Smart Warehouse - ai Store (REF:C-0026)
E&M InnoPortal Trial Project Ref. No.:

Overview

The EMSD warehouse plays a crucial role in storing and supplying various E&M spare parts and consumables for the operation and maintenance of E&M systems at government premises. To improve operational efficiency and enhance user experience, a new solution called ai Store was implemented, transforming the warehouse into a smart warehouse through automation technology.

Problem Addressed

The continuous increase in item types and limited storage space have posed challenges to warehouse operations. Additionally, the aging manpower and shortage of manpower in the logistics industry have also made physically demanding tasks to handle.  The reliance on manual operations and human memory made it difficult for new recruits to quickly acquire the necessary experience and knowledge.  Traditional warehouse operations, such as put away and order picking, were time-consuming and prone to human error.  Moreover, the requirement of users to contact the storehouse staff for making appointments to collect the ordered goods within the office hours, limits the flexibility. The lack of data analysis further adversely affected warehouse performance.
Innovation

The ai Store solution introduced an automated guided vehicle (AGV) system combined with self-issuing lockers, a robot control system and a warehouse management system.

The AGV, a portable robot, navigates through the warehouse using QR codes, radio waves, vision cameras, or lasers. The warehouse management system also utilises artificial intelligence in analysing the usage of the shelves, and the AGV arranges the shelves according to the analysis results to facilitate subsequent handling processes. Previously, colleagues used to spend a lot of time looking for parts in the past. However, with the AGV, shelves can now be moved to designated places. This not only greatly reduces the walking distance for colleagues but also simplifies the process for operators to distribute goods to the self-issuing smart lockers. Colleagues can pick up the goods from the self-issuing smart lockers by simply using an SMS and a one-time password sent by the system.
Key Benefits
  • Facilitates the automation of manual processes within the warehouse
  • Maximises the storage space and capacity of storage in the warehouse
  • Improves the accuracy of the order-handling process
  • Improves the overall efficiency of the warehouse operation
  • Enhances user experience in the goods-collecting process
Patent and Award "Leading Towards Robotics Technologies" Innovation Competition 2021 (1st Runner Up)