The Future of Warehousing: How Can the Application of Machine Vision in Warehouses Boost Operational Efficiency?
Today, warehouses are required to deal with extensive visual data as the market witnesses higher-than-ever consumption volumes and swiftly evolving consumption patterns. This is exactly where Machine Vision has proven to be a game-changer in recent years. Capable of extracting data from diverse sources, including the feed from cameras and sensors, Machine Vision has become a force to reckon with when it comes to crunching actionable insights from visual data.
In this blog, we will explore how integrating Machine Vision into a Warehouse Management System (WMS) can create a spike in output and mitigate loss triggered by human error.
Core Warehouse Operations: Inventory Management, Order Picking, and Return Management
Quick availability of items for order dispatch or direct handover to customers is central for a smooth Customer Experience, especially for retail businesses from where people purchase essential household items. However, with items going in and out of the warehouse constantly, devising an effective storage plan is as challenging as it is imperative. For successful order fulfilment, business owners need to keep in mind several factors such as:
- The average travel time an employee takes to go and fetch the item across the warehouse
- Inventory levels across bins
- Bin-level information about the self-life of individual items
When picking an individual item from the stock, a snapshot of inventory levels offered by the Machine Vision-enabled WMS can be tallied with ERP or POS data. This action can help determine the items that need to be first dispatched as per their shelf-life and thus, mitigate spoilage. This WMS capability can inform employees about the shortest route to the bin and back, saving time spent on the warehouse floor. Similarly, when an order is returned, the technology can be used to store items efficiently and conduct quick quality checks, requiring fewer human hours for Quality Control.
Providing real-time inventory updates, Machine Vision integrations can help businesses avoid stockouts or overstocking and make data-driven decisions with better-managed resources at lower operating costs.
After retailers collect large historical data using the Machine Vision abilities of the Warehouse Automation Solution, they analyse it using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (Predictive Analytics) to achieve more than just inventory planning. Data on stock movements can be leveraged to select an effective workflow and warehouse layout vis-a-vis the most in-demand items and upcoming trends in sales.
Warehouse Safety: Stock Monitoring and Predictive Maintenance
When stocks worth millions of dollars are at stake instantly identifying spillages, obstructions, or unsafe behaviours on the warehouse floor is a non-negotiable part of warehouse management, and that’s where Machine Vision-powered surveillance cameras save the day. The cameras can monitor human movement and detect safety hazards.
By improving safety across the warehouse, the importance of Machine Vision-powered warehouse operations has gone beyond compliance. The technology has also become important for profitability as it can flag shrinkage instantly, trigger anti-theft measures, and in the worst-case scenario, offer evidence for claiming insurance benefits. At the same time, the technology can plug revenue leakages through Predictive Maintenance, notifying authorities about any potential maintenance issue, thus aiding them improve the lifespan of equipment and save additional expenses that occur during large repair drives.
Suitability to Warehouse Automation: Operations with Minimal Human Intervention
Human Labour in warehouses involves, unpacking, picking, packaging, sorting, storing, and quality control. The bulk of these tasks can be automated with robots that have built-in Machine Vision sensors, allowing them to execute the actions faster and with a higher degree of accuracy. In terms of Quality Control, manual labour can be used for reviewing tasks and to handle any exceptions, if and when they arise.
Looking for Machine Vision Integration in Your Warehouse Management System? Quinta Can Help!
While it may no longer be a debate that the future of warehousing lies with Machine Vision integration in Warehouse Management Systems. However, we understand selecting the right WMS to remain future-ready can be a difficult task. Those looking for resilient warehouse operations can check out Quinta’s Warehouse Automation Solutions which includes Machine Vision Cameras and software.
Curious to know more? Contact us for more details and quick deployment of solutions.
