Today’s data-driven, robotic automation systems are helping warehouses close the gap between demand growth and limitations like space and available labor. Automation delivers increased pick accuracy, decreased pick time, lower item loss levels, better throughput, and much more. Adding automation to your warehouse can:
- increase storage capacity by up to 60%
- improve productivity by over 200%
- reduce or eliminate rote tasks for human staff
- reduce the overall carbon footprint by minimizing interplant and intra-plant transportation.
But let’s face it: most companies aren’t able to build new, state-of-the-art warehouse facilities optimized for automation. Many existing warehouses assume this means their facility isn’t a candidate for automation technology integration.
Thankfully, older, existing facilities can experience the benefits of automation by retrofitting. In almost all cases, implementing automation via a retrofit has a much lower capital cost than building an entirely new facility, even including any physical upgrades to the existing building. Swisslog is one of the world’s leading automation specialists with unique expertise in brownfield retrofits. Here’s how Swisslog helps overcome some of the leading challenges to automating older warehouse facilities.
Assessing Your Site. Most automation systems require a perfectly flat surface, though some can be configured to compensate for irregular flooring. Many brownfield sites choose to repair or replace broken and uneven flooring to make way for automation. Swisslog has developed a site assessment process that helps warehouse operators determine whether their facility is a good candidate for a retrofit, what solutions would be functional, and how to ensure safety and fire protection standards can be maintained or enhanced.
Overcoming Irregular Layouts. Greenfield warehouses are designed with automation in mind. They often have open layouts, high ceilings, and as few corners as possible. Brownfield sites often have building columns or other obstructions, low ceilings, and irregular building shapes. Swisslog designed its PowerStore pallet shuttle AS/RS system to function in almost any configuration, even domed buildings. Its modular design enables storage of up to 60% more pallets than manual systems and allows for individual tailoring to all shapes and sizes of warehouse buildings.
Swisslog experts help determine the automation solutions that can be retrofitted as part of the site assessment process. Offering a full range of pallet-handling and case- and each-picking technologies, Swisslog works with customers to tailor a solution to meet density and throughput objectives while also fitting existing structural requirements.
Many other modular solutions can adapt to irregular layouts for brownfield sites seeking to automate bin, case, and tote handling. AutoStore, one of the most popular goods-to-person picking solutions, offers outstanding storage density and a modular design that can be configurable around obstructions. As one of the world’s leading AutoStore integrators, Swisslog has helped retrofit many existing warehouses with AutoStore modules. Swisslog’s CycloneCarrier carton shuttle solution can deliver productivity improvements of over 200% with >99% picking accuracy for sites needing modular adaptability with increased flexibility in storable product dimensions.
Keeping Business Running. Automating an existing facility means interrupting operations. Today’s automation technologies, like Swisslog’s Vectura stacker crane, feature a modular design that experienced integrators like Swisslog can leverage to deploy automation in phases. This allows businesses to continue with minimal disruption while automation is rolled out. Many Swisslog retrofit customers have done this by consolidating inventory in one area of the warehouse to free up space for the initial phase of the automation deployment. Once the first automation system module is deployed and brought online as a pilot, the warehouse operates in hybrid manual-automated mode as the next module is deployed and so on until all modules are deployed and online.
Once online, Swisslog’s SynQ software orchestrates automated tasks. SynQ software delivers a common user interface across processes to increase accuracy and productivity. It integrates automation control systems (ACS) functionality, material flow (MFC/WCS), and warehouse management systems (WMS) and an array of business intelligence tools. This modular software has the flexibility to work as the WMS or to integrate with an existing WMS and can support multiple automation systems and manual processes.
Brownfield warehouses aren’t doomed to cope with SKU proliferation, deteriorating service levels, difficulty maintaining efficiency and productivity goals, and trouble recruiting and retaining labor. A brownfield automation retrofit by Swisslog can extend the life and value of your warehouse and revitalize your site.
Learn more in our Brownfield Automation Retrofit Whitepaper
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