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The evolution of the warehouse and distribution center is causing a revolution in automated solutions for everything from picking to loading, as robotics R&D accelerates. Providers of material handling solutions are feeding a growing appetite for automation in the warehouse and distribution center these days, with a special interest in robotics. Research into and development of robotics applications for everything from picking and packing to truck loading and unloading is on the rise, and the trend shows no sign of slowing down, says Crystal Parrott, vice president of the Robotics Center of Excellence at the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based systems integrator Dematic. “It’s a fascinating time to be in robotics,” says Parrott, whose group works with customers to develop automated solutions that incorporate robotic bin picking and palletizing. She says advances in vision and gripping technology, computing power, and artificial intelligence are helping to propel robotics research and development, and that labor challenges, e-commerce, and omnichannel business trends are driving customers’ interest in applying high-tech solutions throughout the warehouse and distribution center. And the timing couldn’t be better, as warehouses and DCs morph into fast-paced fulfillment centers that offer increasingly quick turnaround times. Finding better, more efficient ways to move products throughout the facility is at the top of just about everyone’s priority list, it seems. “The industry as a whole is going to continue to evolve,” Parrott says. “And we need solutions that can help in all areas.” PICKING SYSTEMS ADVANCE Underlying the growing interest in robotics is the sheer need to get more orders out the door faster in today’s environment. Intense competition in the e-commerce sector, a rise in the number of stock-keeping units (SKUs) companies must keep on hand, and advancing technology in general are all causing companies to move toward automated warehouses and DCs, and […]