Vecna Robotics today introduced CaseFlow, an “end-to-end” system for case-picking operations. CaseFlow uses pallet-handling robots for up to 90% of warehouse travel and orchestrates workers with dynamic, directed zone picking, the company said.
CaseFlow can more than double site performance while improving worker satisfaction and safety, claimed Waltham, Mass.-based Vecna.
Case picking makes up nearly half of all work in warehouses and distribution centers, according to Warehouse & Distribution Science and Logistics Management. Including travel time and paperwork, up to 90% of that work can be made more efficient via automation, Vecna said.
Thus, it’s not surprising 45% of warehouse operators are looking to automate this workflow right now, according to a 2020 Forbes study. Vecna estimated that the current size of the North American case-picking market ready for automation is $10 billion annually.
“Warehouses and distribution center operators have struggled to automate this critical workflow because solutions like conveyors and automated storage and retrieval systems [ASRS] are either too expensive, disruptive, or inflexible,” stated Michael Helmbrecht, the chief operating officer and senior vice president of product at Vecna Robotics.
“In the case of semi-autonomous robots and sled AMRs, operators have historically realized limited throughput gains because these solutions don’t orchestrate the entire workflow,” he said. “That all changes with CaseFlow.”
Fewer workers can pick more cases with automation
Vecna Robotics said CaseFlow redefines case picking for mid- to high-volume warehouse operators in retail, third-party logistics (3PL), consumer packaged goods (CPG), food and beverage, and medical supplies.
The system orchestrates a fleet of Vecna Robotics CPJ pallet jack robots that perform all of the pallet-based travel in the warehouse and directs human pickers, equipped with connected wearables, with tasks generated from the site’s existing warehouse management system (WMS).
Powered by Vecna’s Pivotal orchestration software, CaseFlow continuously prioritizes orders and optimizes robot routes and picking tasks. Using fewer workers than traditional manual operations, the product dynamically adjusts picking zones to keep goods flowing and maximize units picked per hour (UPH), said the company.
Vecna Robotics said its mobile robots, software, and round-the-clock Command Center can help supply chains automate critical workflows and maximize throughput at scale. The company has tightened its focus to self-driving forklifts, pallet jacks, and tuggers to address widespread labor shortages.
Vecna touts system’s benefits
Vecna Robotics claimed that CaseFlow offers the following benefits to operators of both existing and greenfield case-picking operations:
- Doubles worker UPH: Dynamic, directed zone picking removes the need for manual driving, accelerating the units picked per hour through orchestration of both human and robotic work, said the company.
- Short ROI payback: With reduced picking workforce required to handle daily volumes, the return on investment is less than 12 months through robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) pricing.
- Fast to implement, low disruption: Vecna said CaseFlow takes less than four weeks to implement and can reduce employee training time by 50% compared with traditional operations, with minimal upfront investment and no disruption to existing operations. Hot swappable robot batteries can maintain continuous goods movement.
- Full on-site control: CaseFlow Console provide real-time telemetry and performance data, empowering operations managers to monitor order releases, associate behaviors, and robot status. It also enables industrial engineers and site managers to identify bottlenecks for future optimizations.
- WMS interoperability: CaseFlow is compatible with leading WMS software from Manhattan Associates, Korber, Blue Yonder, SAP, Oracle, Tecsys, and others.
- Improved safety: Travel-related incidents are virtually eliminated, with no need for associates to get on and off trucks, having them focus exclusively on picking to order, asserted Vecna.
- Enhanced employee experience: Less stressful working conditions can lead to increased associate satisfaction, safety, and productivity, as well as in higher employee retention.
- 24/7 remote monitoring: As with all of Vecna’s workflow offerings, CaseFlow includes remote monitoring and intervention from the company‘s 24/7 Pivotal Command Center.
GEODIS tests CaseFlow
Over the past 18 months, Vecna Robotics has worked with GEODIS, a world leader in transport and logistics, to develop a solution that could increase case-picking productivity by automating both human travel and work.
Since fully deploying CaseFlow at its Indianapolis pilot site, GEODIS has more than doubled workflow productivity with no reported safety issues.
“The warehouse segment is facing chronic labor shortages, and case picking is the most labor-intensive operation at many of our sites,” said Andy Johnston, senior director of innovation at GEODIS. “By implementing CaseFlow with Vecna’s robots, we were able to increase picking efficiency by over 100% while improving worker retention and overall safety. We look forward to scaling this solution across our network and continuing to collaborate with Vecna Robotics on automating our most critical workflows.”
CaseFlow is now available to the market as an annual subscription service. Vecna said it can lower the cost of entry and enable operators to optimize case picking and redirect labor to more critical workflows in the warehouse.