Automation and robotics have already revolutionized industry, particularly manufacturing, in the past; the ability to acquire, store, manage and analyze data, in more recent times, has elevated this innovation to entirely new levels. After all, Industry 4.0 itself has been so named to represent the fourth industrial revolution, linked to digital transformation .

A revolution that, even though it has been going on for a few years now, still has much to offer the supply chain, both in terms of logistics and beyond.

Automation and robotics: the future of the digital supply chain

Robotics and automation will play an increasingly important role in the future of the supply chain-but to what extent? One answer comes from Gartner, which in its report Hype Cycle for Mobile Robots and Drones, 2023¹, explains how by 2027 three-quarters of companies, 75 percent, will have adopted some type of robotic automation for warehouse management.

The supply chain game, in fact, is now played primarily on the table of warehouse management, the area where there is a greater need than ever to optimize processes, including through robotics and automation.

Automation and robotics: a look at the potential

Traditionally, robotics and automation have found application in routine and repetitive tasks through a laborious deployment phase. In the traditional setting, however, robotic automation lacked flexibility, making it complex to change or update processes.

As solutions, both hardware and software, become more sophisticated, flexibility and agility increase, as do opportunities for collaboration. The supply chain of the future, then, will not only be automated, but also agile, flexible and capable of integrating with human labor, as concepts such as servitization suggest. Let us briefly recall some of the main benefits that automation and robotics can bring to process management:

  • Increased efficiency and productivity
  • Reduced error rates and defect rates
  • Improving staff safety
  • Execution of low value-added activities, with the possibility of employing staff on more substantial activities

The digital supply chain and next-generation robotics

As we have mentioned, a significant part of process innovation in the coming years will be in logistics management. For example, in distribution, a significant part of management is currently done manually by operators. In the future, automated and robotic systems may make use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to manage orders with greater precision and accuracy. These solutions can achieve particularly high efficiency, improving over time based on data collected and feedback also provided by human operators.

Intelligent and automated digital supply chain with artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence and automation are contributing significantly to the improvement of businesses, including from a sustainability perspective, for example by reducing waste of resources and materials caused by human error. The ability of machines to perform the same operations repetitively with very small margins of error is a significant added value that, combined with the flexibility and continuous improvement mechanisms characteristic of modern automation, enables significant improvements even in realities that do not have absolutely rigid, stable and immutable processes over time.

In this regard, it is crucial to emphasize the role of artificial intelligence, which can be used in numerous contexts, from performance monitoring to quality control. Through sensor and camera detections, AI can quickly scan units, identifying defective items as early as the production process. In addition, the data thus captured and analyzed can help companies identify inefficiencies and bottlenecks.

Beyond automation: cobots, Ia collaborative robotics

Robotics, while an established solution, is also evolving due to digital transformation. Collaborative robots, or cobots, represent one of the most exciting innovations of recent years. They are robots capable of collaborating with human operators, allowing companies to make the most of both resources. Cobots can lift heavy loads, retrieve materials, operate in harsh environmental conditions or in contact with hazardous substances, always under the supervision and control of operators.

They can help reduce the risk of accidents and injuries caused by strenuous tasks, repetitive stress and fatigue, improving the work environment and employee satisfaction, as well as increasing efficiency and productivity.

Next-generation automation and robotics to rethink the supply chain

Technological advances in automation and robotics are helping to rethink the supply chain, starting with the processes that underlie it. It is not only about increasing efficiency and productivity, but also about reconsidering and improving the supply chain in terms of sustainability, safety, and human-machine collaboration, in line with modern and widespread ideas that see sustainability as also having a strong social component.

The challenge companies are facing is not only about technology adoption, but also the ability to integrate these new solutions in a strategic and sustainable way. Workforce training and retraining become key elements to fully exploit the potential offered by automation and robotics, while ensuring a thoughtful transition to the new processes and modes of operation.

¹: Source. Garnter.com/newsroom

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