Have you ever imagined talking to a person living at a far distance, doing your manual job in less time and using fewer resources,your warehouse to be working day and night, and all this with equal efficiency and reduced labour costs? No,but all this has become possible. Our progress in the area of technology in the past few years has been unconventional and mind-blowing. Everyday there’s some thing or another being invented to make our human lives easier. Thus, technology has taken flight and humans are trying to embrace it.

Now imaginethat this technology helps you cut your warehouse labour costs and operates properly with equal efficiencytoa full time labour force. Trust it or not but this reality is possible because of warehouse robotics.

The Meaning of Warehouse Robotics

A warehouse that is completely automated or consists of a variety of computer-controlled systems is referred to as warehouse robotics, though it still requires operators to work and handle tasks.Humans shifted all the dangerous jobs/tasks to the machines such as carrying heavy loads, getting inventory from heights, and more, but humans are still required to operate them.

In recent years, robotics has risen to prominence in supply chains, distribution centres and warehouse management circles, and it continues to play an increasingly important role in warehouse automation.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Warehouse Robotics

Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of warehouse robotics:

Advantages :

• Improved accuracy -By investing in warehouse robotics, the productivity and accuracy of inventory management are improved.It helps to track and handle stock in the warehouse without any mistakes which can further help to control or maintain the inventory levels and help you focus on the growth of your business.

• Reduced mental and physical stress on human workers –In warehouses with robots, the heavy, risky, stressful and time-consuming work/tasks such as retrieving inventory from heights or other such tasks are shifted to the machinery. This helps to relieve the human worker’s mental and physical stress.

• Efficiencyis increased – Robots work with full efficiency and consistency at all given timesunlike humans who can’t work continuously with the same power consistently.Therefore, the robots make the warehouse more efficient.

• Reduction in labor costs – The workforce requirement is reduced due to the tasks given to robots, which helps reduce the labour cost of the company.

• Eliminates errors – Humans make mistakes, and any error can be costly for the organization. The use of warehouse robotics helps to eliminate errors.

Disadvantages:

• High investment – To fully or partially automate a warehouse, a largeinitial investment is neededand in the short term the installation cost is higher than hiring workers.

• Regular maintenance – To maintain machinery and software for the long-term, regular maintenance is required with a considerable cost.

• Fewer jobs for workers – It is assumed by the experts that, that as technology improves it will replace workers, increasing unemployment.

• Less flexibility – Sometimes, there are changes in the warehouse situation. Robots are limited in terms of their scope of use and are not able to cope withchanging situations or unpredicted circumstances.

To conclude, robotics open up great opportunities for businesses with warehouses in the present time and this will only be increasing in the future.