Technology has always been a crucial part of the production process. In fact, many of today’s modern machinery began life in a production or factory environment. The entire concept of production line technology started in Henry Ford’s brain. He was looking for new ways to speed up the production of his new automobile empire. The results changed the face of manufacture across the globe. If Henry Ford lay the groundwork for fast and efficient production, Amazon are now carrying the torch. The enormous e-commerce giant are setting new standards throughout their warehouse and production sector.
Every business on the planet is on the search for better efficiency. By doing this, they can increase profits and turnover. The best companies are harnessing speedy new technology to make that happen. Today, we’re going behind the scenes of some of the world’s biggest factories and warehouses. We’ll show you the automated tech that is powering their distribution and manufacture.
Amazon’s latest technology concept is a controversial topic. But, it might just change the face of warehouse and delivery forever. The concept is to use automated drones to speed up the process. Amazon are currently testing these drones to see if a delivery system is possible across the country. Meanwhile, inside their warehouses, drones are already moving stock and speeding up the ‘picking’ process.
One of the oldest technologies in the world of warehouse and production is the conveyor belt system. It’s the easiest way to move stock and products around quickly and efficiently. It eliminates the need for manual labour almost entirely. We’ve come a long way since conveyor belts were first used. The experts at Conveyor Systems Ltd explained how their systems now integrate with other production machinery. Essentially, all machines can now communicate with each other so work in harmony.
The factory environment was one of the first places to experiment with robotics. These robots would use automated technology to replace traditional labour. They spray car body parts with paint, for example. Nowadays, robotics take care of almost all factory and warehouse tasks.
It’s not just the production process that’s changing. It’s also the technology used by employees themselves. The actual volume of workers has reduced dramatically (thanks to the increase in robotics). However, the sophistication of their technology has improved. Warehouse workers now use wearable technology to track and manage the picking process. They will instantly receive an order, displayed on their watch or handheld device. From there, they can command a number of warehouse robots to collect and dispatch the order.
The last part of this process is the delivery itself. In this regard, GPS and tracking has become essential. It allows companies to monitor the efficiency of their delivery process and trucking. They can also pass this information onto their customers to show them where their packages are.
We’ve come a long way since Henry Ford revolutionised the production process. Thankfully, his legacy remains as companies find new and innovative technology solutions. We can only imagine what the system will look like in ten years.
