If you are working within the distribution supply chain, then you probably know about the Internet of Things (IoT). It is an ecosystem in which computer networks allow communication to and from connected devices and equipment.
It is this technology that allows people to control a security system and electric products in their homes with just a few taps on their smartphone or tablet. It is this technology that also permits the instant monitoring of the distribution chain of any trade so that products that are needed by consumers or businesses are automatically ordered and delivered. It is this technology that will make the warehouses of the not-to-distant future omnipotent.
There are a number of ways any warehouse can benefit from being a part of the Internet of Things. Here’s how.
· Real time monitoring. Sensors on products will allow anything from a pallet and the items on it to forklifts to be supervised by a computer in real time. This permits easy picking of products immediately after orders come in and ensures that the warehouse operation is as efficient as possible.
· Efficient inventory management. No more searching for lost pallets because every pallet is tracked each second of each minute of each hour a day. No more human error. Instead, the status of inventory is accurate down to 100 percent.
· Smart and safe forklifts. Sensors on forklifts will allow these previously mundane vehicles to talk to each other so that each lift knows exactly where the other lifts are going. The sensors will permit each forklift to ascertain service needs and receive and transmit data to help it achieve the task at hand. The sensors will also permit warehouse managers to keep close and immediate track of each forklift as well as its performance and condition.
· Optimum productivity. The most efficient operation is achieved. Managers will learn instantly about how to improve results and make those enhancements quickly.
What makes all of this work are sensors that monitor and measure activity; connectivity of everything through the Internet to allow command through smartphones or command stations; and processors that permit everything to have computing power.
Connecting devices have been with us since 2003. Back then there were about 500 million connected contraptions, but that accounted for less than 0.08 devices per person. Now there are 12.5 billion connected gadgets or 1.84 devices per person. Believe it or not, there are more connected devices than people on Earth. And the growth of this technology has been driven by the advent of the smartphone and tablet.
A new report published by DHL and Cisco notes that the Internet of Things will infuse supply chain and logistics operations by as much as $1.9 trillion. Moreover, it estimates that $8 trillion will be generated through new connections during the next 10 years.
The Internet of Things technology continues to grow quickly. The report claims that 50 billion devices will be connected to the Internet by 2020 compared to 15 billion today.
Take heed, the era of the omnipotent warehouse is coming sooner than you think.