Productivity Increases: The seamless integration of ASRS technology streamlines warehouse processes, leading to a significant increase in productivity. Automated retrieval and storage operations are highly effective at accelerating order fulfilment, reducing cycle times, and minimising errors, thereby enhancing overall operational throughput and customer satisfaction.
Lesser-Known Benefits Making An Impact:
Product Security: Products stored within an ASRS racking system are only accessible to the automation technology deployed to pick or replenish, such as a Pallet Shuttles or Autonomous Mobile Robots. Thereby, items or Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) are completely inaccessible to operators other than at their dedicated workstations where all SKU movements are logged within the Warehouse Management System where they are both transparent and fully traceable.
ASRS solutions can also incorporate advanced security features such as access controls, surveillance systems, and bespoke inventory tracking mechanisms. By enhancing product visibility and control, these systems mitigate the risk of theft and unauthorised access to SKUs, safeguarding valuable assets and maintaining the integrity of the supply chain.
Streamlined Stocktake: Traditional stocktaking procedures often entail disruptions and downtime to warehouse operations and can be labour-intensive and ineffective in gathering real-time data. ASRS systems facilitate real-time inventory tracking and monitoring, enabling continuous stock visibility without the need for manual counts. By utilising an ASRS, operators have the ability to create a workflow to check stock levels at a picking station, significantly saving on the time taken for an operative to physically locate and check for the required stock item.
ASRS also provide the opportunity to carry out a perpetual inventory check, where the operator is asked to confirm remaining quantity on a SKU depending on the velocity; fast moving SKUs are checked more frequently than slow moving SKUs. This seamless integration of inventory management enhances the overall accuracy, minimises any potential for stock discrepancies, and expedites the audit process.
Compliance and Traceability: Regulatory compliance is a paramount concern for modern businesses particularly in industries such as pharmaceutical, medical device or grocery, where there are strict requirements on the storage conditions and lifecycle tracking of products. ASRS solutions feature built-in software offering traceability functionalities that monitor and record every SKU movement within the warehouse environment. This level of traceability fully supports operations adhering to regulatory compliance standards and industry directives for audit trails.
Big Data Utilisation: Using Big Data in logistics provides real-time insights into supply chain operations and can be used for many different processes such as optimising routes, enhancing inventory management, and improving consumer experiences.
By their nature, ASRS systems generate vast amounts of operational data around inventory levels, throughput rates, and order processing metrics to provide a highly detailed and in-depth overview of operations at any given time. By leveraging advanced data analytics, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, warehouse operators are able to generate actionable insights from this deep pool of data and enable them to drive strategic decision making. This in turn has a noticeable impact on future warehouse operations such as accurate forecast demand patterns, all with the aim of enhancing efficiency and productivity, while reducing costs at the same time.
Energy Consumption Reduction: ASRS solutions are engineered for energy efficiency, employing intelligent power management systems and energy-saving mechanisms. By minimising energy consumption through optimised equipment utilisation and automated shutdown protocols, these systems not only reduce operational costs but also contribute towards sustainability objectives. With these energy savings coupled with fewer staff needed, the overall carbon footprint is reduced through the impact on less travel to and from work as well as reduced warehouse lighting and heating requirements.
In conclusion, Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS) represent a transformative force in warehouse management, offering numerous paybacks that extend beyond conventional benefits such as space optimisation and increased productivity. From enhancing product security and compliance to harnessing the power of big data analytics, ASRS solutions offer a robust platform from which to drive sustainable growth bringing efficiency and innovation to a dynamic and competitive marketplace.
Partner with L-A-C for Innovative ASRS Solutions
By partnering with L-A-C Logistics Automation, you are selecting the path to innovation and long-term benefits in the rapidly evolving landscape of warehousing and logistics. By embracing cutting-edge ASRS and logistics automation solutions you will contribute towards safer, better organised, and more cost-effective warehouse operations and a truly sustainable future.
Contact us today to begin your journey.
