Newegg Commerce Inc. wanted to automate repetitive and physically demanding tasks at its warehouse in Ontario, Calif. The global e-commerce provider of technology products today announced that it has deployed a shelf-to-person mobile picking system from Geekplus Technology Co.
“We’re optimistic about seeing improvements in picking efficiency and storage space optimization with the new Geek+ robotics system in our Ontario warehouse,” said Tim Zhou, Newegg IT manager, in a release. “Newegg pursues advanced technology solutions throughout our business to offer the best services for customers, so this new system is part of fulfilling that commitment.”
Founded in 2001, Newegg is a leading online retailer for PC hardware, consumer electronics, gaming peripherals, home appliances, and automotive and lifestyle technologies. The City of Industry, Calif.-based company said it also serves businesses’ e-commerce needs with marketing, supply chain, and technical solutions in a single platform.
Newegg collaborates on determining need for robots
Opened in September 2021, Newegg's 240,000-sq.-ft. Ontario facility is one of its seven warehouses. The company’s other distribution centers are in Eastvale and City of Industry, Calif.; Indianapolis; Edison, N.J.; Atlanta; and Richmond Hill, Ontario.
Products are stored in racks based on both order frequency and compatibility. For example, a popular graphics card may sit on a shelf positioned near a human picker so it’s optimized to be efficiently picked and packed. If a CPU is frequently ordered with a graphics card, the CPU may sit on an adjacent shelf to the graphics card.
Newegg and Geek+ worked together to determine the autonomous mobile robot (AMR) footprint in the warehouse and to train Newegg employees to operate the system for picking. The system was fully implemented in about six weeks, they said.
P800 robots roll out to work
The AMR system includes dozens of robots that operate within a designated area. They then lift and carry mobile shelves to workstations where employees pick and scan products to prepare them for shipping to customers. The Geek+ system at Newegg includes 24,360 storage locations for products within hundreds of shelves.
Resembling a flat circular disc similar to a large robotic vacuum, the P800 robots roll at more than 3.5 mph and can lift and move over 2,200 lb.
The P800 robots move simultaneously on the floor throughout a designated area of the warehouse and under racks. Geek+ software assigns routes and duties to the AMRs based on inbound customer orders.
Once parked underneath a rack, the robot lifts the rack and drives it to a warehouse employee several yards away so the employee can pick products. The robot can also rotate the rack to offer products from two opposite sides.
All P800 robots can move at the same time without collisions to fulfill their duties, bringing racks to employees and returning the shelving units to storage areas until needed again, explained Geek+.
Geek+ touts benefits of automation
Geek+ said its robots eliminate the need for warehouse workers to walk long distances to pick products from shelves, a time-consuming and physically demanding process. The system has increased efficiency and accuracy, enabling products to be picked, packed, and shipped faster than traditional manual picking methods, according to Newegg and Geek+.
Newegg said it has already seen improved employee safety and cost savings, among other benefits.
“Our shelf-to-person picking system improves the entire process for Newegg,” stated Rick DeFiesta, executive vice president of sales and solutions at Geek+. “The benefits include improved efficiency and productivity, accurate fulfillment, reduced labor costs, safety and ergonomics, and space optimization.”
“With a robust data collection and analytics process, all these benefits equip Newegg with a competitive advantage and a better customer experience,” he added.
By taking on tedious or hazardous tasks, the robots allow associates to be reassigned to more complex and value-added activities that require greater problem-solving, decision-making and cognitive skills, Geek+ said. The robots also reduce physical strain and risk of injuries common among manual picking processes.
In addition, employees have acquired new skills to supervise and maintain the robots while evaluating how they operate within the entire logistics system, said the company.
Founded in 2015, Geek+ said that more than 700 global industry leaders trust its AMRs. The company has over 1,500 employees and offices in Beijing and San Diego, as well as Germany, the U.K., Japan, South Korea, and Singapore.
Editor's note: Geek+ will be participating in the keynote sesson of the 2023 Robotics Applications Conference, presented by Robotics 24/7 and Peerless Media.
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