Feature Collaborative robots (cobots) and autonomous vehicles are increasingly finding a home in warehouses and distribution centers (DCs). The success of those deployments, however, is not assured. Industry experts shared six best practices that can help achieve an effective implementation. BY SARA PEARSON SPECTER ISTOCK.COM/ONURDONGEL Well entrenched in manufacturing processes, collaborative robots (cobots) and mobile autonomous vehicles (MAVs) have increasingly ...
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Building the Business Case for Automation
Is the lack of a clear business case preventing your operation from implementing automation? Use this guide to build a compelling justification. BY SARA PEARSON SPECTER Every year, MHI’s Annual Industry Report queries supply chain leaders on a multitude of topics surrounding their adoption and deployment of innovative technologies—including automation. Survey questions ascertain budgets, operational challenges, investment plans, obstacles to ...
Read More »Supply Chain Investment Growth in Technologies That Empower Human Workforce
The 11th edition of the MHI Annual Industry Report found increased investment in human-centric, collaborative technologies that empower workers to be more productive and make better decisions. BY SARA PEARSON SPECTER Artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and automation have dominated the supply chain technology adoption conversation over the past year. Recognition of their ability to enhance resilience amid unpredictability and improve ...
Read More »Using Automation to Optimize Labor in the Cold Chain
MHI Solutions Community BY CHRISTIAN DOW, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF MEMBERSHIP AND INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP, MHI When professional football players take the field in subzero weather conditions wearing short-sleeved jerseys and no extra layers, they’re touting their toughness. But in reality, they’ve got nothing on the dedicated warehouse workers who handle refrigerated and frozen products day in and day out. It’s ...
Read More »ACE Rebrand Signals New Era in Automation and Material Handling
SOLUTIONS SPOTLIGHT BY KATIE KUEHNER-HEBERT MHI’s Electrification and Controls Manufacturers Association (ECMA) rebranded in 2023 as the Automation, Controls and Electrification Association (ACE), signifying a new era of innovation in industrial automation and material handling. ACE members are at the forefront of delivering automation solutions across the globe, spanning significant manufacturing and distribution sectors. This includes a range of cutting-edge offerings ...
Read More »Bots, Automation and the COVID Effect
Executive Viewpoint BY JASON MINGHINI, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS, KENCO GROUP Back before COVID, our company, Kenco Group, was making investments in robotics and automation. We had an AutoStore Robotics Shuttle system. We had LocusBots. But we were just slowly adopting the technology. With COVID, we learned what many others did: We had to accelerate its use. We had to ...
Read More »Cranes, Overhead Handling Systems Adopt New Tools to Strengthen Safety
BY TOM GRESHAM When automation first grew more widespread, the crane and overhead handling systems category was slow to adopt out of safety concerns. With time and more advances, however, that perspective has changed. Today, safety is the primary reason automation is being increasingly embraced in the field. “With the technologies that are out there now, you’re much more apt to ...
Read More »Future-Proofing Warehouses: Upskilling for the AI Revolution
BY LINDSEY ROONEY, MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR, MHI Warehouses have long served as test labs for automation. In 1962, MHI member Demag installed the first automated storage and retrieval system at a book club warehouse in Germany. From there, innovation led to the complex Warehouse Management Systems that rule facilities today. As we careen into the Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution, warehouse ...
Read More »Tech and the Worker Experience
Feature More than ever, companies in material handling and supply chain are prioritizing improvements in worker safety and the overall worker experience. Investing in an arsenal of cutting-edge technology is a major strategy they are employing to keep workers safe, reduce the physical and mental toll of their jobs, transform training and empower workers by giving them a stronger voice ...
Read More »Managing the Human-Tech Relationship in Supply Chains
Feature Organizations can gain more value from these collaborations when they understand the capabilities and limitations of the technology and of the people who work with it. BY MARY LOU JAY It’s been a milestone year for artificial intelligence (AI), with generative AI technology like ChatGPT, Google’s Bard and Bing Chat capturing the public’s attention and generating a great deal ...
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