Sensors and Their Impact in the Warehouse

Many technologies and devices are constantly at play within the warehouse and distribution center space every waking minute. From robotic processes to wearable working devices, warehousing strategies, and daily work tasks can be simplified with the participation of intelligent and innovative technologies.

In a place where the demands of the digital world run up against the realities of the physical world of order picking, packing, and getting goods out on time to those consumers who’ve purchased and requested them. Sensors are the perfect answer to helping processes flow more simply and efficiently to keep every point throughout the warehouse more connected and communicated along the way. They help warehouse managers maintain better control over the merchandise inside and out of the facility.

Sensors are utilized for various purposes, including tracking and tracing equipment and parcels in and out of the premises. From controlling when and where the lights are turned on in a facility at the start and beginning of the shift to even more time-sensitive tasks that can’t be trusted to be handled manually, these environments constantly need monitoring and validation.

Motion and validation are large portions of sensors' functions, but some other categories can also be measured. These fields include monitoring and alerting humidity levels, temperature readings, and even light detection when necessary and unnecessary.  These little validations help to enhance the smartness of warehouses and distribution centers everywhere.

Floating down the line, sensors can detect, identify, and qualify goods at different points in their path. At its first step, sensors can detect the presence of products and transport units and measure distances, heights, and overhang of goods, pallets, and transport items so that all logistics centers run smoothly. Identification patterns can work accordingly with both fixed 1D and 2D barcode scanners and other RFID systems to help identify items passing through. Lastly, goods validation is essential for pallet dimensioning, optimizing volume, and warehousing and transporting. It’s pretty simple but can be maximized to adhere to more complex scenarios.

In a post-COVID world, this can significantly benefit the work environments that are more hands-off habitats, especially from a human-employee standpoint. Sensors on machinery, even wearable devices, have been around for quite some time to assist with workplace efficiency levels, and it’s likely they’ll stick around for some time to come as we advance. These intelligent and innovative technologies are commonly found in warehouse and manufacturing environments to help move operations along the way effectively.

How is this technology known to integrate with existing systems, and how have these tactics prospered during COVID-19 and beyond? These questions can be answered in Episode 21 of the TEConnect Podcast, where hosts John and Dean dive deeper into the world of Smart Manufacturing and what it entails. The duo linked with Honeywell’s Michael Noyes to compare trends and groundbreaking strategies. You can listen to and watch this episode on various platforms, including YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and even Spotify. It’s worth the listen, we promise.