing efficiently.

UPS

and DHL are two top parcel delivery companies worldwide, handling billions of packages annually to more than 200 countries.

Automation is critical to their operations, especially during peak seasons and unexpected crises. Here’s a look at how these shipping and delivery giants use advanced technologies to adapt to global dynamics.

UPS increases robotics UPS has a long history of driving innovative solutions for logistics and uses automation to strengthen its

UPS uses a variety of automation technologies to improve package flow, overall efficiency, and employee experiences in the UPS network. Image: UPS

network and enhance the employee experience. The company’s innovation strategy includes digital and automation technologies, which have accelerated with AI advancements.

Recently, UPS made several improvements in its operations, targeting specific repetitive and physically demanding processes, such as pickand-place, loading and unloading, and moving irregular-sized shipments: Pick-and-place: UPS uses pick-andplace systems powered by Dexterity, Fortna, and Plus One Robotics to help

RACHAEL PASINI SENIOR EDITOR

employees sort small packages. This role requires repetitive tasks and can be inconsistent as it flexes with customer demands. Once implemented, the technology will make these jobs easier and safer and offer a better overall experience for UPS employees.

Unloading: UPS uses Pickle Robot’s unloading technologies to ease the challenging job of unloading trailers, making the role less physically demanding for employees and delivering better package care and reliability for UPS customers.

Autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs): AGVs powered by Dane Technologies, Geekplus, Locus Robotics, Crown Lift Trucks, and Toyota-Raymond simplify demanding jobs. Many of these AGV technologies more safely and easily move small packages and irregularsized shipments through UPS facilities.

Irregular shipments don’t fit on conveyor belts and often can be heavy and difficult to move. These vehicles exponentially streamline these movements and promote safety.

Digital technologies: UPS also leverages digital technologies to ensure the safety of every delivery around the world by using Delivery Photo and Delivery Defense to decrease fraud for customers.

These technologies are being used in select UPS facilities across the U.S. as the company continues to execute its strategic plan and provide industryleading service to its customers with one of the industry's most efficient, globally integrated networks.

“In providing industry-leading livelihoods for our people, we are now also using technology, innovation, and automation to provide for their well-being. UPSers will always be our differentiator even as we optimize our network through technology,” said Bala Subramanian, executive vice president and chief digital and technology officer at UPS. This year, 57% of the packages processed through the UPS network went through automated facilities powered by the latest sorting, processing, and data capture technologies, and its major air facilities are highly automated. The company continues embracing cutting-edge technologies that advance its business and the logistics industry.

DHL focuses on computer vision The computer vision market proliferates as it improves efficiency, saves time, DESIGN WORLD

increases sustainability, and reduces costs. DHL’s newest Trend Report, “AI-Driven Computer Vision,” identifies computer vision as a trend that will become an integral part of standard operations in logistics over the next five years.

Computer vision is a field within AI that enables computers and systems to extract meaningful information from digital images, videos, and other visual inputs. These systems can act accordingly or make recommendations by collecting and gathering visual data using algorithms.

“In the logistics industry, we are seeing the first use cases that demonstrate the value of computer vision, including various health and safety applications as well as shipments dimensioning,” said Klaus Dohrmann, vice president and head of Innovation and Trend Research at DHL Customer Solutions and Innovation (CSI). “As computer vision evolves thanks to technology advances in depth perception, 3D reconstruction, and interpretation of dark and blurred images, it will soon unlock many more opportunities and bring additional benefits to logistics companies.”

For the logistics industry, computer vision brings forth several applications in four main areas:

Unleash your automation potential with Doosan Robotics.

Effortless precision, unbeatable efficiency.

doosanrobotics.com

Health and safety: Computer vision can improve workplace safety by identifying potential hazards in warehouses, depots, and other logistics

“In providing industryleading livelihoods for our people, we are now also using technology, innovation, and automation to provide for their well-being.”

www.designworldonline.com

November 2023

45

AUTOMATED WAREHOUSE

DHL’s latest Trend Report illustrates how computer vision is applied across diverse sectors and highlights its versatility within logistics.

Image: Deutsche Post AG

facilities, thus minimizing risks and preventing accidents. Computer vision can also improve employee health by recognizing bad posture and movement, detecting early signs of fatigue, and tracking whether workers wear the proper protective equipment to ensure compliance.

Operations: To detect bottlenecks and other inefficiencies, computer vision can create heatmaps to analyze workflow patterns within a facility or outside and even function as a security guard by promptly identifying unauthorized entry or intrusion.

Asset management: Computer vision technology can help monitor

46

November 2023

logistics assets consistently and alert maintenance teams before any issues arise. Even if defects have already occurred, computer vision can help to automatically identify probable asset flaws, mistakes, and anomalies and simplify defect detection.

Shipment processing: Computer vision offers the advantage of automating and simplifying the dimensioning process in shipping, where precise measurements of object areas or volumes are essential for calculating storage capacities, load planning, transportation logistics, and shipment billing. It also can check that shipments are compliant and classified correctly for sorting and automate inventory counting cycles.

www.designworldonline.com

While computer vision is promising, it presents several challenges and concerns, including gaining public acceptance, particularly among those who fear constant monitoring.

Cybersecurity is also crucial in addressing data handling, compliance with GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), and other data privacy and protection laws. Tackling these challenges requires thoughtful orchestration and collaboration of all parties involved. AW UPS | ups.com DHL | dhl.com

DESIGN WORLD

ACCELERATING

WAREHOUSE AUTOMATION Powerful, multi-purpose solutions with easy installation and maintenance High-speed, multi-code, multi-symbology barcode reading Modular, standard structure gets you up and running faster Advanced, real-time data and analytics

See logistics solutions in action Scan the QR code or visit cognex.com/RobotReport-Nov

MVT 2023 Design World ad.indd 1

10/18/2023 9:06:21 AM

All products available directly on

from

WHAT’S NEW RULAND

RULAND.COM TOOL-LESS ADJUSTMENT COMPONENTS • Adjustable handles and knobs replace standard hardware and can be used to torque components without tools.

• Levers can be used with Ruland shaft collars for quick installation and adjustment.

Ruland Manufacturing is proud to support the FIRST Robotics Competition as a Gold Supplier of precision shaft collars & couplings.

PRECISION COUPLINGS • Beam couplings accommodate light weights and high misalignment.

• Zero-backlash jaw couplings for vibration dampening and a variety of performance options.

• Bellows couplings for high size to torque ratio.

MODULAR MOUNTING SYSTEMS

SHAFT COLLARS • Thousands of size and style options.

• Proprietary manufacturing processes ensure superior fit and finish.

• Assorted components allow you to build small assemblies for mounting sensors, conveyor rails, machine guards, and more.

• Optional pre-designed kits make it easier to select the right system for your application.

• 8 material options.

VIBRATION ISOLATING COMPONENTS

QUICK CLAMPING COLLARS

• Rubber bumpers are ideal as end stops or mounting feet.

• No tools required to install, remove, and adjust.

• Vibration isolation mounts can be sandwiched between components to dampen shock loads.

• Best suited for systems that require frequent adjustments.

• Both types can have studs or tapped holes.

ruland.com | sales@ruland.com

A3 releases more safety standards for industrial mobile robots RACHAEL PASINI SENIOR EDITOR

Workplace safety is a growing concern as more warehouses become automated.

The new ANSI/A3 R15.08-2-2023 focuses on mobile robot systems integration.

As

the use of mobile robots continues to surge in industrial settings, the Association for Advancing Automation (A3) has unveiled the second installment of its flagship safety standard for industrial mobile robots.

R15.08-2, the American National Standard for Industrial Mobile Robots (IMRs) — Safety Requirements — Part 2: Requirements for IMR system(s) and IMR application(s) is accredited by the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) and specifies requirements for integrating, configuring, and customizing IMRs and fleets into a site.

“With the rapid development of mobile robot capabilities, it’s more important than ever for the safety of human workers to have common safety requirements and expectations for IMR systems and system integrations,” said Carole Franklin, director of robotic standards development at A3. “The R15.08 Part 2 is much-needed guidance toward ensuring safe integration practices for IMRs and will be a solid foundation for future work in this area.”

A3 first established requirements for IMR manufacturers with R15.08 Part 1, published in late 2020. R15.08-2 now follows with requirements for system integrators.

A companion to R15.08 Part 1 Until now, mobile robot system integrators had only general safety

DESIGN WORLD

requirements for industrial machinery.

R15.08-2 provides a common set for IMRs while being flexible enough to permit companies to develop unique solutions. The new document: • Describes different types of IMRs and aspects of IMR systems • Covers necessary adaptations for applications and facilities • Describes safety requirements when IMRs interact with workstations, charging stations, and other equipment • Explains safety considerations for the operating environment “A paradigm shift has occurred in recent years with the continued advancement of mobile robots in the workplace, and this shift demanded safety requirements beyond what is offered in other robot safety standards,” said Jeff Pratt, chair of the R15.08 committee and senior corporate EHS engineer at Crown Equipment.

“With Part 2 of the R15.08 standard, system integrators now have specific requirements that will help them ensure they’re deploying the safest mobile robot systems available in their customers’ facilities.”

Pratt introduced the R15.08 family of standards at the International Robot Safety Conference 2023, and R15.08 committee vice chair Chris Soranno, the safety standards and competence

www.designworldonline.com

manager at SICK, dived into “Mobile Robot Safety: The New R15.08-Part 2.”

What’s next in IMR safety standards?

A3’s R15.08 committee will develop R15.08 Part 3 to provide safety requirements for users of IMR systems and applications. The R15.08 committee will also consider developing technical reports to address emerging topics, such as multi-sensor fusion, additional stability testing, stability validation, and dynamic stability testing. AW Association for Advancing Automation automate.org

The R15.08 standards provide technical requirements for IMR design and integration.

Image: A3

November 2023

49

AUTOMATED WAREHOUSE

Measuring speed and position for safety TWK has been developing encoders and sensors since 1962.

This past year, they’ve highlighted how such components impact safety in automated vehicles and robots.

Automated

guided vehicles (AGVs) and automated mobile robots (AMRs) require several measurements to operate safely. Otherwise, they and the entire fleet cannot navigate and move to target locations. The necessary measurements are speed (wheel speed) and steering angle (wheel position). Also, the lift of forks or booms must be known.

These variables influence the inclination of the vehicle and, where applicable, the vibrations that occur, especially when driving with a load.

Companies such as TWK supply encoders and sensors that ensure functional safety, including certified sensors for position, speed, inclination, acceleration, and draw-wire linear transducers and accessories. Let’s look at a few examples.

Encoders for speed Measuring speed ensures that AGVs and AMRs reach certain positions quickly and safely. Speed is measured directly at the wheels, and the speed reduces when the target point approaches. Servo drives with integrated sensors can perform this task; however, in many cases, a separate encoder must be used to protect the environment, people, and machines.

For example, where space is limited, the ultra-compact TRK38/S3 singleturn safety encoder has a diameter and housing length of only 38 mm. With the Fail-Safe-over-EtherCAT interface (FSoE), it claims full SIL2/PLd performance with a resolution of up to 16 bit and speeds up to 15,000 rpm — quickly and safely transmitted to the controller via the safety interface. The speed signal quality has been significantly improved, as the

RACHAEL PASINI SENIOR EDITOR position detection accuracy on the time scale is now approximately 1 µs. This equidistance is essential for precise speed, based on calculating the position difference per time unit.

TWK’s portfolio also includes certified encoders with CANopen Safety or PROFIsafe via PROFInet interface with a safe position and speed signal. With the help of these devices, functionally safe speed detection and monitoring in the most diverse variations make machines and systems safer.

Sensors for position Particularly in the booming sector of AGVs and AMRs, it is not the usual sensors — encoders for angle and speed measurement — that can be used. More specialized devices of the smallest possible size or devices with

To protect the environment, people, and machines, AGV and AMR operation requires highly functional sensor technology. Image: TWK

50

November 2023

www.designworldonline.com

DESIGN WORLD

What does it take to keep your industry alive?

Connections by LAPP. They are the lifelines that transport energy and distribute power where it‘s needed. These connections also create the central systems that synchronize the seamless interaction of machines, devices, and plants.

LAPP‘s powerful solutions offer the most in-depth expertise and most reliable connections on the market. For every project, for every undertaking, for every industry. lapp.com/us/alive-by-lapp

AUTOMATED WAREHOUSE

A U T O M A T E D

WAREHOUSE

special functions or a specially designed communication profile are used here.

Above all, they must be functionally safe to eliminate any risk of malfunction. SIL2, PLd, or SIL3 certifications are a prerequisite — sometimes together with UL, ASIL D, or ATEX for potentially explosive environments.

For example, TWK equips its NVx vibration sensors, which are used for condition monitoring, with unique functions and algorithms for signal processing. This makes machine monitoring much easier for the user — especially for AGVs that are always in motion. In addition, drawwire sensors with an attached encoder measure fork or arm lift by converting the linear stroke into a rotary motion. The SIL2/PLd-certified inclinometers have a gyroscope and provide raw values from six axes of redundant micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) sensors and

the dynamically corrected tilt angle.

The raw signals, especially those from the accelerometers, can be used simultaneously to monitor the vehicle’s condition (oscillations and vibrations) or control the vehicle.

These are just a few examples of the wide range of compact, safe sensors that can be used for various mobile sensing applications.

Whether steering angle, wheel speed, vehicle tilt, or vibration, such quantities must be quickly and reliably recorded and transmitted to the control system’s safety interface. AW

This NVT/S3 PLd vibration sensor consists of an acceleration sensor, controller unit, and output interface PROFIsafe over PROFINET. Image: TWK

TWK | twk.de

New England Wire Technologies Advancing innovation for over 100 years Why accept a standard product for your custom application?

NEWT is committed to being the premier manufacturer of choice for customers requiring specialty wire, cable and extruded tubing to meet existing and emerging worldwide markets. Our custom products and solutions are not only engineered to the exacting specifications of our customers, but designed to perform under the harsh conditions of today’s advanced manufacturing processes. Cables we specialize in are LITZ, multi-conductor cables, hybrid configurations, coaxial, twin axial, miniature and micro-miniature coaxial cables, ultra flexible, high flex life, low/high temperature cables, braids, and a variety of proprietary cable designs.

Contact us today and let us help you dream beyond today’s technology and achieve the impossible.

NEW ENGLAND WIRE T E C H N O LO G I E S

New England Wire Technologies www.newenglandwire.com 603.838.6624

THE INDUSTRY’S MOST COMPREHENSIVE AMR FLEET Autonomously transport materials up to 4,200 lb with the industry’s most comprehensive autonomous mobile robots and fleet management software.

$1.5M

6x

11 month

saved in the first year at an aerospace facility

throughput increase at a CPG facility

customer payback period at an automotive facility

www.ottomotors.com

Since 1898, we have partnered with the most innovative companies in the world to solve complex challenges and advance technology.

Our legacy of decades of expertise and unrivaled reliability makes us the industry leader in custom wire and cable solutions.

Manufacturing Custom Wire & Cable Solutions Since 1898 603-838-6624 • newenglandwire.com Lisbon, New Hampshire USA

ADVERTORIAL

How Cognex Is Accelerating Warehouse Automation Article by Ben Carey • Director, Logistics Vision Products • Cognex Corporation To move fast this year, logistics companies will be looking for solutions that automate processes and increase throughput while decreasing costs. End users and OEMs need technologies that don’t require custom design and installation, but rather are standardized, easy to install, operate, and maintain; and solve multiple applications, in place of discrete devices that only satisfy a single need. Also, it will be table stakes for leading companies to expect solutions to include advanced data and analytics capabilities to enable better decisionmaking and troubleshooting.

While the ultimate goal of logistics companies is to have “dark warehouses” that require few workers and rely on automation and robotics, the reality is that many companies are simply trying

to increase the amount of automation at their warehouses to gain an incremental competitive edge. This is why technology providers have shifted their focus toward the development of standard, easy-to-use vision solutions for logistics, enabled in large part by advanced technologies — such as AI (Artificial Intelligence).

Partnering on Standardized Solutions from Inbound to Outbound At Cognex Corporation, we’ve committed to creating standard solutions that help facilities advance operations with automation. Most recently, we’ve released our new Modular Vision Tunnels. These flexible scan tunnels offer one-to-sixsided barcode scanning for a range of speeds and box gaps. These solutions are quick and easy to install for reduced

downtime and risk, and address multiple challenging applications, such as inbound receiving, outbound truck loading, and ship sorting.

These solutions are modular, yet compact; customers can set up tunnels with different configurations, add on vision tools such as dimensioning, and choose between DataMan 380 or DataMan 580 image-based barcode readers, which offer multi-symbology decoding, the ability to read multiple codes, and 99.9% read rates. Edge Intelligence data analytics software is built within these tunnels, allowing customers to easily set up and maintain them with real-time insights into performance and maintenance.

Since both end users and OEMs want to increase throughput while ensuring traceability and keeping costs down, it’s important to choose solutions that are standard, yet flexible. Solutions that require custom installation and starting from the ground up each time can be costly and riddled with risk. Logistics companies that want to get ahead need to future-proof their technology investments to ensure that they’re able to scale as their business grows.

For more information, visit www.cognex.com/RobotReport-Nov and view our Logistics Solutions Guide.

DESIGN WORLD

www.designworldonline.com

November 2023

55