When starting warehouse automation, for today's factories, it is important to decide whether they plan to retrofit an existing facility or invest in an entirely new construction.
When embarking on a warehouse automation journey, it's important for today's food and beverage leaders to decide whether they plan to retrofit an existing facility or invest in an entirely new building. With trends like growing SKUs, obsolescence, and faster innovation cycles, this can be a difficult and daunting path for customers automating for the first time. Here are some key considerations when investing in warehouse automation.
Picking a Data-Centric Automation Vendor
A trusted automation partner will use data as an absolute criterion when evaluating areas in the warehouse that could benefit from automation. With proper analysis of the data, suppliers should be able to fully customize and design a system to suit specific and unique needs, including temperature-controlled storage options. Even before deciding whether to retrofit an existing facility or invest in a completely new building, the right partner will recommend creating a design from thoroughly explained metrics.
Set realistic expectations
Automation is often a multi-million dollar investment, and policymakers are often concerned about positive ROI and overall financial success, especially when large financial commitments are made to investors and boards. Setting realistic expectations from the initial stages of a project can buffer frustration and prepare investors for long-term results. For example, the first year of implementation should be considered a transitional phase in which not only the commissioning of the system itself, but also the preparation and familiarization of employees with the system and how it works. Perseverance and patience can pay off positively.
Develop an implementation plan
While automation does contribute to the overarching goal of future-proofing operations, it will not succeed if those who operate the system are not prepared and well-trained. It is crucial for the company to have the automation system ready to run and operate during commissioning. The vendor's technicians are there to debug the system and fix problems, not the operating system. Asking them to do so can affect the progress of the problem-solving process. One way to ensure operators are ready for new automation implementations is through strategic knowledge management. Having employees learn a new automation system from the start of implementation not only creates comfort and confidence in automated operations, but also creates a wealth of tribal knowledge that future operators can inherit. Exposure to automation is a long-term career boost for many workers on the DC shop floor, and working with automation makes work easier, safer, and more enjoyable.
