R eshaping BY HOWARD W. COLEMAN Distribution Centers and Warehouses It suddenly occurred to me that instead of just thinking about how to design DC/warehouse space around robots, robots are now being built that are able to operate more on our terms, in our spaces, and in our environments. The situation I was observing just amplified how robotics are now being designed to handle the tough, often menial, and often accident-prone tasks at warehouses. The transformation continues in the world of robotics and the supply chain. ast year, when visiting a wholesaler’s distribution center (DC), I watched personnel spend an afternoon unloading boxes from a tractor-trailer in nearly 100-degree heat. I could tell they were not happy, and you had to feel some empathy for their challenges. obsession with speed is characteristic of the distribution industry. But the pace of investment and change—fueled by the pandemic-era e-commerce boom, a tight labor market, and a fragile supply chain—has taken off in recent years. Most experts say robotics will change how warehouses are operated and designed. Some say that we’re entering a golden era. The seeds of the surge in warehouse robotics were actually planted during the 2008 recession, when carmakers, who depend heavily on robotics, dealt with a significant and pro -longed downturn. But unlike repetitive assembly line manu-facturing, warehouses demand a considerable degree of flexi -bility. Only recently have systems like visioning and artificial L The seeds of change Robotics and other forms of automation are not new to logis-tics. We have conveyor belts, scanners, and other innovations that have helped automate and accelerate for decades. The 34 ISSA Today | March/April 2023
ISSA Today March-April 2023: Page 34
