We know that dealing with order errors in the fulfillment process can feel like a never ending battle. It's frustrating, time-consuming, and, frankly, a bit disheartening when the hard work of your team doesn't translate into flawless operations. Every mispicked item or incorrect order not only reflects on the team's efforts but can also ripple out, affecting customer satisfaction and your bottom line. Designed to reduce manual order picking errors, the system relies on our WCS Picking Software and LED light devices to direct the operators. Our technology addresses key logistics challenges, improving both operational performance and customer satisfaction.
How to Calculate ROI for Warehouse Automation
Warehouse automation promises to not only streamline operations, but also to drastically improve efficiency and scalability. But the pressing question remains: Is the investment worth it? Return on Investment (ROI) is a key financial metric used to evaluate the efficiency of an investment or to compare the efficiencies of different investments. In the context of warehouse automation, ROI helps determine the financial return you can expect from investing in automation technologies compared to the cost of the investment. This calculation is essential in making informed decisions, as it provides a quantifiable measure of the potential benefits relative to the cost.
Custom Order Fulfillment Is The Future Of E-Commerce Customer Experience
Personalization of the order experience involves both the e-commerce shopping process, as well as the delivery, packaging and unboxing experience physically. By leveraging software, warehouse technology, and data, businesses can carefully curate the fulfillment process and unboxing experience for each customer. In this section, we'll explore the specific methods used to achieve this personal touch along with examples of each method in practice. With the e-commerce space getting more and more crowded by the minute, adding a personal touch to each order is key. Custom order fulfillment can enhance the overall buying journey from the first click to the final unboxing. It fosters deeper connections, leading to increased loyalty, more frequent business, and a notable rise in customer retention.
What Is A Material Handling Systems Integrator, And Why Should I Use One?
Designing a successful material handling system requires the integration of a wide range of specialized technologies, from a number of different manufacturers. Scales, dimensioners, scanners, conveyors, control panels, photo-eyes, printer applicators, diverters, lights, alarms, sensors, robots, vertical lift modules, case erectors, baggers, tapers, palletizers, document inserters, and software – all these technologies have to work together in concert to create a successful fulfillment automation system. Each of these technologies is developed by companies that are highly specialized in each of their own areas of expertise, to develop the best products in their category. There is no manufacturer who makes every device necessary for your warehouse, and none that will connect them all.
Why Is Automated Scanning So Important When Designing Fulfillment?
Inducting packages requires the placement of a scanner along a side of the conveyor where the LPN will be located - typically to read the LPN on one side of the package. Consistent placement and alignment go a long way toward successful automation, saving you cost on unnecessary scanning equipment. Consistent LPN placement will reduce the number of scanners or cameras necessary to read a label.
What Is Warehouse Control Software (WCS), And Why Is It Critical To Get Right?
The ability to incorporate equipment from a variety of different manufacturers, and drive it in a concert that is timed perfectly to meet your daily business requirements, while connecting to your software order database, hardware inputs and outputs is a task that is uniquely suited to a Warehouse Control Software (WCS).
Package Inspection System
In fulfillment automation, the integrity of the box is critical to the success of the automation, particularly with regard to: dimensioning, labeling, conveyance and sortation. We look for ways to add value to both our existing customers as well as new ones, and our controls and software engineers regularly explore new technology to solve problems. Poor box integrity causes a variety of problems for the rest of the fulfillment automation process, so we have invested in research and technologies that can allow us to catch problems early.
StreamTech Engineering Helps Guide MHI’s New SLAM (Scan Label Apply Manifest) Industry Group
The SLAM (Scan Label Apply Manifest) term is a shorthand acronym to describe shipping automation in large fulfillment centers. As the term describes, the SLAM line identifies packages, interrogates their weights and dimensions, manifests them with the preferred carrier, and prints-applies and verifies the readability and accuracy of the labels. As an integrator and designer of SLAM systems, StreamTech is excited to be able to contribute to the group, as well as learn from others and help establish best practices.
Custom StreamTech Innovation: Drop-In Conveyor Aligner
StreamTech's Drop-In Conveyor Aligner™ (DCA) fills a gap in the market. Lots of skew beds and other alignment options have a larger footprint, cost more, cannot be easily retrofitted into existing conveyors, and cannot be adjusted for different angles once installed. We designed our own aligner to solve all of these problems, and give our customers a better choice.
Why Choose Fulfillment Automation?
There are a lot of reasons for fulfillment automation, and it ultimately comes down to increasing operational efficiency. It’s not always just about speed. As you are considering the ROI (Return On Investment) for your next warehouse improvement project, here are a few of the reasons to consider fulfillment automation.