DHL has successfully completed a pilot test using robotics in the order picking process at the DHL Supply Chain warehouse in Unna, Germany. The robot, named EffiBOT and created by the French startup Effidence, is a new, fully automated transport trolley. It moves throughout the warehouse and performs most of the physical work for order pickers.
During the test, two robots assisted pickers in transporting and loading heavy items, as well as delivering orders to the unloading area. The robot was designed to work safely alongside humans. Warehouse employees appreciate the ability to work hands-free and the fact that they no longer have to pull heavy carts behind them.
A common challenge for today’s logistics sector, in the context of reducing inventory levels and the growing number of online transactions, is the high demand for order picking in smaller facilities. In non-automated environments, warehouse workers have to deal with handling heavy carts and large loads, which limits them to picking a single order at a time and forces them to cover long distances.
– The order picking trolley follows the picker along the racking system. Once it is fully loaded, the picker sends the trolley to a designated unloading area and uses another one. This solution allows for multiple orders to be picked efficiently and comfortably at the same time instead of just one – explains Michael Artinger, site manager at DHL Supply Chain, who was responsible for conducting the test.
In addition to EffiBOT, other robots are also being tested, designed for services such as co-packing, as well as autonomous mobile robots used for parts picking.
– In the coming weeks, DHL plans to test various types of robots and systems – says Markus Kückelhaus, Vice President of Innovation and Trend Research at DHL Customer Solutions & Innovation. – The test results will allow us to determine which technologies will be permanently implemented, thereby strengthening DHL’s position as a leader in the automation of logistics processes.
Assisted order picking is just one stage of the automation revolution that will change the world of logistics. The latest DHL trend report, “Robotics in Logistics,” illustrates the full potential of robotics and its impact on supply chains, and prepares logistics professionals for entering a new era dominated by the use of advanced robotics in logistics. The report is available online at http://www.dhl.com/robots.