In the contemporary contract assembly service warehouse, computer-guided apparatus pick and pack a wide range of consumer goods in perfect arrangement--sliding horizontally and vertically, upward and downward in absolute precision. Picking-and-packing mistakes are eliminated. Labor costs are reduced almost to zero. Assembly service times are cut in half. The fusion of contract assembly service operations and advanced robotics has arrived--and its ushered in a new era of product fulfillment.
While its true that robotic fulfillment is still in the infant stage, advancements are being made everyday. Contract assembly service providers are developing and testing new ways to improve performance capabilities. These gains are attracting the attention of small to medium-sized businesses looking to relieve themselves of mundane fulfillment tasks. After all, less time spent fulfilling orders means more time spent on profit-building activities. And in the business world, profits are the bottom line.
Assembly Service Robotics in Action: Staples
One has to look no further than the office products industry for a lesson in robotic assembly service performance. Modern Materials Handling highlights Staples--the worlds largest office products company--as a model for assembly service that works. For example, its 500,000 square foot Chambersburg, Pa., facility relies heavily on a robotic fulfillment system that bridges the gap between storage and picking rather handily. Staples estimates around 7,500 boxes passing through the system on a daily basis.
As far as risk is concerned, company executives recognized the fact that to remain at the top of the industry meant moving into uncharted territory. For small businesses, a key to success is making the transition one step at a time. The initial expense may be tough to swallow at first, but the benefits stretched out over the life of the system should eventually pay dividends.
Robotic Contract Assembly Service Benefits
What are the benefits of outsourcing contract assembly service activities to a robotic-based provider? And are those benefits worth the expense and oversight required for small and medium-sized businesses? While those are questions only the business itself can answer, many industry experts point to the fact that the eventual course of pick and pack operations will become entirely automated anyway. That being said, its worth considering what can be gained.
RobotWorx, a leading robotic system integration and refurbishing firm, outlines a few of the major advantages of outsourcing to robotic assembly service operations:
- Productivity. Fast, consistent assembly activities without the mistakes common with human efforts.
- Cost-effectiveness. Labor costs are reduced and refocused on profit-generating projects.
- Adjustability. Changes to product sets can be made on the fly and programmed for reliability.
The Future of Robotic Contract Assembly Service
Assembly Magazine--a publication aimed at manufacturing engineers, design engineers, and manufacturing-and-design managers--entertains the direction of robotic contract assembly service in the coming decade. According to writer Adam Cort, vision and diversity should guide the trend. Businesses of all sizes considering an assembly service should evaluate potential providers based on the niche they serve. Specialization is truly the name of the game.
For those hesitant to go fully-automated, hybrid assembly systems allow some control to remain in human hands. This may be more beneficial for companies insisting on some level of management with respect to pick and pack activities.
Sources
Assemblymag.com
Mmh.com
UsedRobots.com
Increase Text Size
Decrease Text Size
