Your customers want goods faster. You want more accuracy and streamlined processes for your employees. Recently, there has been talk about the use of augmented reality (AR) within the distribution center. Using AR, we can redefine our current processes and integrate with today’s most advanced automation technology.
- Supply Chain Software – While this is a revolutionary piece of hardware, software is the key factor here. Within a distribution center, the Warehouse Management System (WMS) mainly focuses on inventory and labor requirements. Communication to inventory levels and employee performance will play a vital role for HoloLens. A warehouse control system (WCS) can also benefit from holograms. As problems arise on the floor, we rely on our human-machine interface (HMI) display to alert us. With HoloLens the user can walk the physical floor and receive real-time updates as he/she passes each section of the material handling system. With more advanced functions of HoloLens, it can even provide holographic step-by-step instructions on how to fix the issue.
- Picking, for example, can be improved drastically by empowering employees with HoloLens. The operator can now view real-time location of items and quantity to pick. Enabling faster cycle times to fulfill orders and a more efficient workforce without the expense of pick-to-light hardware. If voice-picking is better suited for your operation, HoloLens will be able to enable hand’s free picking using the operators’ vocal commands.
- Collaborative Robotics – Robotics, and humans will come together to augment each other. The human can map out the robot’s path, while the robot will listen and take over the tedious repetitive tasks that a human may not be capable of doing alone. We can use the human for his/her strengths such as awareness, perception, and decision making, while the robot’s strengths are precision, physical strength, and repetitiveness. HoloLens can be the bridge of communication between the two.
