With industry’s need to hone efficiency to keep competitive, warehouse automation systems have been a game changer for companies specialising in retail, food and beverage, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, e-commerce, e-grocery, spare parts, and a broad range of industrial applications.

Whether it’s a smaller picking automation solution or a large-scale fully automated warehouse, maximising the return on investment in these systems is always top of mind.

As new technologies emerge, there are greater efficiencies that can be realised by upgrading and modernising existing systems, explains Swisslog head of customer service Franz Wiebe.

Swisslog is a global leader in warehouse automation and intralogistics solutions, including consulting, system design and implementation, and lifetime customer support in more than 50 countries.

“There are a number of reasons for modernising or upgrading a warehouse automation system, and they all typically centre around getting the most out of the current system and investing in enhancements that are cost-effective and deliver long-term benefits,” he says.

Reasons for warehouse automation upgrades

Franz adds that Swisslog has performed small and large-scale upgrades for companies in Australia and New Zealand, and some of the key reasons companies are opting for warehouse automation upgrades in recent years include:

Data utilisation: With many Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) now tied to system performance, having technology that can collect more data can provide helpful insights into performance and where improvements can be made.

Energy efficiency: Often, more modern technologies are able to perform the same tasks more efficiently and use less power. This is especially true of components like cranes, conveyors, and motors, where the reduced power consumption can also result in major cost savings.

Equipment entering “end of life”: This can sometimes be called “end of effective life” or “end of design life” – but all equipment has a finite life where it can usefully perform the task for which it was designed. Beyond that point, it may be harder to acquire spare parts or may require maintenance more frequently. In these circumstances, there is a strong financial case to show that modernisation will save money compared to trying to keep the out-of-life system going.

Safety: As a warehouse becomes more automated, fewer repetitive manual tasks are being performed by humans, so the risk of injuries is reduced. In many cases, forklifts can be replaced, removing another potential hazard from a warehouse. With less reliance on labour for manual tasks, the warehouse becomes more resilient to labour shortages and illnesses, as the automation can keep operating.

Cybersecurity: In the age of technology, cyber criminals are becoming more advanced, and older technologies are being left vulnerable to attacks that could compromise entire systems. Many companies are seeing cyberattacks on the news and revisiting their whole IT infrastructure setup, and cybersecurity for their warehouse is part of the overall plan.

Staying in-SynQ

“For some of the biggest reasons to upgrade – such as data utilisation and increasing efficiency – Swisslog’s SynQ software has a number of in-built advantages,” explains Franz.

Swisslog’s SynQ software, which stands for synchronised intelligence, synchronises people, process and machines for efficient operations. In addition to being a Warehouse Management System (WMS), it can perform the task of a WCS (Warehouse Control System), or MFS (Material Flow System), and can seamlessly interact with ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) and e-shop systems.

SynQ optimises the storage of goods, placing fast-moving goods near the point of dispatch and slower-moving goods towards the back of the storage. What further sets SynQ apart from other software is its ability to ‘click and solve’ directly from the 3D visualisation.

“SynQ collects key data from the automation solution and presents findings in a user-friendly interface, ready to develop reports and analyse statistics. Swisslog’s experts can use this data to provide recommendations on how to further optimise the automation system, too,” says Franz.

“And being a modern, consistently updated software platform, it performs better than older standalone systems,” he adds.

• To find out more about Swisslog’s warehouse automation upgrades and modernisations, visit the website.