New Automated Warehouse System Mitigates Pain Points
Exotec, a global warehouse robotics provider, recently revealed the commercial launch of the Next Generation of Skypod system, which mitigates some of the largest warehouse pain points, such as inefficient order fulfilment times, allowing grocery brands to better serve their customers and remain agile amid shifting consumer demand.
The Next Generation of Skypod comes with a number of design improvements, including a new and more compact Skypod robot, a workstation for robot-to-robot picking, a high-throughput Exchanger and denser storage. According to the company, these redesigns, combined with new software features, improve the throughput at a single workstation by 50% while also enhancing storage density by up to 30% compared with the previous generation.
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Specifically, the Next Generation of Skypod supports:
- An integrated Buffer: Next-Gen Skypod handles buffering within the system. Following order preparation at the workstation, completed or semi-completed orders are automatically stored inside the racks until they're ready for outbound, or further consolidation. This helps reduce the need for staging areas or any other external buffer systems.
- Perfect Sequencing: Next-Gen Skypod handles strict outbound sequencing prior to ejecting orders by using robots and the Exchanger. The robots group orders and deliver them in a specific arrangement to the Exchanger, which then routes the orders to outbound. According to the company, this enables precise loading of pallets, containers or trucks, based on delivery routes, store planograms or other unloading requirements, all without the need for external sorting equipment.
- Pick-and-Pack: Next-Gen Skypod handles packing as an integrated part of the picking process. Operators pick directly into fulfillment containers, removing the need for manual packing operations downstream. This functionality pairs particularly well with right-size packaging solutions. These solutions can be integrated with Next-Gen Skypod to enable picking into right-size containers, significantly cutting last-mile costs.
“When designing the Next Generation Skypod, our goal was to create a solution that would set the industry standard of operational excellence and elegance for the next decade and beyond," said Romain Moulin, CEO and co-founder of Atlanta-based Exotec. “We’re already seeing our customers reimagine their entire supply chain around the transformative capabilities of this innovation, from combining case and each picking operations to leveraging outbound sequencing to improve transportation costs. Witnessing this level of impact has been incredibly rewarding.”
Over the past two years, Exotec has sold and deployed the Next Generation Skypod system globally in stealth mode. The company has secured more than 20 projects worldwide, totaling $400 million.
