DHL and its warehouse picking system

Although I don’t like to talk about my private life, today I’m going to make an exception. I have a friend named Alvaro Ballesteros who has a small (but very good) automation consulting and industrial process improvement company, with whom I have been lucky enough to work in the past.

This nice man has sent me information about a system to improve “picking” (collection of products in warehouse) that the DHL company uses in some of its warehouses, and that today I am going to comment on because it seems to me to be an eminently practical and not very expensive.

For those who do not know, DHL is a leading global logistics company, which stands out for its constant innovation in the search for efficient and adaptable solutions to the needs of the current market. One of its most significant advances is the implementation of a picking system that combines robotic assistance with human experience. This system, composed of a robot that follows an order picker around the warehouse, optimizes the picking process and considerably increases productivity.

System works this way:

1. Preparation: The robot is loaded with the merchandise necessary for the order in question.
2. Tracking: The robot, through an intelligent navigation system, follows the order picker around the warehouse.
3. Picking: The order picker selects the specific products in the order from the shelves, guided by the robot’s instructions.
4. Verification: The robot verifies the accuracy of the selected items before placing them in the shipping box.
5. Packaging: The robot helps the order picker to pack the merchandise safely and efficiently

Some of the advantages of the system:

• Greater efficiency: The robot reduces picking time and increases the number of orders processed per hour.
• Improved precision: Robot assistance minimizes errors in product selection.
• Optimized ergonomics: The robot reduces the physical effort of the order picker when transporting the merchandise.
• Flexibility: The system adapts to different types of products and order sizes.
• Scalability: The number of robots can be adjusted according to the needs of the warehouse. You can even connect several robots one after the other, like a small train

You can see a nice video of the system at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoVL0pbabqg

And of course this system improves productivity, reduces costs and increases job security since the operator hardly makes any effort.

Our friends of DHL are anything but stupid, and I congratulate them on their idea.