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May 11,
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Here&#;s everything you need to know about parcel sorting robots
With quite a number of manufacturing and e-commerce firms opting for warehouse automation, most of the warehouse activities are being automated. Parcel sorting is certainly one of them. Many sectors are adopting sorting automation systems due to the increasing sales volume. In recent times, the overall scale of the express industry has expanded rapidly in China with the swift growth of the e-commerce industry, and the annual business volume has exceeded 30 billion. Also, according to the Deloitte India and Retailers Association of India (RAI) report, currently the Indian e-commerce industry is valued at $200 billion and is expected to grow to $1.2 trillion by . This increase requires a higher sorting efficiency of parcels. And thus, emerged the persisting need for parcel sorting robots. The combination of sorting robot system with fast code-reading and intelligent sorting system of the industrial camera can realize fast sorting and information recording interaction after the code-reading.
&#;In the entire process of supply chain in e-commerce and express industry, parcel sortation is always a major step&#;
- Lit Fung, general manager of Geek Plus, Hong Kong
The sorting robot system can greatly reduce the manual demands in the sorting process, improve the efficiency and automation degree, and greatly improve the accuracy rate. Industries that have a short delivery cycle and a high volume of delivery can incorporate this system to optimize their operational efficiency. With the improvement of big data algorithms and integration of intelligent control systems, the sorting robot system has become a highly fit-component of the logistics industry.
Read on to how these sorting robots work, which companies have deployed them so far, their benefits, their drawbacks, and their future potentiality in the logistics industry.
Sorting robots is a fleet of fast-moving robots which work based on collision avoidance technology. They perform route wise sorting operations by reading the bar codes around the area where they operate. The process is completely automated, ensures safety, efficiency, and accuracy. The human workers place the parcel on the sorting robot, it carries the parcel through the portal frame and reads the order information. It automatically weighs the parcel and displays all the necessary information on the operator interface system. Fleet management system manages this army of robots in coordination with one another and manages all the control and scheduling. Each robot is deployed on the most optimized path for delivery based on the algorithm used. These robots use the auto-detection of obstacles to mutually dodge each other during the sorting operation. When the sorting robot reaches its destination, it stops running and pushes the parcel on its back into a sorting bin (chute). The parcel falls into the sorting bin and thus the sorting operation comes to an end. There can be multiple sorting bins as per the volume of operation.
The companies using parcel sorting robots:
Hikrobot (originated from the machine vision business unit of Hikvision) was the first robotics firm to develop a smart sorting robot system The system, which was deployed in a sorting centre of Chinese delivery powerhouse Shentong (STO) Express, Hangzhou, in the Zhejiang province of China, can meet a sorting need of 20,000 orders per hour using 300 sorting robots at a transfer station of 2,000 square meters. Quick sorting after code reading of small parcels is made possible by integrating sorting robots with the quick code reading technology of the industrial camera and the smart sorting system.
The smart sorting robot system consists of sorting information system, sorting planning system, equipment control system and operation monitoring system, in which the equipment control system is composed of scheduling control services and barcode reading services.
This system can realize the reading of express waybill information, the decoding of delivery locations, the accurate delivery of express packages, and the recording and tracking of express package route information. A single scheduling control service can achieve the scheduling control for hundreds of equipment, the establishment of map models, optimized multi-route planning, reasonable allocation of tasks, and dynamic traffic management.
The bots which are official titled as MR-Q1-UR001A sorting robot, while informally referred to as &#;Little Orange&#;, can carry parcels up to 8 kilograms in weight and travels at a maximum speed of 9.8 feet per second. The 19cm tall robots are known to have improved operational efficiency by 30%. These self-charging intelligent sorting robots can run continuously for 8 hours via a lithium-ion battery and takes 1.5 hours to fully charge.
Hikrobot&#;s MR-Q1-UR001A sorting robot&#;It would take workers five hours to sort the same number of parcels the robots sort in three hours. In addition, workers might make mistakes, handle parcels violently or become stressed and tired under high pressure.&#;
- Hikvision&#;s spokesperson
Features at a glance
- Running speed: Up to 3 m/s in the working mode;
- Automatic weighing/reading/sorting: Quick information identification for each parcel, independent weighing, reading and sorting;
- Self-charging and smart obstacle avoidance: Self-charging in case of low battery, automatic obstacle avoidance, work resumed instantly after charging and continuous for 24 hours
-Energy power system: Built-in lithium iron battery for 8-hour continuous operation, multi-level power threshold control, intelligent power management for sorting, self-charging, and fully charged within 1.5 hours
-Positioning and navigation system: In an area with QR code, intelligently identify the QR code to achieve accurate positioning through the camera linkage; in an area without QR code, use the gyroscope, millimeter and inertial navigation devices
- Multilevel security measures: Multilevel security measures enabled, including ultrasonic obstacle avoidance, emergency stop button, anti-collision sponge, etc., to achieve safe and reliable motion control;
- Real-time data monitoring: As the robots&#; brain, the smart sorting system monitors and reports the real-time operation and data in the entire region through wireless network communication, to ensure validity and reliability;
- Economical and efficient: The 1,000 sqm logistics warehouse uses a sorting system to control 300 sorting robots, providing a sorting capacity of 20,000 parcels per hour.
In , a parcel sorting robot called S20 was developed by Geek Plus Robotics. It enables companies to automate their warehouses without having to install expensive fixed elements such as a traditional conveyor system. It serves as an innovative and cost-effective tool to increase parcel sortation efficiency in the warehouse distribution centre. Since its launch, a fleet of 200 units of the S20 robot, has been taking sorting tasks around the clock, while achieving a benchmark of 10,000 pieces per hour.
Unlike traditional cross-belt sorter and regular robot sorting system, the S20 is highly flexible and easy to use, meaning warehouse reconstruction or a two-tier steel platform structure is no longer necessary, resulting in cost and time savings. S20 integrates a high level of standardization and fast implementation and usually takes 20 days to complete the entire system, including robots and software part. It applies a strong algorithm and flexible system scheduling to find out the most effective path and minimize convergence.
In , Geek plus released the world&#;s first interweaving Robot Sorting System with the latest version of Geek Picking System
Geek Plus&#; S20 robotInterweaving sorting solution &#; &#; the first sorting system without steel platform in China
The companies are usually required to build two layers of steel-platform scattered path intersection for robot sorting system; the pouch is placed on one layer, and the robot on the second layer runs and delivers the parcel to bin, parcel falls into pouch along the bin; and sorting is completed. However, the construction of the steel platform requires a high level of transformation of the warehouse, and it costs around /&#;. The company needs to reform the original warehouse; and the cost, time limit, and movement are the challenges encountered during the deployment period.
Link to Keefam
Based on the precise control of demands for sorting flow, Geek Plus carried out continuous exploration and innovation on the application of robot in parcel sorting system solution, and developed the interweaving sorting system without steel platform. The highly intelligent and flexible system scheduling can reduce the robot path intersection to the maximum extent; the efficiency data can exceed the peak value of steel platform sorting.
The interweaving sorting system completes the sorting through the cooperation of S20 robot and background management system. The bottom robot carrier is equipped with pack-up device and conveyor roller; the height of the conveyor roller is 700mm and can be directly connected with the roll container. Both S20 robot and original turnover S10 robot (small-parcel sorting robot) use QR code navigation, determine the direction of the parcel by scanning the QR code on the parcel; and then, the robot moves parcel to corresponding roll container for sorting. The S20 robot&#;s sorting weight is 20kg; it can sort the parcel with size >50cm*50cm. It has good flexibility and scalability and its sorting efficiency can range from to parcels per hour to tens of thousands of parcels per hour, which reflects the application of flexible automation in sorting operations.
The new interweaving parcel sorting system provides a strategic solution with small investment, quick return, simple implementation, strong scalability, and a high degree of informatization for the problems in the logistics industry.
Benefits of interweaving sorting system
&#; Reduces the difficulty of deployment, reduces project volume and cost.
&#; High standardization degree and short construction period facilitate the system implementation within 20 days.
&#; Flexible layout and application can minimize the site transformation.
&#; It can be used as the automatic lifting of manual sorting and a fully automated sorting system.
Amazon developed a new robot, called Pegasus, for sortation. It has a small conveyer belt on top of it allowing it to receive a package and deposit it in the correct location in the center. It improves sorting accuracy by 50% over our other sortation solutions while preserving the safety features of the existing drive system.
&#;Accuracy is super important. If you drop a package off the conveyor and lose half of it for a few hours, sort a package to the wrong destination, or drop it and damage the package, we can&#;t live up to our customer promise anymore. The results of this new system is that it just works better.&#;
- Brad Porter, head of robotics at Amazon
This system would enable the company, speed up its middle-mile logistics to fulfill one-day shipping orders for Prime members. In , Amazon deployed 800 of its Pegasus bots in the Denver, Colorado, sortation center. These robots are concentrated at the 50 robotic fulfillment centers Amazon operates among its global footprint of 175 fulfillment centers and over 40 sort centers.
The Pegasus robots also calculate the most efficient route for each drive unit to avoid traffic jams on the sortation floor, maximize throughput, improve quality control, and maximize sort density. The operation is all monitored by an Amazon employee in a new job position called the &#;flow control specialist,&#; responsible for managing inbound and outbound package volume and distribution. The Pegasus drive units would help the company reduce sort errors, minimize damage, and speed up delivery times.
Amazon&#;s PegasusTompkins Robotics partnered with design start-up Lab Z to design the automated sorting system t-Sort, which uses independent robots for parcel and unit sortation. The system can be added to on an as-needed basis, with individual robots, chutes and induction stations added without interruptions or downtime, meaning robots can be added for peak seasons and taken out of service when not needed.
The t-Sort system is designed for purchase on a seasonal or annual basis, deferring the usual large upfront capital investment and allowing for full utilization of the assets at all times. The company estimates that the capital investment in t-Sort is 50 percent to 70 percent less than needed for a traditional tilt tray sorting system.
The t-Sort Plus standard payload is up to 30 kg with a load size of up to 19&#; X 40&#;. The system has an alternative configuration for up to 55 kg. The robots run up to four hours on a 5 to 8-minute charge, recharging automatically when needed. The system is ideally suited to handle apparel, footwear, general merchandise, single items, and inner packs. Parcels sorted include bags, boxes, and mailers.
The system has lower risks due to the fact all elements are plug and play, and there is complete redundancy in all elements to include software, servers, and power. A typical installation takes only three to four months, and the required space is reduced tremendously.
The t-Sort system allows for lower investment, shorter lead times, faster implementation, and reduced space and labor. The system enhances fulfillment at the store and consumer level through its unique features. It facilitates retailers and supply chain operators to have a quickly deployed, mobile, and flexible solution for the ever-changing landscape and requirements of the logistics industry.
Tompkins&#; t-sortOcado, a British online-only supermarket which is known for having highly automated warehouses, developed the &#;hive-grid-machine&#;. The bots of this system are capable of processing 3.5 million items or around 65,000 orders every week.
Deliveries are unpacked into crates; crates are placed onto conveyors; and conveyors carry the crates to shelves, where human workers take the intended items to fill customers&#; orders. The new paradigm mainly focuses on efficient space utilisation. Items are still placed in crates, but the crates are stored in huge stacks, up to 17 boxes high. Their position in this stack is decided on the algorithms; with frequently accessed items placed on the top and rarer purchases near the bottom. On top of this hoard, the robots do their work.
Each of the bots has a central cavity and a set of claws it uses to grab crates and pull them up into its interior. It can then move the crate to a new location or drop it down a vertical chute to a picking station. At these stations, the workers grab the items they need from the crate and place them in a shopping bag in another crate. Both these crates are then sent back into the grid, to be refilled with shopping items or moved on to the delivery bay.
Ocado&#;s parcel sorting botsRobotics and warehouse automation company GreyOrange, launched its latest modular sortation system, called Flexo robotics system designed for modern distribution and logistics centers serving retail, and courier and express companies. The system which is known for its versatility, portability, and sortation efficiency, fits well in most warehouses for its flexible layouts, requiring minimal additional infrastructure. This high-performance system, capable of operating round the clock, reduces the cost per shipment and dependency on additional labour during peak seasons. The AI-enabled robotics system can be easily scaled to meet evolving business needs to handle large peaks and reduced during non-peak hours to minimise operating costs. Flexo components are designed to allow for fast implementation in as short as 15 days due to its simple design, modularity, and standardisation.
It is a cost-effective and investment-friendly solution. Its plug-and-play modular components can be added at any time without incurring downtime. Designed with no single point of failure, Flexo can handle up to 12,000 parcels per hour sorting up to hundreds of destinations; including common post and courier items up to 15 kgs (33 pounds).
GreyOrange&#; s FlexoAddverb technologies developed a sorting robot, called Zippy, which performs Store Keeping Unit (SKU) level sortation at 100% accuracy and does up to 20,000 sorts/hour. It is known for its flexibility, reliability, and safety. The chutes require less space when compared to conventional sortation systems. The Zippy robots can be added or removed based on the demand surges. The speed of its operations is predictable and consistent, thereby facilitating easy scheduling. Also, the two-level sensor mechanism ensures zero damages.
Features at a glance
Strong system scalability: the bin of cross-belt sorter is fixed, but sorting robot system can be expanded according to the sales volume.
Low labour cost: the staff positions in the robot sorting system are compact and the efficiency is improved; it can save about 40% of labour cost under the same processing efficiency compared to the cross-belt sorter.
Low sorting error: the sorting robot is adopted with static unloading, and the theoretical sorting error rate is 0 as long as the parcel information is correct.
High system reliability: the robot sorting system is composed of many automated sorting robots; the overall operation efficiency will not be affected by one defective robot. And the system supports remote upgrading and debugging; the related technicians can remotely solve the problem of system scheduling within a short duration.
Energy conservation and environment protection: the actual power consumption of the robot sorting system is lower than that of the same size cross-belt sorter, and it is charged by a low-power rechargeable battery. The use of green and clean energy can make contributions to efficiency-improvement and cost-reduction of enterprise-level customers.
Other benefits include:
- The installation time comes drastically down as compared to a conventional sortation system.
- With lesser human dependency, this automated system of sortation ensures the safety of operation.
- Less musculoskeletal disorders among staff and reduced staff turnover.
· Some robots move around the space without any parcels, resulting in ineffective use of space.
· Most sorting robot systems are not fully automated; human workers are also still used within the process, to move parcels off the conveyor belts.
· These robots are sensitive to excessive sunlight as the glare might throw off the machines&#; sensors. So, for the robots&#; field, the skylights are covered. Even the air-conditioning units hanging from the roof are modified. On the human side, they blow air straight downward, but above the robots, they blow out to the side because gusts of air could blow light packages off the machines&#; conveyor belts.
· Packages like liquids can pose challenges to the working of the system. For instance, it would create a mess if the liquid inside the package leaked down one of the chutes. Robots cannot make decisions on their own and would rely on humans to clean the mess.
In the near future, the companies using the sorting robot system should take initiatives to ensure that the human operators feel comfortable working alongside the robots. This includes their range of movement from an ergonomics standpoint and their safety and involves exploring questions like how best for a human to grab a parcel, scan it, place it, and reach over to hit the button that sends the robot on its way. Further ahead, when the companies plan to make the system completely autonomous; when the human operators who place the parcels get replaced by mobile robots, the companies should make required arrangements to upskill those workers so they perform higher-order tasks and help them keep their livelihoods intact, rather than laying them off, which would cause a drastic increase in unemployment levels.
With automation being increasingly adopted by several firms belonging to various sectors for the repetitive, menial tasks, it has become evident that parcel sorting tasks should be automated too. Though there is still scope of improvement, varied set of benefits such as improved accuracy, quicker delivery, reduced dependency on the human workforce during peak seasons, and gaining a competitive edge over the other firms, certainly outweighs the drawbacks. Also, it is important to keep in mind that the installation of most sorting robot systems is quicker and easier than that of traditional cross-belt sorters. Thus, it wouldn&#;t an exaggeration to say that the companies should attempt to incorporate parcel sorting solutions into their operations, without further ado.
LFT (Legal for Trade) can be for dimensioners or for scales. Customers require weighing and/or measuring devices that have a certificate of performance from NTEP (National Type Evaluation Program) This is required by law if the mailer is using the weights or measurement for commerce. Mailers often use the measurements taken for &#;revenue recovery&#; on postage. If the prepaid postage is less that is should be based on these measurements they can assess a difference in postage from their customer.
Non-Cuboidal Detection is a function of stereoscopic laser dimensioners that can determine if an object is a box or irregular shape like a bag. Sorters have the ability to use this information about a parcel to decide what output to sort it to.
If you want to learn more, please visit our website Modular Intelligent Sorting Equipment Of Medium Speed.