Challenge Background
Changes in customers behavior, the “Amazon effect”, and fluctuating demands have taken the consumers’ expectations to new heights: most companies in different industries are feeling the pressure to reduce delivery times, affecting the entire supply chain and warehousing is not an exception.
Warehouse environment can be extremely complex, processing and handling a wide range of products and dealing with different elements at same time:
Material handling equipment (MHE), operators, systems, storage space, signs, etc.
Therefore, it is essential to create a structured and efficient system to run a fully operational setup, focusing on warehouse accuracy, traceability, keeping efficiency and productivity.
More and more, warehouse Operators are assisted with technology to support general warehouse operations, from quick identification products and respective location, to register warehouse transactions and for example systems to optimize route calculation.
What is your challenge?
Do you have solutions in the areas of warehouse Safety /Optimization and Traffic Management System applications to support Material handling equipment (MHE)?
Yes? Then submit your proposal!
Use Cases description:
1. Material handling equipment (MHE) Onboard Map
Problem:
– Routes of non-automated MHEs (e.g. Forklifts) within warehouses are often between tight rows of warehouse racks.
– There is bad visibility of near-by forklifts or persons at crossing
Solution: Get information about surrounding objects displayed on onboard unit
Onboard unit of MHE and smartphones displays a map with "surrounding" objects (person & other MHEs).
Radius of surrounding objects can be defined. A signal (configurable: off, optical, acoustical) is generated if a new object enters the surrounding area.
2. Material handling equipment (MHE) Collision Avoidance
Problem:
– Routes of non-automated MHEs (e.g. Forklifts) within warehouses are often between tight rows of warehouse racks.
– There is bad visibility of near-by forklifts or persons at crossing points or reported obstacles (e.g. lost pallets)
Solution: warning information about potential collisions with moving objects and obstacles
Collision Avoidance substantially reduces the risks of accidents by warning forklift drivers of potential collisions by analyzing the positions and movements of surrounding forklifts and persons and compare it with the own position and direction of movement.
3. Material handling equipment (MHE) Route Warning (Example: limited height in warehouse areas)
Problem:
– Routes of non-automated MHEs (e.g. Forklifts) within warehouses are often between tight rows of warehouse racks.
– Some areas require specific attention due to limited pass-through height (e.g. at doors, passing through areas of racks, …)
Solution:
Warning messages sent to OBUs of specific MHEs (“reach trucks”) about "dangerous" positions with limited pass through height in case the actual MHE height (with extended lift) exceeds the limit.
4. MHE Speed Optimization/Priority
Problem:
– Routes of non-automated MHEs (e.g. Forklifts) within warehouses are often between tight rows of warehouse racks.
– There is bad visibility of near-by forklifts or persons at crossing points or reported obstacles (e.g. lost pallets)
Solution:
Traffic Management sends speed information/limits to MHEs to optimize MHE traffic flow and generate a “green wave” traffic flow. MHE drivers are required to acknowledge received speed information.
Do you have the right solution? Take the opportunity and show us what you have!
Submit your offer by simply clicking in the challenge option called Start proposal! Do you have doubts? Please reach out to us!
Please check in the resources tab the illustration pictures!