The Good Tech Companies - The Surprising Technology Saving Warehouses From Expensive Mistakes

Episode Date: December 5, 2024

This story was originally published on HackerNoon at: https://hackernoon.com/the-surprising-technology-saving-warehouses-from-expensive-mistakes. Augmented reality technology in warehouse management may sound like a futuristic concept, but in reality, is already in use by companies for years. Check more stories related to futurism at: https://hackernoon.com/c/futurism. You can also check exclusive content about #augmented-reality, #warehouse-management, #warehouse-automation, #inventory-management, #smartglasses, #wearable-technology, #ar-technology, #good-company, and more. This story was written by: @boxhero. Learn more about this writer by checking @boxhero's about page, and for more stories, please visit hackernoon.com. Augmented reality technology in warehouse management may sound like a futuristic concept, but in reality, is already in use by companies for years with impressive results.

This audio is presented by Hacker Noon, where anyone can learn anything about any technology. The surprising technology saving warehouses from expensive mistakes, by Boxhero. Imagine running a busy business where hundreds of orders pour in daily, and the warehouse team works tirelessly to ship them out on time. Yet, finding the right stock from the pile takes too long, dealing with frequent returns is a pain, and achieving near-perfect order accuracy feels out of reach. These challenges err more than just frustrating, they're costly. Order processing errors usually occur in warehouses, where orders are picked, packed, and retrieved

for shipment to the customers. To minimize errors and speed up order management, business owners are turning to smart solutions for their warehouse operations. One promising option is the use of augmented reality, AR, technology in warehouse management. Sounds like a big leap? It's actually far from being a futuristic concept. In reality, many companies have been using AR for years with impressive results. In this article, we will explore the challenges with the current warehouse logistics. The cost of warehouse errors. Augmentation and automation in warehouses. How AR technology improves warehouse operations. Key considerations in implementing AR.

The best pick for smart glasses. N. Challenges in warehouse management. Managing warehouse operations comes with its own set of challenges, as IT involves equipment, people, and management of orders and inventory. Each component presents unique obstacles that, if left unaddressed, can lead to significant revenue losses. Equipment-related challenges Poor warehouse layouts that waste space and resources. Delays caused by malfunctioning or outdated equipment. People-related challenges Labor-related issues due to high turnover, lack of skilled workers, and insufficient training. Safety concerns such as workplace

accidents due to improper handling of equipment or unsafe practices. Challenges in order management process a worker picking the wrong item, SKU or collecting the wrong quantity. Mislabeled products are failing to use updated barcode system. Stock misplacement, leading to delays in retrieval. Errors in inventory counts are failure to update inventory records accurately. Miscommunication among staff regarding priority orders, resulting in delays or mistakes. When it comes down to it, all of these are essentially human errors. Among the so-challenges, picking the wrong item or order quantity is one of the most frequent issues faced by warehouse facilities. While it may be a common occurrence,

sook errors can result in significant financial losses and even harm a company's reputation. https colon slash slash www.boxhero.io.n.blog. What is SKU stock keeping unit? Embeddable equals true, the cost of human error in warehouses. The average picking error rate in a distribution facility or warehouse ranges from 1 to 3%. This may seem like a small figure, but imagine. If 1 to 3 out of 100 orders were returned and had to be sorted out, it may cause addend in the warehouse's productivity rate. The additional time and resources TOFIX mistakes in processing orders and labeling can lead to increased operational and labor costs. Even more concerning is the potential loss of customers due to a single mispick. Incorrect orders or delayed shipments not only result in high return rates

but also tarnish a business's reputation among consumers. Additionally, cancel-it orders from dissatisfied customers can directly cut into sales, further highlighting the cost of human error in warehouse operations. Augmentation and automation in warehouses. To err is human, yes, but implementing a streamlined process is a smart business strategy. That's why more business owners are planning to integrate automation and workforce augmentation into their warehouse management system. For reference, Zebra outlined levels of operational processes in warehouses in terms of automation and human labor no augmentation, all paper-based or fixed workstation systems. Partial augmentation. Some workers are equipped

with mobile devices. Full augmentation. Most workers are equipped with mobile devices. Full augmentation. Most workers are equipped with mobile devices. Full augmentation plus. Augmented workforce collaborates with some automation. Partial facility automation. No worker involvement in specific workflows. Full facility automation. No worker involvement in entire facility. While it may take time to achieve partial or full facility automation, most warehouse decision makers and associates agree that adopting technology and automation will help increase the productivity rate of warehouse workers. According to a study by Zebra in 2023, 73% of the key decision makers in the warehouse sector identified providing workers with user-friendly

technology devices or solutions as a top priority. When asked about their five-year device implementation plans, wearables emerged as one of the top devices that they want to invest in, along with handheld mobile computers with built-in barcode scanners, mobile printers, rugged scanners, rugged tablets, and vehicle-mount computers. And speaking of wearables, smart glasses equipped with AR technology have been one of the most sought-after technologies. The basics of AR. Before we explore how AR technology improves warehouse operations, let's take a look at what AR is and how it differs from virtual reality, VR, technology. If you're imagining a worker wearing a headset to experience a fully virtual warehouse while being completely detached from the real world, you're confusing AR with VR technology. VR moves the user away from reality. It replaces the vision

of the user and fully immerses them in the virtual world. On the other hand, AR, from the word itself, augments reality by overlaying information over what your eyes perceive. AR allows overlaying of virtual objects in real-world environments through videos, photos, sound, infographics, and other elements. To better understand the distinction between AR and VR, here's a side-by-side comparison highlighting their key differences feature AR technology VR technology purpose enhances the real-world environment with digital overlays replaces the real world with a fully virtual environment level of immersion partial immersion. The user remains aware of the real environment full immersion. The user is completely immersed in the virtual world applications used in industries

like logistics, retail, education, healthcare, and real estate for visualization or navigation used in gaming, training simulations, visual tours, and entertainment for immersive experiences Field of view displays digital elements within the user's field of view gives a 360 degrees field of view within the virtual environment cost generally more affordable. Many applications can run on existing devices like smartphones or tablets typically more expensive, requires specialized hardware and software AR has three key components input devices. Sensors capture information from the real-world environment. Processing. Software tools like image registration and 3D modeling process the data to merge virtual elements into

the real environment seamlessly. Output. The augmented elements are shown on devices like AR glasses and smartphones, merging the digital elements and physical world. Now that you know the basics of AR, let's explore the key applications of the technology in warehouses. N. Enhancing Warehouse Management with AR. Most of the challenges in warehouse management stem from human errors in processing orders, as well as limitations within the workforce, such as lack of skilled personnel and insufficient training. AR technology offers a powerful solution, with its key applications focusing on improving order picking, streamlining inventory management, and providing immersive training programs for workers. 1. Order fulfillment and picking

One of the most labor-intensive and error-prone tasks in warehouses is the picking process. It usually takes a lot of time for workers to search for the right item, refer to the list of orders for the correct quantity, pack the order, put a label on the parcel, update the inventory list, and place the item in the designated place for retrieval and shipping. Through AR-enabled smart glasses that display real-time visual cues for optimal routes, workers can find the location of the items in the warehouse efficiently. Aside from reducing the time spent locating the items, smart glasses can also minimize picking errors by providing detailed product information

– skew, quantity, expiration dates, etc. – into the user's field of view. It also allows a pick-by-vision solution of picking items through hands-free barcode scanning, improving efficiency and safety. Not too long ago, DHL conducted a pilot project in a warehouse in the Netherlands, testing smart glasses and AR technology. The warehouse worker was equipped with Google Glass and View6 M100 geared with Ubimax's XPIC software. The staff member was guided through the warehouse facility by graphics overlaid in the smart glasses. Although no handheld barcode scanners and paper picklists were used throughout, the pilot resulted in a 25% efficiency increase in the order

fulfillment and picking process. Since then, DHL has been using AR-equipped smart glasses in their warehouse management. Greater than, vision picking is another example of digital transformation in the warehouse. Greater than as managers and companies look to drive revenue and control costs, vision greater than picking can play a key role. By helping warehouse workers with finding, greater than picking, and loading the right products faster, companies can see top line greater than growth. Meanwhile, by ensuring that the right products are going to can see top-line greater-than growth. Meanwhile, by ensuring that the right products are going to the right greater-than customers, companies mitigate

the chances of product returns and dissatisfied greater-than customers. Given these benefits, vision picking can become a key competitive greater-than advantage. Greater-than greater-than greater-than Ramon T. Llamas, Research Director, IDC's Augmented and Virtual Reality Team greater than greater than, info integrating AR technology into your warehouse management system starts with easy-to-scan barcodes. At BoxHero, we make barcode generation simple. You can easily design, scan, and print your unique barcodes for your warehouse operations, too. Inventory MANAGEMENTAR-powered devices can simplify long, repetitive tasks

like data entry and inventory management. Since these tools can scan barcodes and RFID tags and display information about the items, it reduces the likelihood of manual errors. N-realtime inventory counts just by scanning the items through smart glass scan make demand forecasts and stock replenishment much easier. With AR technology, warehouse managers can easily identify low stock items and access accurate demand forecasts all through real-time data displayed at their fingertips. This allows business owners to make strategic business decisions faster. www.boxhero.io.n.blog. Inventory counting with your team, embeddable equals true. 3. Training and onboarding The time spent on training new hires in warehouses ranges from hours to months, depending on the size of the facility and industry. In a labor-intensive environment,

training new employees is a challenging process. With AR technology, new workers can experience immersive training through simulations of real-world warehouse scenarios. Virtual overlays on smart devices provide step-by-step procedural instructions, safety guidelines, and troubleshooting tips. This approach shortens the learning curve and helps reduce turnover rates without compromising the effectiveness of the training. 4. Warehouse planning operational efficiency in the warehouse starts with effective layout planning. By overlaying virtual models onto the physical environment, AR can help warehouse managers visualize space configurations and decide on the optimal placement of items and equipment with ease.

Tip Did you know? IKEA launched an AR application, IKEA Place, which allows consumers to virtually place IKEA furniture items onto their space before purchasing. This digital solution has an accuracy rate of 98% and has made buying decisions easier. Key considerations in implementing AR solution. Purchasing AR tools is not a decision to make on a whim. It requires thorough planning and taking a careful look at your current warehouse system to make sure that the technology aligns with your operational needs. Here are the key considerations for successfully implementing AR solutions in warehouse management compatibility with existing systems.

Make sure that AR solutions can seamlessly be integrated with your enterprise resource planning, ERP, and inventory management software for synchronized operations. Backslash dot equipment requirements. Choose the right hardware that suits your warehouse needs, such as AR glasses or headsets. Network infrastructure. Make sure your warehouse facility has a reliable network system for real-time data transmission and uninterrupted operations. Backslash dot. Training and user adoption. Choose AR tools with intuitive interfaces for easy implementation. Backslash dot. Scalability and customization. Look for AR tools that allow customization to fit your specific workflows and inventory structure. Backslash dot. Cost versus ROI.

Evaluate the potential cost savings from AR adoption in the long term against the upfront costs of AR tools, software licenses, etc. Backslash dot performance metrics. Identify your KPIs, such as order accuracy, picking speed, and productivity rate, to assess the effectiveness of AR implementation. Info AR implementation is most effective when paired with user-friendly systems. BoxHero has made inventory management intuitive and simple for the users. For instance, BoxHero's attributes feature allows users to record custom details of products like brand, color, and size for easy categorization and tracking. This feature simplifies stock preparation for your AR-enabled picking process. Smart Glasses. What's the best pick?

The AR smart glasses market is expected to grow alongside the broader expansion of the wearable technology market. There are numerous smart glasses that are making the rounds on tech-related articles and forums depending on their application and specifications. For example, VU6M4000 smart glasses, which come with either a ruggedized, all-weather kit for any conditions or an extended wear kit for indoor or standard condition outdoor use, have a wide 28° field of view, giving the user an immersive experience through an expansive virtual screen that still allows them to totally see their physical environment. Meanwhile, VU6 Z100 smart glasses are known for their ultralight weight, 48-hour single-charge use battery life, and see-through waveguide display features.

Iristick G2 smart glasses, equipped with an optimized 16-megapixel central camera, extended field of view, and 6x optimal zoom lens, can guide the user through audio and visual cues and allow PIC by vision and hands-free remote assistance. Tip Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company, HBC, implemented TeamViewer's X-PIC solution on RealWear HMT-1 smart glasses to improve their logistics processes. After two months of using the technology, the order-picking performance improved by 6-8%, with an accuracy rate of 99.99%. Get AR ready with BoxHero. AR technology has been reshaping warehouse management for the better. It reduces order processing errors, enables real-time inventory counts,

offers immersive training experiences for the workers, and assists in optimal warehouse layout planning. Considering AR for your warehouse? Discover how BoxHeroes inventory management features like barcode generation, real-time inventory tracking, and analytics can lay the foundation for smooth AR integration. And sign up today for a free trial and see how BoxHeroes tools complement AR technology for increased productivity in your warehouse management.