Smart Phones, Smart Cars, Smart Warehouses?

In today’s world, we encounter smart phones and smart cars, but what about a smart warehouse? Ryder and Fetch Robotics are spearheading new trends delivering a combination of robotics, drones, sensors, and wearables that are transforming the supply chain industry.  Three cities, Dallas, Chicago and Miami have implemented automated warehouses and have seen some very surprising results:

• Robotics – Use of robotics resulted in a 25% increase in productivity, and a 20% savings in operations.
• Drones – Scanning pallets with a drone took 20 minutes, vs. 90 minutes for manual scanning.
• Sensors – Identification tools provide real-time asset location and enable performance management, resulting in 25+% productivity and cost savings.
• Wearables – Smart glasses improved efficiency by 33%.

One could ask, does Redmond have what it takes to be “smart” too? What could this “smart stuff” mean for manufacturing in Redmond? You might be surprised to hear that local manufacturers are already using some of these technologies to improve production capabilities right here in our back yard.  

HD Hydrographics, for instance, uses a robot to paint ceramic coatings on bicycle locks and other materials. Tensility uses 3D printing to create ports used for testing power cords and connectors and is implementing machine learning technology in their assembly line.  This smart article delivers more insight on how robotics is changing the way we encounter technology in the workplace.

REDI invites you to attend this year’s Annual Luncheon for more ways to re-imagine the world of work to build a better future. Save the date: Tuesday, May 21, 2019. Visit the REDI Events page for more details and ticket sales soon.