15 Feb, 2023

The Benefits of Using Warehouse Device Data to Improve Workflow

In business, gathering data and attempting to maximise time efficiency is analogous to
budgeting in your daily lives. The idea is to reduce time on the sales floor by tackling repetitive
and important operations.

For instance, the barcode scanner. Several scanners are quicker than others, and even a one-second variation in scan time can have a significant influence on efficiency.

If a worker scans 1,000 times each day and there are 1,000 workers in a warehouse, they save a million seconds a day, or a time of nearly 12 days. It is safe to believe that human workers contribute most of the value added on the sales floor, and contrary to the common perception that will substantially reduce with automation, humans will stay at the centre of production, logistics, and the supply chain for the near future.

This ecosystem cannot exist in the absence of a human-centric starting point. As a result, increasing the functions associated with data tracking aids in maximising output.

For example, by linking all scanners to the IoT devices, time is saved by lowering the distance a
worker has to move around the warehouse. Furthermore, tracking measures completed by workers as a collective benefit (for example,
overall time saved and enhanced productivity) can be acquired via wearables to enhance
workflow efficiency. 

They can also spot flaws in day-to-day processes that were previously undiscovered. Like with the personal expenditure scenario, the savings can be astounding until you start adding up numerous little sums and multiplying them company-wide.
Companies that apply the right warehouse technology can achieve greater efficiencies.

As per a German study, warehouse transit time amounts to an average of 40% of overall
picking time. This includes the worker's travel to and from the pickup point, and also the time
spent at the site itself. Scanners connected to the Internet of Things would be able to collect this data, which artificial intelligence will be able to analyse for improvements. Is there a better way or a better order in which products can be collected?

Such variables can be determined using programmes. Sometimes the most dangerous
condition is one that goes unnoticed. Identifying those blind spots via data collection and
analysis can be a major game-changer. On the other hand, by enhancing efficiency through newer technologies, positive compounding effects can occur throughout the supply chain.

The time saved by the employees may be used to enhance efficiency and invent technologies that will save even more time down the road. Companies could make better judgments if they can find and invest in technology that delivers process analytics throughout the warehouse.

It has the potential to increase productivity and safety while also laying the groundwork for the creation of a human digital
twin, in which employees are linked to a growing IoT and contribute information to enhance efficiency.

It all begins with placing the worker first.