Smart Warehousing as a Wave of the Future
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Research Methodology
- What elements (components) are essential for a smart warehouse system?
- How are those elements interconnected with each other, and how can they be synchronized and integrated to make warehousing operations more intelligent and successful?
- What are the key drivers for a smart warehouse system, and how do they affect the smart warehouse architecture?
- What are a smart warehouse system’s key value propositions or managerial benefits?
- How do we keep a smart warehouse project on track? What meaningful performance metrics can monitor a smart warehousing project and assess smart warehousing outcomes?
3. Architecture of the Smart Warehouse System
4. Managerial Benefits of the Smart Warehouse
- Reduced inventory levels via improved supply chain visibility. The rationale is that enhanced visibility of warehousing operations through the embedment of DRP within WMS increases real-time information availability. Such visibility allows warehousing workers to see all the potential bottlenecks and problematic areas well in advance and take corrective action. In addition, the enhanced warehousing visibility gives warehousing workers a bird’s eye view of the entire warehouse and how its various pieces function. For example, suppose inventory errors or delayed order picks are detected. In that case, warehousing workers can immediately figure out where they originated, and thus, can act before the problems become worse.
- Improved warehousing agility and faster customer response time are created due to the embedded sensor technology as it quickly recognizes fulfillment errors through automation. In addition, a smart warehouse system equipped with software as a service (Saas) can save time by nullifying the need for time-consuming on-premises warehousing software updates by completing these necessary updates on the fly.
- Enhanced labor productivity through increased automation and human–robotics cooperation, without minimal human involvement, in the entire warehousing process. Warehousing automation limits the need for on-site human staff and helps companies better prepare for the busiest times of the year, such as the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. It also reduces the time needed for warehousing workers to complete tasks such as order picking, packing, and shipping.
- Higher return on assets (ROA) through fully utilizing warehousing equipment.
- Better service quality control through earlier detection of anomalies and performance monitoring with embedded sensors. For example, vibration sensing can give the warehouse manager an early warning alert when warehousing equipment, the AS/RS, and AGVs need immediate maintenance or repair.
5. Smart Warehouse Implementation Plan
6. Conclusions and Future Outlooks on Smart Warehousing
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
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Maturity Stage | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
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Capability Level | Groundbreaking | Automation | Digitization | Connectivity Expansion and Orchestration | Knowledge Creation |
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Min, H. Smart Warehousing as a Wave of the Future. Logistics 2023, 7, 30. https://doi.org/10.3390/logistics7020030
Min H. Smart Warehousing as a Wave of the Future. Logistics. 2023; 7(2):30. https://doi.org/10.3390/logistics7020030
Chicago/Turabian StyleMin, Hokey. 2023. "Smart Warehousing as a Wave of the Future" Logistics 7, no. 2: 30. https://doi.org/10.3390/logistics7020030
APA StyleMin, H. (2023). Smart Warehousing as a Wave of the Future. Logistics, 7(2), 30. https://doi.org/10.3390/logistics7020030