Robots are Changing Fulfillment Forever.
But they can’t do it alone.
Warehouse robots are changing the traditional ways of warehousing, yet their success hinges on one critical factor: a robust maintenance regime.
I can personally share hours of stories on how the success of maintenance teams defines the success of warehouse automation and subsequently the success of warehouse operations. A robust maintenance organization for a robot-forward warehouse consists of a skilled maintenance team, a robust maintenance program, and the robotic system itself. Let’s delve into each:
1. Skilled Maintenance Teams: The Human Element Behind Robotic Precision
Contrary to the popular belief that robots reduce the need for human expertise, the opposite is true in warehouse operations. A skilled maintenance team is the backbone of robotic efficiency. The team needs to be cross-trained and readily available to support any major downtime.
Reflecting on my personal experience, we struggled with not having a skilled and cross-trained maintenance team in the beginning as we took ownership of an existing building. With some time under the belt after the acquisition, it was evident the existing team was heavily reliant on one individual team member, due to his familiarity and experience with the automation. This reliance was costly at times when the second shift wouldn’t be able to fix something due to lack of training and we had to wait till the morning to have that experienced team member come and fix it. Imagine stopping operations for a highly automation warehouse for more than 8hrs. We were losing $$$.
Today, we are in a much better place, but I can confirm building a skilled and cross-trained team was the foundational element to the success.
2. Robust Maintenance Program – Striking the Perfect Balance
Every team needs a structure to keep them moving forward. Creating an effective maintenance program for a robot-forward warehouse involves strategically balancing preventative and reactive approaches.
PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE STRATEGY:
Preventative Maintenance (PM) is performed at regular intervals, typically based on operating hours or months or production output.
Robot manufacturers will provide recommended preventive maintenance checklists that can be leveraged to implement a preventative maintenance program.
An important aspect of implementing preventive maintenance is to consider operational impact. If the PMs need downtime, the maintenance team will have to work operations to identify a timeframe during which PMs can be done.
PMs will identify and fix issues where they break and impact operations. Don’t wait until you are thirsty to dig a well. PMing robots help with more uptime, better operational life of the robot, and fewer maintenance costs.
REACTIVE MAINTENANCE STRATEGY:
Time to respond and communication are very crucial for reactive maintenance.
When a robot stops working, a sensor is malfunctioning, or a complete system stops, a team of skilled maintenance technicians should be ready to act on it. Think of this as the SWOT team that is deployed across all the operating hours of the warehouse.
Reactive maintenance is costly as it directly impacts production but remember it will happen and the best strategy is to be prepared for it.
3. Understanding the Robotic Ecosystem: Beyond One-Size-Fits-All Maintenance
Each robot, with its unique functions and complexities, requires a bespoke maintenance approach. It’s about understanding the individual ‘personality’ of each machine – what makes it tick, what wears it down, and how to keep it running at peak performance.
Along with knowing the personality of the robotic ecosystem, getting a handle on spare parts management is crucial as well. It is an overlooked aspect and has been known to be the Achilles’ heel for robot maintenance. Warehouse robots have custom parts and procuring those custom parts can cripple operations due to lead times. Having strategic foresight in spare parts inventory will become as crucial as the maintenance itself.
IN CLOSING: HUMANS ARE HERE TO STAY IN WAREHOUSING
As we stand at the intersection of warehouses and robots, it becomes clear that the future of warehouse operations relies heavily on the human element. While robots are revolutionizing warehouses, their success is deeply intertwined with a robust maintenance regime. This triad of skilled teams, strategic programs, and system management is the backbone of efficient warehouse robotics.
If you came this far – do you think Lights-Out Warehouse is a possibility? Also, what is the true definition of Lights-Out Warehouse?
Get in Touch
Do you have questions or experiences to share about creating a successful maintenance team? I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to reach out to me at parth@whserobotics.com if you’d like to share or ask any questions around how to create a successful maintenance team for robot-forward warehouses.
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