However, relying on traditional workflows alone is no longer enough. These models often come with persistent labor shortages, error rates, and physical strain on workers. Logiwa IO’s Workflow Automations are an important first step to improving efficiency. With that kind of AI optimization in place you’re ready for the next step, collaborative robots or “cobots”.
Contrary to the popular misconception, these robots aren’t about replacing people in warehousing. Instead, they work alongside humans to solve the toughest productivity challenges.
By integrating cobots into your operations, you can boost fulfillment center efficiency, cut both errors and injuries, and create a safer, smarter workplace for your team. Let’s discuss how.
Key takeaways
- Collaborative robots, or cobots, boost fulfillment center efficiency by combining round-the-clock speed and precision alongside human creativity.
- Human-robot collaboration in logistics reduces worker fatigue, improves safety, and consistently delivers more accurate orders.
- Robots in warehousing range from mobile pickers to robotic arms and automated storage systems, each playing a unique role in streamlining key processes.
- Pairing robotics with a powerful warehouse management system creates smarter, more scalable, and future-ready fulfillment centers.
The rise of robots in the warehouse
Warehouse automation has come a long way from the days of fenced-off robotic arms performing single, repetitive tasks. Today’s fulfillment centers are adopting flexible, mobile, and intelligent cobots. These machines are designed to work side-by-side with people, not in isolation.
AI and machine learning make cobots much more adaptable and responsive. With these technologies, they can respond to real-time changes, learn from data, and become more efficient over time.
Human-robot collaboration: Empowering, not replacing
Let’s clear up a myth: cobots don’t replace people, but make them better. By handling repetitive, physically demanding work like long walks or heavy lifting, cobots free up your team for higher-value jobs that require problem-solving and quality control.
This human-robot partnership leads to:
- Increased productivity: Cobots can operate non-stop, ensuring steady throughput even during labor shortages or peak demand.
- Less fatigue and fewer injuries: By offloading strenuous tasks, you’re keeping your workforce healthy and motivated.
Higher order accuracy: Machines excel at routine picks and sorts, driving up accuracy and customer satisfaction.
Request a free demo to learn more about Logiwa WMS.
Types of collaborative robots in fulfillment
There are primarily four types of cobots working in fulfillment centers, including:
Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs)
AMRs are the track stars of the warehouse world. They operate on dynamic, flexible routes — often directed by a warehouse management system (WMS) like Logiwa IO — to fetch entire shelving units or bins and bring them right to stationary human pickers. This goods-to-person (GTP) model can eliminate more than half of a picker’s walking time, which can account for over 50% of a picker’s day.
Many 3PLs now use the Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) model and pay for automation as an operational expense.
Automated guided vehicles (AGVs)
While similar to AMRs, AGVs typically follow fixed tracks, such as magnetic tapes or wires. They efficiently shuttle goods but lack the flexibility of AMRs if your layout or workflows need to change quickly.
Pick-and-place robots
Pick-and-place robots are the robotic arms used at picking or packing stations. They can swiftly and precisely handle small, repetitive tasks, like grabbing items off shelves, packing cartons, or sorting packages.
Automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS)
For high-density storage, AS/RS handles the automatic put-away and retrieval of products. It’s a larger upfront investment, but these systems allow you to maximize space and speed, a strategy used by leaders like Amazon Robotics.
Cobots in action
So how do cobots improve fulfillment? Here is a quick overview of how a powerful WMS like Logiwa IO works in collaboration with robots:
Optimizing the picking process
When the WMS receives an order, it dispatches an AMR to fetch the correct product bin and transport it to a picking workstation. The human picker scans and selects the needed items, and the AMR returns the bin to storage.
This approach increases picking speeds two- to threefold versus the old way and lets your people focus on speed and accuracy. No more running laps around the warehouse!
Streamlining put-away and replenishment
Cobots also boost fulfillment center efficiency by handling incoming inventory. As shipments arrive, AMRs or AGVs (directed by your WMS) can quickly ferry goods to the correct storage zones. This speeds up put-away, reduces errors, and improves slotting optimization.
Enhancing packing and sorting
At packing stations, robotic arms can pack boxes, apply shipping labels, and sort outgoing deliveries. By automating these repetitive tasks, you minimize manual handling, speed up throughput, and further shrink error rates.
The vital role of a modern WMS
There is no doubt that robots need coordination. A modern WMS acts as the “brain” of your automated warehouse, seamlessly integrating with all your robotics. It assigns tasks to AMRs in fulfillment centers, guides AGVs, syncs inventory movements, and provides real-time data on orders, pick rates, and more.
Real-time inventory visibility reduces errors, overselling, and out-of-stocks. Meanwhile, data-driven task assignment enables you to match the right job with the right team member or robot for optimal productivity.
A quality WMS also keeps humans and machines in perfect sync with each order. This orchestration dramatically reduces manual touchpoints and boosts order accuracy to meet today’s rapid fulfillment demands.
Additionally, a WMS empowers managers with actionable analytics for continuous improvement. You can easily identify bottlenecks, optimize travel paths, and fine-tune inventory placement for greater throughput.
The combination of robots and a modern WMS is what brings the true promise of warehouse automation solutions to life.
The future of warehouse fulfillment is collaborative
Robotics is now the present and the future of warehouse productivity. With expectations for even faster delivery and accuracy, the adoption of robotics for 3PLs is likely to accelerate.
What’s ahead? Get ready for hyper-automation, where every process, including picking, packing, put-away, and even quality checks, is digitally orchestrated. Micro-fulfillment centers powered by advanced robotics will bring inventory closer to consumers. Not only that, but AI-powered machines will further learn and adapt in real-time, elevating both efficiency and accuracy.
Bottom line: The partnership between humans and robots delivers fulfillment center efficiency at a scale and quality that was seemingly impossible just a few years ago. By embracing human-robot collaboration in logistics, you position your 3PL or fulfillment operation to meet and exceed rising market expectations.
Wondering what smarter fulfillment can do for your business? Schedule a demo with Logiwa IO today and take your first step toward the warehouse of the future.
