Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 11.87
…providers have sought entry into the Chinese market, the reverse is also true. JD Logistics United States, the North American logistics arm of JD.com, recently announced that it has opened its third “self-operating” warehouse and distribution center in California. In combination with its previous facilities, the warehouse will create more than 300 local jobs, the company claimed. The new warehouse will also grow the JD.com’s footprint to over 1.3 million sq. ft. of warehousing space throughout the state, said JD Logistics. The Mountain View, Calif.-based unit added that its new warehouse will provide omnichannel fulfillment services for both online and…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 34.18
Self-driving yard trucks must be able to reverse into trailers to fully automate operations, according to ASI Logistics. It and SICK Inc. yesterday announced that they have solved the problem of reversing into trailers autonomously. A few technical details must be known for autonomous trucks to correctly reverse into trailers, said Autonomous Solutions Inc. (ASI). A self-driving truck must know the position and height of the trailer’s “kingpin” it is reversing into, it explained. The kingpin is the mechanism under the trailer that connects to the truck’s fifth wheel and locks the trailer to the truck, ASI added. The truck…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 13.49
…planned to increase investments in warehouse automation. On the reverse-logistics side, Berkshire Grey found that 71% of executives believe that offering free returns is necessary to staying competitive. As much as 18%, or $158 billion, of merchandise sold during the holiday season is returned, noted the National Retail Federation. Chris Geyer, vice president and fellow at Berkshire Grey, recently spoke with Robotics 24/7 about e-commerce trends and automation. He was previously a research scientist at Carnegie Mellon University and iRobot. “I'm an engineer by training and have been working on putting computer vision in things that fly, drive, or have…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 11.30
…high-throughput sorting system.” Distribution centers, retail stores, and third-party logistics providers (3PLs) have relied on Sure Sort for cost-effective and accurate order handling, cross-docking, and reverse logistics, according to the company. The iBOT robotic delivery vehicles are designed to process up to 2,400 items each hour with as few as three operators. The iBOTS are able to recharge as they travel through the Sure Sort system. OPEX said it has added the option of RFID scanning capabilities to meet growing demand from clients, especially apparel manufacturers and retailers. Bar codes sometimes get hidden in garments and require additional operator handling,…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 5.74
…and quality control, robotic assembly, 3D model creation, or reverse engineering. The element of motion has been a difficult challenge to tackle. Traditional 3D area-scanning technologies have struggled with image capture in motion, forcing customers to compromise between the quality of 3D data and the speed of scan acquisition. Such a trade-off limits applications dependent on high-quality 3D data to static scenes. For instance, a robot with a 3D scanner attached to its arm needs to stop moving before the scanner makes a scan. This has a tremendous effect on cycle times. In 2020, Photoneo introduced the MotionCam-3D camera using…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 11.95
…and artificial intelligence to automate fulfillment, supply chain, and logistics operations. In the past year, Berkshire Grey has released products for product sortation and reverse logistics, as well as the BG FLEX mobile robot for fulfillment. The Bedford, Mass.-based company said its systems can transform pick, pack, move, store, organize, and sort operations. They can deliver competitive advantage for enterprises serving today’s connected consumers, claimed the company. Berkshire Grey said its customers include Global 100 retailers and logistics service providers. The company has collaborated with ABB, FedEx, Logistex, Osaro, and Swisslog. In February, Berkshire Grey said it had received $14…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 5.06
…which are then sent to totes for sewing in reverse sequence. He explained that BMC initially used conveyor belts to send articles to different workers, but they were inflexible. Through past contacts, Best met Justin Ray, director of advanced technology at S&H Systems. The integrator is a registered reseller and a new member of the Mobile Robotics Specialization within Zebra’s PartnerConnect program. Ray worked closely with Best to design and implement the automated processes. “For example, we would look at three putwalls and evaluate their capabilities and price,” Best recalled. “We've written most of our code ourselves, but as it…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 9.32
…Sort is a cost-effective and accurate order-handling, cross-docking, and reverse logistics solution, claimed the company. An alternative to traditional put wall sorting, Sure Sort increases productivity without increasing labor, said OPEX. Sure Sort iBOTs can recharge as they travel through the system, quickly and accurately processing up to 2,400 items each hour with as little as three operators. For nearly five decades, OPEX said it has served as a trusted partner, collaborating closely with clients to develop customized, scalable solutions. The company's suite of modular, flexible systems is designed for each client and can be easily adapted to meet evolving…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 10.30
…Switzerland-based Swisslog said it delivers flexible, scalable, and modular logistics automation for major retail, e-commerce, and consumer goods customers. The company, whose Americas headquarters are in Newport News, Va., has more than 14,000 employees and is a part of KUKA Group. Swisslog said it can tailor systems to fit fulfillment strategies. It has more than 2,000 integrated installations around the world, including Walmart, Target, H-E-B, Peapod, and Ahold Delhaize. The company recently marked its 300th integration of AutoStore automated storage and retrieval (ASRS) technology. Berkshire Grey offers robots as a service Bedford, Mass.-based Berkshire Grey provides robots using artificial intelligence…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 8.82
…and Europe are not yet automated, according to GXO Logistics Inc. The Greenwich, Conn.-based company recently announced its fourth-quarter earnings for 2021. It said its revenue increased from $2 billion in last year's third quarter to $2.3 billion in Q4, thanks in part to its increasing use of automation. GXO, which claimed to be “the world's largest pure-play contract logistics provider,” cited the growth of automation, e-commerce, and outsourcing as “tailwinds” that it expects to continue into 2022. The company reported full-year revenue of $7.9 billion, up 28% over the year prior, as well as increases of 45% in e-commerce…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 32.20
…from eating into profitability is the daily challenge of reverse logistics, an intensive, particularly labor-bound process that basically reverses the fulfillment process. In addition, there are more quirks and exceptions, like non-uniform packaging of items returned by consumers and the extra step of goods inspection before items can be returned to inventory for resale or other dispensation. This makes those “free and easy” returns for customers anything but that for e-commerce retailers and third-party logistics providers (3PLs). Free, no-hassle returns are a major driver of e-commerce growth, particularly in categories such as apparel, footwear, electronics, and luxury items. They're also…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 9.38
…non-automotive sectors.” “More industries recognized that robotics could help reverse productivity declines and fill repetitive jobs human workers don’t want,” stated Jeff Burnstein, president of A3. “It is no longer a choice whether to deploy robots and automation. It’s now an absolute imperative.” “As we’ve long believed—and users continue to confirm—robots help companies compete, ultimately creating more jobs to handle their growth,” he added. A3 said it is a leading global advocate for the benefits of automation. Its membership includes nearly 1,100 automation manufacturers, component suppliers, system integrators, end users, academic institutions, research groups, and consulting firms around the world.…