Smart Robotics launches new robotic merchandise picker

Smart Robotics, a specialist developer of pick and place solutions for warehouses and logistics processes, has launched its newly engineered Smart Merchandise Picker.

The launch comes just as the festive season kick-offs, with warehouses experiencing a sharp increase in seasonal demand and the need to keep up with order sorting and shipping.

Designed as a collaborative robot (cobot), the Smart Merchandise Picker is able to handle an array of lightweight products, such as stationery and office supplies, handheld devices like smartphones and tablets, and a variety of toys in boxes.

The cobot comes with the guarantee of Smart Robotic’s smart technology, enabling it to gently pick and place items at a pace that is in line with the need at peak season. Using Smart Merchandise Picker for this purpose leads to less breakage of goods.

Johan Jardevall, CEO of Smart Robotics, says: “We’re very excited to introduce the warehousing sectors to the Smart Merchandise Picker.

“With its advanced Smart technology, the cobot is able to sort and stack items without wasting valuable space, all while optimising throughput capacity.

“With this intuitive picking cobot, we’re addressing some common issues with space optimisation for warehouses, as the cobot is able to fill a tote or container to the optimal capacity.”

Seasonal demand fluctuations can cause great disruptions for warehouses in keeping with the storage and sorting of various items. Warehouse capacity is usually under strain due to space and infrastructure needed to accommodate high volumes of inventory and traffic.

This is especially the case for warehouses specialising in stocking eCommerce and retail merchandise, like electronics or personal care products that are popular gifts over the Christmas season.

Being able to run 24/7, the Smart Merchandise Picker, improves warehouse throughput and output, ensuring more reliable turnaround times in highly demanding logistics.

The reliability of the cobot, and its ability to run continuously, ultimately creates a quicker return on investment – whilst answering the labour crisis in logistics.

In addition, having the cobot take over repetitive and physically straining tasks, the physical and mental health quality of existing warehouse employees are improved, whilst optimising overall performance.

The cobot is capable of handling items at a pace that matches human pickers, requiring very little oversight, ensuring reliable and uninterrupted operations. Employees also don’t need to be highly skilled or specialised in robotics to manage and oversee the cobot, it can safely be managed by people of all skill levels.

Smart Robotics introduced this cobot as one part of the advanced robotic systems they’re working on to make warehouse automation more versatile and dynamic in a highly performant logistics industry.

Though this festive season might take its toll on warehouse performance, the Smart Merchandise Picker is ready to order and set to better equip warehouses for facing seasonal demands – year-round.