IoT and warehousing

IoT (Internet of things) is getting more popular and growing for two main reasons:

  1. We want to control all processes;
  2. We want to minimise resourses (including human) and money spent on it.

All devices, providing the IoT system function in business processes, have been invented over 20 year ago, however the significant and main boost to IoT worldwide has been made by the price cut and implementation of cloud services in data processing.

The ability to control and monitor the remote processes in real time with help of cloud services with simple to use control software has involved many industries, and the warehouse logistics in particular.

Eventually the technology is currently used by top companies, but soon it will be one of fundamental campetitive tools, like for instance, plastic card transactions or online banking. The warehouse optimization issue become critical in todays supply chain for delivery companies, for the customers get used to a next day delivery service.

IoT integration in warehousing. The term “Smart warehouse” is mainly associated with IoT. The technology allows to obtain such advantages as labor and exploitation expences cut, absolute error free logistics processes.

With help of IoT one can carry out the following operations:

  • Visual and schematic observation of materials handling processes;
  • Simultanious picking and cheecking of goods in a data base;
  • Automated handling;
  • Automated weight measuring, packaging dimensions and damage check;
  • Goods distribution to warehousing or shipping;
  • Entire temperture and microclimate indoor control;
  • All moving units inside warehouse control and monitoring. Despite the efficiency and goods hadling speed increasing, the IoT warehouse optimization allows to gain more warehouse capacity thanks to less need in staff.