How Robotic Forklifts Improve Warehouse Efficiency

When warehouses integrate robotic forklifts and lift trucks into their daily operations, their bottom line and work efficiency increase. With new technology in the warehouse, companies may be better equipped to handle more products while reducing the risk of injury. Thanks to robotic forklifts, automation takes the guesswork out of improved operations.

How Robotic Forklift Solutions Increase Efficiency

Warehouse managers who invest in robotic forklift solutions will find that their efficiency within the warehouse improves. From repurposing staff tasks to utilizing the space better, robotic forklifts and lift trucks can help you automate your workflow and streamline the work process. Here are four ways robotic forklifts can increase productivity in warehouses:

1. Repurposing Staff

Robotic forklifts can help you repurpose your staff for more important jobs that will help you increase your revenue. The physical labour of warehouse work can result in slower operations or human error. With the addition of robotic machinery, staff can save time and work in areas that make better use of their skills, resulting in less staff turnover and fewer expenses for temporary labour.

2. Increasing Operations Speed

Robotic machinery can increase your operations and order fulfillment speed. With the addition of robotic forklifts, your staff can reduce the need for manual labour and automate processes such as goods movement, picking routes and production lines. Because robotics can work for more extended periods of time, your operations will speed up significantly.

3. Using Space Efficiently

Warehouse managers will appreciate that robotic forklifts help them increase their storage capacity and use the space efficiently. Once you’ve automated the retrieval process, you can call for faster despatches and find fewer overstocking problems within your storage spaces.

4. Managing Stock

Lower the costs of managing stock by using robotic forklifts and lift trucks. Automation helps you better control your stock and storage management while maximizing the potential of your storage space and using the warehouse more efficiently. 

Benefits of Robotic Forklifts in Warehouses

Robotic forklifts in warehouses offer many benefits to your company and your staff. From increased safety to reduced costs, you’ll find that automated forklifts can integrate seamlessly into your current processes and improve your workflow significantly. Here are four benefits of using robotic forklifts in the workplace:

1. Safety

Staff can experience many dangers while handling materials due to the heavy machinery they work with, the intense high-pressure environment of picking and receiving orders and the high foot traffic within the warehouse. Many warehouses still use manual forklifts, which can result in injuries or fatalities if misused. Unsafe operations of forklifts can result from numerous variables, including:

• Inexperienced drivers: Drivers who haven’t used a forklift or used one very often are more likely to make mistakes that can result in costly damages.
• Unsecured materials: Materials not secured to the forklift may fall off, cause damage to products or result in staff injuries.
• High load capacity: When the capacity the forklift can handle has been exceeded, the forklift could become damaged and result in injury or damaged goods.
• Unstable surfaces: When the ground surface is uneven, the forklift could tilt or fall over.
• Human error: Human error can happen at any time and may result in damaged products, injuries or fatalities. 

An automated forklift can reduce these possibilities and help you maintain a reliable and predictable working environment. Robotic forklifts follow programmed routes and often come equipped with audio and visual warnings using sensor data. These sensors help the robots see, learn and report any dangers or risky circumstances that could result in an injury.

The workplace will be much safer when human error is eliminated. Automated forklifts can work alongside humans with less worry about the safety of the staff.

2. Productivity

Though robotic forklifts are driverless, they’re meant to always stay on task. Because they can work all day every day, these automated machines can perform in peak conditions no matter what. Have the forklifts take over repetitive tasks and operate the heavy lifting so your human staff can work in other areas to improve customer experience and drive more revenue.

3. Cost

Integrating robotic forklifts can also reduce the costs of working with human staff. Due to the rising cost of human labour and workplace injuries, including medical expenses, salary or productivity losses, the inclusion of robotic forklifts can help reduce costly accidents. Though you might think the cost of a robotic forklift may not be worth it, you’ll see a significant return on investment once you’ve integrated the automation into your operations. 

4. WMS Integration

Robotic forklifts and lift trucks can easily integrate with your current warehouse management system (WMS). Using your software as a resource, the robotics can automatically learn your typical tasks and movements or be programmed to move throughout the space. Automated robotics can help your human team focus on high-value tasks and leave the repetitive and labour-intensive tasks to the forklifts and lift trucks.

YIT’s Robotic Forklift Technology in Quebec and Ontario

YIT’s robotic forklift technology and robotic solutions can help automate your repetitive and low-value tasks while increasing your efficiency and revenue. Our company uses forklifts driven by Baylo technology to help you automate tasks like picking, transporting and dropping off materials or pallets on their own. Your labour productivity increases while your workflow becomes seamless and your bottom line grows.

Our robotic forklifts can also switch to manual mode, allowing your staff to oversee small tasks if they wish. We enhance your work process by encouraging collaboration between robots and human employees while allowing staff to focus on high-value tasks and robotics to focus on low-value and labour-intensive tasks.

Implementing robotic lift trucks can help you integrate your automation and current operations seamlessly. Whether you’re looking for a forklift to self-navigate or pick up and transport objects, you’ll appreciate YIT’s robotic technology for its capability to work without any assistance.

Contact YIT to Find Robot Forklifts in Canada

Find automated forklifts in Canada with the help of YIT and our reliable robotic forklift technology. Since 1972, YIT has become a full-service forklift company in Canada with the development of new robotics solutions. You can find the right automated solution for your warehouse needs in Quebec and Ontario at YIT. Contact us today to speak to a representative about robot forklifts!