The next generation of warehouse system designers could well be those who have honed their skills and crafts through gaming.
Companies need to think in a spatial relationship (or 3D) when designing their distribution centre, allowing them to visualise the overhead conveyors, line conveyors, sortation units and mezzanines, all interacting with each other over time to avoid any potential design/ fit problems, says Chris Castaldi, director of business development at material handling systems integrator W&H Systems.
Computerisation of inventory is the last step in a chain which starts with good warehouse layout, along with good understanding of your products, raw materials, and their relationships. But no amount of automation is going to replace good physical design.
The biggest mistake is expecting the automation to solve all the problems, he writes.
