End-to-end supply chain solutions specialist Knowles Logistics has invested in state-of-the-art drone and robotics technology to revolutionise its warehousing and inventory management operations.
The drone, known as inventAIRy XL, is supplied by industrial automation technology experts, RAWview and has been specifically designed for the logistics sector to drive efficiencies across warehousing operations, offering unparalleled accuracy and traceability in inventory management.
This innovative technology can fly to designated racked pallet locations, scan barcodes, and cross-reference the data with the company’s Warehouse Management System, all without human supervision.
In the initial integration process, RAWview generated a digital 2D map of Knowles’ 90,000 pallet capacity Wisbech based site, including specific rack layouts, which the drone and ground robot will use to navigate and assign barcode data to the corresponding pallet locations.
The innovative solution also ensures that the drone can autonomously navigate warehouse environments, even in low-light or even complete darkness.
The fully autonomous drone is able to operate for up to 5.5 hours continuously, during which time it can visit and scan between 2,500 to 3,000 individual pallet locations.
In contrast to manual operations, which are widely estimated to handle 40-60 locations per hour, the drone system can scan between 400-500 locations in the same time period, all without the need for material handling equipment (MHE) or human labour.
With a capability to support GS1 barcode types, inventAIRy XL is well-suited for managing inventory that requires detailed tracking, such as foodstuffs – a key feature for Knowles which specialises in the storage and distribution of ambient products.
GS1 barcodes include crucial information such as product expiry dates, which the Knowles’ new drone system can decode and relay to the warehouse management team, allowing them to prioritise the picking of products nearing their sell-by dates, ensuring optimal stock rotation and minimising any unnecessary waste.
Alex Knowles, Managing Director of Knowles Logistics commented: “As a business we pride ourselves in carrying out our work with precision and accuracy, therefore finding new and innovative ways to improve our processes, efficiencies and increase transparency is something we are continuously mindful.
“RAWview and their capabilities in streamlining inventory auditing has enabled us to integrate this cutting-edge technology into our operations.
“It has been a game-changer for our perpetual inventory (PI) teams and customer offering. By automating our inventory management process, we can now guarantee total accuracy and traceability from the moment products enter our facility to the point they leave – in turn providing our customers with a much better view of their stock in real time compared to manual PI teams in scissor lifts.
“The speed of our scanning time has improved well over 100%. It’s these kind of efficiency improvements that we feel is vital to future proofing our operation and ensure that we continuously meet the demands of our customers by staying ahead of the curve.”
Joe Waldron RAWview Director of Integrations commented: "We were delighted to have been awarded with the opportunity to work with Knowles to deliver this innovative project.
“Their commitment to enhancing operational excellence and embracing change has been clear to see. Working with a team who share our vision to solve some of the logistics industry’s most complex challenges with innovation has been a major contributor to the project’s success.
“The implementation of the inventAIRy XL autonomous drone solution is a testament to what can be achieved with a forward-thinking approach. At RAWview, we take great pride in delivering cutting-edge automation technologies and enjoy working with partners who are eager to push boundaries. We look forward to continuing our successful collaboration with Knowles."