Automated retailing

Automated retailing involves the use of various tools to reduce the labor costs in retailing.

Warehouse automation

Schaefer Case Picking

SSI Schaefer's Schaefer Case Picking system is a fully automated, customizable picking solution for retail. It manages all aspects from unloading of incoming pallets and intermediate storage to the ordering and repackaging of cases into new pallets. The SCP uses a computer vision system to identify items, removing the requirement of other identification schemes such as those involving barcodes or RFID tags. It can automatically select and palletize products according to store layout or other customer criteria, and prepare the products for shipping. The system reduces labor requirements, product loss, and energy consumption by way of a more accurate, route-optimized computer-controlled system that reduces wait time and increases pallet throughput. Additionally, it reduces transportation costs by optimizing the density of individual pallets, selecting combinations of product cases that lead to more product per unit volume.^[1][2]

Order picking machinery

Witron's Order Picking Machinery is an automated storage and picking system that can automatically stack around 95% of the products onto pallets or roll containers. The system uses a loading device called COM (Case Order Machine) to pick cases onto load carriers. Advantages of the system include high cost-efficiency, ergonomics and optimization during transport.^[3]

Replenishment system

Witron's Shelf Replenishment System uses a conveyor system to push the goods directly into the shelf.^[4]

See also

• Automated retail
• Keedoozle
• Kiva Systems
• Self checkout
• Vending machine

References