What are technology enablers?

Intralogistics is in essence enabled by technology. It relies on a mix of sensors, logic, and software to automate processes and improve efficiency. These are some of the most important technological components that enable intralogistics:

Robotics and automation

Moving, packing and handling equipment was traditionally a manual job, or at best a job handled by a machine controlled by a person. Now data, automation, and machine learning can have massive impacts on the efficiency of materials handling.

Advanced robotics can now control the movement of materials in an autonomous fashion. Humans are still required in an oversight role, but intralogistics implies that much of the physical movement that takes place inside a building is now automated.

Internet of Things

For automation to work on an industrial scale many small moving parts need to be monitored on an individual level. In turn, for effective monitoring, these moving parts must be connected.

This is where IoT (Internet of Things) technology enables intralogistics: every item is connected to a wider network, allowing for automation and insight into handling, picking, packing, shipment and the time spent on tasks. IoT enables huge amounts of data to be collected, allowing for data science and analytics to map warehouse activity, leading to improved individual and facility efficiency.

Digital Twin

Technology has advanced to the extent that many physical objects and processes can easily and readily be modeled in a digital realm. A digital twin allows companies to compare real-life processes against a model, highlighting where the real-life implementation is suffering from weak points, and where improvements can be made.

Nowadays it is straightforward to create a digital twin of a real-world warehouse scenario or to accurately emulate what happens on the factory floor. Smart components can gather data that is in turn analyzed and processed to enable intralogistics by facilitating real-time fixes to glitches as soon as they are observed.

Enabling intralogistics in your business

As we suggested earlier in this article, intralogistics is a way of thinking. To step into this way of thinking your business needs to engage with a technology partner to help you gather and analyze the data which will enable your enterprise to work as a cohesive, data-driven ecosystem.

You can enable this approch in your business by talking to a technology firm that is experienced in applying software and hardware solutions to the logistics industry. At ELEKS we can show your business how technology-enabled intralogistics can benefit your operations. Reach out to us to find out how intralogistics can support your bottom line.