A certain Internet shopping giant recently made waves by announcing its intent to someday begin using drones to deliver small items directly to customers’ doorsteps. Although the idea of having your purchases delivered by robot may have caused a stir, the fact is that robots have already been part of the supply chain for a long time. Automated warehouses and distribution centers rely on robotic technology to handle a lot of the grunt work that used to be done by people driving forklifts or climbing ladders. Despite the fact that robots have helped make the modern supply chain more effective and efficient, many people still harbor a certain amount of distrust when it comes to robots in the supply chain industry. They may believe that robots create dangerous working environments for people, or that robots put humans out of work.
However, the truth is that robots may have made a lot of physical labor unnecessary for humans, but they still rely on humans a great deal to get their work done. Humans still need to provide programming and maintenance for robots in the automated supply chain. Today’s modern distribution centers and warehouses have been made much safer for people with robots doing much of the heavy lifting. It may be some time before robots take over delivery duties, but today’s supply chain industry couldn’t exist without them. If you’re still wary about the role robots play in the industry, take a look at this infographic to find out how many of the most common myths about robots are busted:
What concerns do you have about robots within supply chian and logistics operations?
Julie Workman is Marketing Manager for Acieta, which specializes in industrial robotics automation that helps North American manufacturers be globally competitive.
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