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FusionPort from AutoStore
An increasing number of robots at ProMat promised to flexibly place and retrieve boxes or totes from high racking and to move in narrow aisles. At the same time, automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) providers such as AutoStore had a strong presence with more fixed automation.
AutoStore’s updated FusionPort workstations allow vision-guided bulk picking, said David Clear, vice president of business development at the Derry, N.H.-based company. It enables both pick-to-replenishment and consumer-facing PickUpPort stations for order fulfillment.
ASRS and micro-fulfillment centers offer retailers and e-commerce providers a solution to scarce and expensive real estate for new facilities, he said.
Integrator Swisslog has seen an uptick in AutoStore orders, said Sean Wallingford, the company’s CEO for the Americas. “3PLs are getting more strategic in a fixed labor environment,” he said.
Among the challengers to ASRS vendors was Exotec. Its Skypod goods-to-person (G2P) system uses standard racking and can send orders to a manual picking station or a FANUC robot arm. The company produces its own Skypath conveyor line and the integrated Deepsky software.
“Our system is easy to extend, can handle three standardized totes, and integrates with warehouse management systems [WMS] and warehouse execution systems [WCS], said Stanislas Norman, managing director for North America at Exotec.
“It can buffer orders overnight for human pickers,” he told Robotics 24/7 at ProMat. “This show has been very busy, and we’ve exceeded our target leads by 30%. In two days, we’re close to last year’s MODEX numbers.”
Suzhou, China-based Mushiny also uses mobile robots, AI management software, and standardized shelving as it expands into the North American market.
“We can support picking from 600 bins per hour,” said Ming Liu, founder and CEO of Mushiny.
“Our multinational customers have confidence in our projects,” added CIO Tony Huang. “That trust is our differentiator.”
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