Overview
The Dematic Automated Transport and Staging System features Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) to stage and move pallets from production to storage. Dematic Warehouse Execution System (WES) software manages the flow of finished goods through the operational requirements of pre-ship staging, including block stacking on a warehouse floor. The AGVs provide safe, multi-shift operation with reduced labor costs and highly accurate inventory management.
These systems are often implemented at production operations for food & beverage, paper products, and pharmaceuticals.
Benefits
- Responsive, on-demand continuous flow
- Lower cost to operate, more efficient performance
- Supports 24 hours/day operations
- Scalable and flexible for future system changes
- Real-time control and tracking of operations
System description
The Dematic Automated Transport and Staging System has a pre-engineered, standardized design configuration that ensures predictable performance. Here is the general order of how the system functions:
- Production Output: When production is running, the primary function of the system is automating the transfer of finished goods pallets from manufacturing operations to the adjacent warehouse.
- Staging: AGVs block stacked pallets from production in rows or place them in racks for short-term staging in the warehouse. Pallets are located based on velocity with faster moving SKUs stored near the front of the warehouse and slower moving SKUs to the rear. This strategy minimizes overall AGV travel time.
- Order Picking: The system accommodates order picking of outbound orders. This may require selection from different production batches based on LIFO, FIFO, or FEFO requirements.
- Pallet Consolidation: The system consolidates pallets to optimize space efficiency in the warehouse and to ensure there is always sufficient storage space for new pallets from production.
- Shipping: Forklift trucks move finished pallets from the warehouse and onto outbound shipping. Pallets may be block stacked or staged in racking prior to loading on outbound delivery trucks.
System management
The Dematic Warehouse Execution System (WES) software manages put away into the warehouse after production as well as pallet location management. The Dematic WES software also directs order picking, consolidation and outbound pallet moves to outbound staging at shipping. The Warehouse Management System (WMS) is responsible for inventory management and receiving.
The Dematic WES software can accept orders from the WMS in multiple ways, but typically in waves or as discrete orders. The Dematic WES software includes supervisor interface screens to provide a global view of transfers to the pick modules, order picking, order pick performance, system progress, order information, total picks, and total outbound transfers.
Warehouse Management System (Host)
- Interface to ERP
- Inventory control
- Order entry
Fulfillment orders
Status and completion
Dematic Warehouse Execution System
- Put-away strategies
- Order management and execution
- Wave picking management
- Order attributes, priority, changes
- Synchronize and optimize processes
- Direct order picking
- Balance workload
- Track & trace, visibility, and insight
AGV Traffic and Operations Management
- AGV task management and dispatching
- Traffic control and communications
- Visibility and insight
Comparison
Dematic automated pallet handling systems are more accurate, require less labor to operate, and use less warehouse space than conventional pallet transport and staging systems.
| Conventional Pallet Transport and Staging System | Automated Pallet Transport and Staging System |
| Manual labor required for each shift of operation | Automated operation for multiple shifts per day |
| Manual pallet transport, storage, order picking and staging | Automated pallet transport, storage, order picking and staging |
| Uneven workflow | Responsive, smooth, consistent workflow |
| Pallet movement prone to inventory errors | Strategic and synchronized pallet movement with WES software |
| Manual operation prone to stock damage | Automated operation reduces potential for stock damage |
| Potential for accidents in warehouse | Object detection devices on AGVs provide safe operation |
| Errors: pallet in wrong location, pick wrong pallet, wrong quantity | Accurate pallet location management, pallet picking and quantity |
| Limited visibility and insight into operations | Advanced workflow management, real-time control, visibility, and insight |