Using Automation to Increase Space Utilization in the Warehouse

When deciding how to introduce or expand automation in your warehouse, starting with a holistic approach to warehouse design is essential to planning for the deployment of automation throughout your operation. A fragmented or siloed approach could, at best, decrease the ROI realized and, at worst, threaten the success of the deployment.

As with the many other components of warehouse design, exploring automation with a single-source supplier, such as Crown Equipment, can streamline the process and provide a holistic approach to help ensure your deployment delivers the desired results.

Crown works closely with customers to determine how automation technologies can be integrated into their environment and understand the impact on other systems, characteristics and components of the warehouse. This includes product flow, existing processes, employee perception, training and opportunities to enhance productivity and ROI.

As a single-source supplier, Crown can help mitigate the complexity of the automation decision by working with companies to identify tasks that are ideal candidates for automation and which automation technologies can provide the desired ROI. Crown also helps identify process or system changes required to ensure safe, effective integration of automation into warehouse workflows and other technologies.

Most importantly, Crown can help you choose a physical or digital automation path that best aligns with your operational considerations and needs.

Choosing an automation path

Digital automation uses data and software to automate manual workflows and processes. Examples include warehouse management systems and automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) technology, such as mobile barcoding. It also includes telematics like Crown’s InfoLink^® operator and fleet management system, which collects data to provide insight into the performance and utilization of connected equipment, people and processes.

Telematics can be valuable in planning for physical automation and ongoing management and optimization of certain automated equipment. The operational data captured by telematics can be analyzed to help you understand product flow, equipment utilization and performance. That insight can help you identify the tasks and equipment within your operations that may be candidates for automation.

A telematics system can also help provide a broad view of equipment utilization and performance once an automation solution is deployed. It also can be a valuable tool as you expand the adoption of automation to other areas of the warehouse and scale it strategically to prioritize opportunities where it can deliver the most value.

Physical automation uses fixed or mobile automation to automate repetitive tasks and product movement. This type of automation is designed to reduce employee movement, increase efficiency, improve performance levels and/or create a more comfortable working environment.

Fixed automation, such as goods-to-person (GTP) systems, can be semi-permanent and may even become part of the assumed infrastructure of a facility. Vertical lift modules (VLMs) are a good example. These enclosed, vertical, automated storage and retrieval systems use trays to store objects. They can be an excellent way to save space and bring products to the operator to increase order picking productivity.

Pallet shuttle rack systems are another example of fixed automation. These semi-automated deep lane systems utilize an integrated cart to transport pallets loaded by forklifts at the lane entry into the deep lane. They work well in high-volume SKU applications, helping to increase productivity by reducing forklift travel.

Mobile automation works within existing warehouse infrastructures to automate manual processes. Examples include autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and automated guided vehicles (AGVs), including automated forklifts like Crown’s DualMode forklifts. Today’s automated forklifts can address many processes where manual forklifts are used, including horizontal travel applications, like pallet transport and vertical applications, such as pallet putaway and retrieval.

Certain manual forklifts are available with operator assist technologies designed to increase productivity, reinforce the operators’ training and enrich the operator experience. This includes end aisle control that automatically decreases the forklift's travel speed at the end of busy aisleways, as well as auto positioning systems that automatically guide forklifts along the most efficient route to the next rack location.

With the proper combination of solutions and experience, a single-source provider like Crown Equipment can help guide you through planning, selection and deployment of automation technology within your overall warehouse operation, creating a scalable and flexible platform for continued growth and expansion.

For more information on taking a comprehensive approach to warehouse design, including the potential for automation, read our new e-book, “Taking a Comprehensive View of Your Warehouse Environment.”