Logistics Tech Outlook

A featured contribution from Leadership Perspectives: a curated forum reserved for leaders nominated by our subscribers and vetted by our Logistics Tech Outlook Advisory Board.

SSI Schafer

Robotics in Logistics Enhancing Supply Chain Efficiency

Everett Adams

For several years, robots had been used only in industrial manufacturing, as they were considered unsafe for people to work around them. However, over the last few decades, robotics has undergone significant transformations in the logistics sector to implement commercial-use applications. Logistic robotic tech companies have been integrating leading Al and machine learning, better sensors and response capabilities, warehouse management software, or logistics management software within the supply chain to make the logistics process more efficient.

"The Rise of Robotics in Logistics Appears to Answer the Mammoth Task of Carrying Goods Far and Wide in the Logistics Industry"

By 2024, the logistics industry has been projected to exceed 6.8 billion euros. The rise of robotics in logistics appears to answer the mammoth task of carrying goods far and wide in the logistics industry. Logistics Robotics provides considerably higher uptime levels than manual labour, boosting productivity in a wide range of professional settings. Robotics in logistics saves firms up to 70% on warehouse labour expenses and allows them to operate all around the clock. Warehouse robotics in the supply chain has recently gained momentum, and there has been colossal funding and investment in the industry. Alibaba has invested 15 billion U.S dollars into robotic logistics infrastructure, and Google invested 500 million U.S dollars into automated logistics for JD.

Warehouse Robotics in Supply Chain

The (AMRs) Autonomous Mobile Robots use sophisticated sensor technology to deliver inventory all over the warehouse. The robots do not require a set track between locations, as the robots understand and interpret their environment through maps, computers, and onboard sensors. The process cuts down on the redundant manual process, which is prone to human error. Aerial drones in logistics aid in optimising warehouse inventory processes. These drones do not need markers or lasers to guide them. Aerial drones can travel quickly and assist in hard-to-reach areas.  (AGVs and AGCs) Automated guided vehicles and carts transport inventory around warehouses following a track in warehouses. Automated storage and retrieval systems are robot-aided systems that can place or retrieve loads from set storage locations. The systems can be programmed to work as a craft that moves and works on a well-defined path or a crane that retrieves goods between aisles.

The articles from these contributors are based on their personal expertise and viewpoints, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of their employers or affiliated organizations.

Weekly Brief