Originally Aired - Wednesday, March 19 • 2:15 PM - 3:00 PM
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Location: Theater C
Type: On-Floor Seminars
Description:
The expectations for the performance quality of an automation system continue to rise, especially in the accuracy and speed of execution. This pushes our operations, our warehouses, and our people to new limits. Faster fulfillment times, lower cost, and improved accuracy continue to stress the operation. The bar is constantly raised; there is never such thing as “good enough.” Leveraging automated solutions to minimize variability is becoming a top priority for business operations. Fifty-five percent of supply chain leaders are ramping up their investments in technology (per a 2024 MHI annual industry report). Also, in that report and coming directly from operational supply chain leaders, 88% say they plan on spending over $1 million in automation, and 42% are saying they may spend over $10 million. Business managers will need to ensure resource and process plans are in place to effectively extract the benefit of these systems. Effectively planning an organization’s needs and how those balance against all stakeholders is critical. We cannot afford to “Ready-Fire-Aim,” as we could miss the mark for our customers and our operations after installing expensive equipment. The adage “don’t automate poor processes” has never been more applicable. Before selecting—and certainly before implementing—any changes, a detailed operational process assessment is crucial. In addition to the usual areas, such as IT, workflow analysis, and physical limitations, there must be a gap analysis performed on the current skills of the people resources in the business. There will need to be a detailed analysis and planned integration of not only the physical planning of any automated system, but also the skills required to support and execute day after day, as this will become the backbone for operational excellence. Once the system is installed and commissioned, the journey to transformative change is not complete. Operations and maintenance teams must be staffed appropriately, including being trained with the critical skills needed to realize the planned benefits of the system. Some businesses implement a superuser program as a primary liaison between the operations team and technical support to maximize effectiveness of system troubleshooting. Overall, an automated system is only as good as the processes governing it and the people operating it. Proper planning can help speed up an effective transition to automation, whether being a new foray for a business, or just improving planning, onboarding, and training for an existing automated network.
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Product Category: Systems Integration Services
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