Categorieën

Magazijnautomatisering

AGV's, AS/RS, robotica en orchestratiesoftware.

Warehouse automation has moved well beyond fixed conveyors. AGVs and AMRs, AutoStore and shuttle AS/RS, piece-picking robots and goods-to-person stations now appear in mid-size European DCs, not only flagship sites.

This category covers the trade-offs that decide whether automation pays back in 3 years or 8: order profile, SKU velocity, peak factor, building constraints and the WMS/WCS integration that ties hardware to business logic.

Expect comparative tables, ROI logic and integration patterns — written for the engineer who has to defend the business case, not the marketing brochure.

Articles in Warehouse Automation

FAQ

About warehouse automation

When is warehouse automation worth it?+

Typical triggers: throughput above 5 000 lines/day, labor shortage, peak ratios above 3×, or storage density gains worth more than €1 000/m²/year. A simple payback under 5 years on labour + space usually justifies investment.

What is the difference between AGV and AMR?+

AGVs follow fixed paths (magnetic tape, QR markers) and are cheaper per unit. AMRs use SLAM/laser navigation, share the floor with people and reroute dynamically — better for changing layouts but ~30-50% more expensive per robot.

What is a WCS and do I need one?+

A Warehouse Control System orchestrates conveyors, sorters, robots and AS/RS in real time. You need a WCS as soon as you have two or more automated subsystems that must hand work between each other reliably.

How long does a warehouse automation project take?+

From concept to go-live: 9–18 months for a single technology (e.g. AS/RS), 18–30 months for a multi-system greenfield DC. Detailed simulation and emulation reduce go-live risk significantly.

Easy Systems
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