The Satellite Review Magazine The Satellite Review Magazine Vol 2 | Page 35

2. Consolidate Disparate
Facilities
Because an AS/RS allows you
to better utilize space and store
more inventory, consider consolidating several smaller, disparate
warehouse facilities. By combining operations from remote
locations into a centralized
warehouse, you’ll reduce costs
associated with additional labor,
resources and energy consumption. Plus, you will no longer
face the logistical challenge of
aggregating products residing in
different sites to fill orders.
3. Automate Picking
Even if most of your operations are housed in one facility,
order picking is undoubtedly a
laborious task. With customers demanding more complex
orders with a fast turnaround,
there is no margin for delays or
errors. Automating the picking
process dramatically reduces
labor requirements by decreasing
travel time between pick locations. An AS/RS rapidly brings
products close to the shelves,
and the storage and retrieval
machine (S/RM) ensures that
the picker has product available
in the right position, at the right
time. Without repetitive, manual
material handling, you’ll minimize the chance for human error
and product damage to unveil
additional savings.
4. Incorporate Just-in-time
(JIT) Fulfillment Methods
Over the past few years, the
trucking and transportation

industry has become less reliable
due to the shortage of drivers and
high turnover rates. Therefore,
warehouses are implementing
JIT order fulfillment processes.
Rather than staging orders a day
in advance, you can use an
AS/RS to prepare, release and
load orders right when the truck
arrives. You will only have to
bring out products when needed,
thereby freeing up space and
keeping operations flowing.
5. Integrate with a
Warehouse Execution
System (WES)
To get the most out of your
AS/RS, integrate it with a WES.
Traditionally, warehouses utilize
two separate applications: a
warehouse management system
(WMS) and warehouse control
system (WCS). A WES combines the functionalities of these
traditionally interdependent
app