Supply Chain Scanner - Week of November 4, 2024
Weekly blog by Emily Atkins
Robots at the door – Automation is taking a bigger role at the dock doors
Loading and unloading trailers is a key function at any warehouse, distribution centre or retail outlet. Any given day can see dozens to hundreds of loads arriving and leaving at a busy facility.
It’s traditionally been a manual job. From driving a forklift into the box to lift out or load palletized goods, to hand balming boxes, work at the dock doors has been labour-intensive, and sometimes dangerous with moving vehicles, the interface between dock and trailer and ergonomic challenges.
But all this is changing. Advances in automation and robotic technologies are making it possible to load and unload even unpalletized loads. A trip to the MODEX or ProMat trade shows quickly demonstrates how important this function has become, with dozens of vendors pushing their solution to the challenge.
One popular method for handling case lots was pioneered right here in Ontario back in 2014. The LCBO (Ontario’s liquor retailer) worked with local supplier Engineered Lifting Systems to develop the first extensible conveyor system for de-stuffing a container.
It is a relatively simple system, consisting of a motorized conveyor that could be positioned right inside the container and raised or lowered to ease the lifting for the human worker doing to case handling. The driver rides the unit, which positions them next to the cases.
This solution boosted case-handling rates by up to 75 percent, reduced the need for labour, and reduced lost-time accidents by 82 percent for the LCBO when it was introduced. Workers loved it so much they were showing up for work early to ensure they got to use it.
Times have changed in the past 10 years. From the first tentative steps a few years ago, where humanoid robots would regularly fall over and be little more than a source of amusement, the technology has advanced rapidly. Now, robots are capable of handling cases all by themselves and can load and unload containers autonomously.
This is made possible by increasingly sophisticated vision systems and better gripping technology, combined with better computing. Some of the new robotics systems are able to visually detect a wide variety of loose boxes, and ‘decide’ in real time which one to pick next. Suction cup technology is proving to be an effective way to grab cartons.
The benefits of this automation can be outstanding. First, the robots can operate 24/7 tirelessly and without sustaining injuries. They don’t care if it’s hot or cold and need little maintenance. Humans are still injury-prone, sometimes don’t show up for work and still require breaks and time off. Second, unloading robots have been shown to deliver better productivity, picking faster than humans. They also are able to pick up heavier boxes than humans can, meaning a wider range of cartons can be loaded into a truck without causing handling headaches for the receiver.
This, the consistency with which robots can pick allows for easier planning for operators. The robots themselves provide real-time metrics into the number of cases loaded or unloaded and at what pace. Especially as we come into peak retail season, this ability to know exactly what throughput you can achieve is extremely valuable.
Another side benefit of deploying robotics like this is the ability to move workers away from dirty, repetitive and injury-causing jobs to more skilled areas where they can be more productive.
If you’re involved in the logistics of managing inbound or outbound transportation, you know the critical importance of being able to accurately schedule work at your docks. To effectively plan you have to calculate how many trailers your workers can unload during their shifts, which in turn will allow you to route where the trucks need to go. An inability to plan around labour can easily lead to misused resources, delaying the trucks, and creating bottlenecks across the warehouse network.
Adding a reliable resource, like robotic unloaders, to your warehouse can deliver health dividends, help cut costs, generate higher productivity and a more predictable output. What’s your experience with robotics at the docks? Please join the conversation on LinkedIn!
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Emily Atkins
President
Emily Atkins Group
Emily Atkins is president of Emily Atkins Group and was editor of Inside Logistics from 2002 to 2024. She has lived and worked around the world as a journalist and writer for hire, with experience in several sectors besides supply chain, including automotive, insurance and waste management. Based in Southern Ontario, when she’s not researching or writing a story she can be found on her bike, in a kayak, singing in the band or at the wheel of her race car. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyatkinsgroup/