Digitize to Improve: Intelligent, Vision-Based Systems Ensure Success in Retail Distribution Centers

With industry trends like smaller, more frequent orders and an increase in polybags and irregular-shaped packages, there is a need in retail distribution centers for smart, digitized sorting and tracking. SICK’s intelligent, vision-based sortation and tracking systems is one way to increase productivity and enable greater control of your production and distribution processes.

“When you receive product you’re taking ownership, so one of the key challenges is to speed up and perfect that process by using intelligent reader and sensor technology to capture codes, dimensions, and other pertinent package attributes,” said Justin Hildman, systems manager for application solutions with SICK. “Digitally capturing package characteristics sets the table for many different things you can do to improve your processes.”

SICK is a global provider of intelligent industrial sensors, including vision-based bar code readers that capture and digitize information to help optimize production, especially for flow of products on conveyors, sorters, and automated storage systems. In addition, SICK has a solution for detecting irregularly-shaped objects, like polybags, on conveyors so you can ensure your operations remains productive.

Sensing the Future of Retail Distribution

Our intelligent vision and sensing portfolio addresses multiple functions, including:

• Investigating the cause of no-read events
• Providing a visual record of package condition
• Ensuring equipment is working correctly
• Providing high-resolution images of labels and bar codes
• Rapid identification of damaged goods or difficult to convey/handle products
• Integrated dimensioning and weighing

Our intelligent vision solutions help the retail industry excel in today’s ever-expanding digital environment.

“Vision gives you that bigger, two-dimensional field of view that takes into account different variables that can impact being able to capture the information you need,” said Tom Wik, SICK’s national product manager, vision and identification.

With vision solutions, you are able to analyze a database of images and find the cause of “no-reads.” Whether it’s because the labeling equipment is not putting labels on correctly or the package is moved around more than expected – vision solutions provide you all the details necessary to make your process more efficient.

Vision-Based Success

With our vision-based code readers, retail distribution centers will see success in three areas of their operations:

Receiving: Using a combination of a line array camera and smaller image-based code readers like the Lector65X, you can capture full images of packages while reading codes and capturing label and package conditions. This can also include dimensioning solutions so you can properly route packages based on size.

Shipping: Camera-based bar code readers, dimensioning sensors, and integrated digital weigh scales can be used to perform final bar code reads. In addition, SICK’s Package Analytics software allows for centralized querying and analysis.

Conveyor and sortation lines: Image-based readers can capture codes and digitally capture package information, label condition, label orientation, or package position as it moves down the line through sorting processes. Reader devices triggered by SICK’s digital photo eyes, or by light array devices such as SICK’s Ray10 are able to precisely detect the leading and trailing edges of small items such as polybags and act as triggers for camera based readers. They also trigger automated functions such as divert logic in material handling and warehouse control systems.

Industry 4.0 in Distribution Centers

A typical distribution center has many challenges, and SICK’s camera-based solutions empower you to solve these efficiently and effectively. They key to all this is through data collection, even going beyond the traditional transactional data from bar codes.

SICK sensors can digitally capture images that identify package characteristics like dimensions, label condition, and other factors that could impact order fulfillment or customer satisfaction. This all sets up your distribution center to fully embrace Industry 4.0 technology.

Industry 4.0 refers to the fourth industrial revolution led by digital technologies. Solutions from SICK can help with digitizing the physical world so that you can be more productive. Vision and digital sensors capture more attributes and variables about physical realities of industrial and supply chain processes. And the data is all available at your fingertips.

With the implementation of vision-based readers, digital array cameras, and dimensioning sensors, retail distribution centers can digitally capture package attributes and know exactly what is moving down a production or warehouse line.

With our large product portfolio, we have a solution that can help ease a major pain point in your industry. Our Industry-4.0-ready solutions drive improvement.

Learn more about how SICK can optimize your retail distribution center.