April 2020

More Speed. More Automation. More Schematic. EPLAN Cogineer. www.eplancogineer.co.uk For companies investing in AMRs (automated mobile robots), analysing the SKUs, the process and the distance travelled by the vehicles on each route, is key to understanding howmany are needed. Furthermore, by simulating how the automated model would work in practice, an organisation can highlight opportunities to optimise the batching of orders to dispatch to the AGVs, gaining further efficiency advantages. Engaging the people Of course, optimised process can still be derailed if the workforce does not understand how to work with AMRs or, even worse, is actively interfering with the robotic vehicles. Ensuring people are part of the process from the outset is essential because their day-to-day activities will change. The potential benefits for employees are significant – not least the use of technologies such as mobile conveyors to minimise the need for heavy and repetitive lifting. When technology can eradicate these arduous tasks – and the workforce simply needs to verify an item by scanning – individuals respond well to the change. But they need to be educated, trained and confident, and to understand how the technology works and how they can work together. Workers chasing AMRs down an aisle because they do not understand where the system is designed to stop does not represent a harmonious man-machine interaction. There will, of course, be changes to the skillsets needed – forklift drivers will increasingly be replaced by automated vehicles. However, in a market desperate to recruit and retain individuals with experience, this provides companies with an opportunity to retrain their skilled forklift drivers to, for example, supervise loading or oversee picking teams. Highlighting the specific skills – such as picking – that are simply not in the purview of automation today is an important part of this automation evolution and key to creating an operating environment that combines excellent technology with an engaged and motivated workforce. Embracing the technology The automation technologies, such as AMRs and AGVs, available to organisations today are compelling. As Industry 4.0 gains momentum and maturity, confidence in the quality of the technology to deliver and enable significant operational change, continues to grow. But, if businesses fail to get their processes aligned and truly understand the goal of any automation investment, problems will arise. By considering both the processes and the people who operate them today, organisations can take a far more intelligent approach to automation. Add in simulation to understand how AMRs, for example, might operate at different times is critical to highlighting potential problems and avoiding inefficiencies. Plus, of course, these systems deliver real- time data in huge detail. Combining analytics to monitor conditions in real time with dynamic fleet scheduling and route optimisation will enable continuous improvement. The technology is brilliant; but it is the way it is deployed, the way orders are batched, and schedules planned, the way people are managed and skilled, that are the key to truly realising the potential of this form of automation. n A factory’s workforce needs to be part of planning when introducing automated guided vehicles, such as this forklift vehicle from Jungheinrich. CONVEYORS, MATERIALS HANDLING AND AGVs n