How Amazon robots make your order happen.

[line-em-up]

This is really cool!

http://www.chonday.com/Videos/how-the-amazon-warehouse-works

[Sgt Beavis]

It is really cool, but we're also looking at the end of unskilled factory labor. Frankly I'm surprised they haven't replaced the guy doing the packing yet.

Also, I'm very curious to know how those pods are getting stocked. It looks like it would be very difficult to do that with a person.

Amazon is opening a fullfillment center in Thorton, CO, just 5 miles from me. I hope they offer tours.

[Sgt Beavis]

I just answered my own question. There are tours in Dallas if any of you are interested.

http://amazonfctours.com/

[yellowstang]

It' like 1 human per 100K sq ft of warehouse space

[32vfromhell]

Their inventory system is revolutionary.

[Broncojohnny]

My company has built a lot of buildings for them. I am selling seven of them that are in the process of being built. The amount of money they spend on them is beyond ridiculous.

[LANTIRN]

It is really cool, but we're also looking at the end of unskilled factory labor. Frankly I'm surprised they haven't replaced the guy doing the packing yet.

Also, I'm very curious to know how those pods are getting stocked. It looks like it would be very difficult to do that with a person.

Amazon is opening a fullfillment center in Thorton, CO, just 5 miles from me. I hope they offer tours.

I work maintenance for a distribution center in the metroplex (not Amazon), and about half of our stock is picked by an automated machine if I recall correctly. The only human interaction in that area is restocking items, clearing jams, repairs, and reconfiguring the slots for new product. The main thing that keeps a lot of product form being auto picked, as opposed to manual picked, is size, shape, weight, and if it is easily damaged. Tech is improving in that area though. We are an older facilitry at 12 to 15 years old I believe, and the newer ones seem to use newer automated pickers with more capability. I really think the main obstacle is size and shape right now; once machines can adapt to that unskilled jobs disappear. My company puts as much on the auto pickers as possible, so I am sure if they could get away with 100% they would. However there is still a long way to go with 100% automation. You have to receive in product and unload trucks, transfer it to where it goes, put it on the shelf, then once it is picked it has to be loaded on the truck and the driver has to sign for it. Some companies are more automated in those area than others so it is only a matter of time, but they still have a ways to go. Also don't forget buidings often need to be designed around all this; some would cost a fortune to convert over.

[32vfromhell]

I used to work as a ticket puller in high school in a warehouse. it could have easily been automated. Just walk in a circle and pull things out of bins to put in a packing box. Mindless work.

[LANTIRN]

I used to work as a ticket puller in high school in a warehouse. it could have easily been automated. Just walk in a circle and pull things out of bins to put in a packing box. Mindless work.

Very much. The hardest part for them seems to be that you are standing for 8 hours. Like I said the only reason more of our stuff isn't automated is because it just doesn't fit in the automatic pickers, which should be an easy thing to solve.

[bonnie&clyde]

I don't understand why they don't put the rack back where they got it from

[32vfromhell]

I don't understand why they don't put the rack back where they got it from

Because moving the rack based on its current inventory is more efficient.

Each rack has a value based on the goods on it. If you remove a hot item from it, the rack value went down, so it should be placed in a lower priority of the warehouse until its rack value goes back up and the need for quick access becomes a priority.

[HarrisonTX]

I work maintenance for a distribution center in the metroplex (not Amazon), and about half of our stock is picked by an automated machine if I recall correctly. The only human interaction in that area is restocking items, clearing jams, repairs, and reconfiguring the slots for new product. The main thing that keeps a lot of product form being auto picked, as opposed to manual picked, is size, shape, weight, and if it is easily damaged. Tech is improving in that area though. We are an older facilitry at 12 to 15 years old I believe, and the newer ones seem to use newer automated pickers with more capability. I really think the main obstacle is size and shape right now; once machines can adapt to that unskilled jobs disappear. My company puts as much on the auto pickers as possible, so I am sure if they could get away with 100% they would. However there is still a long way to go with 100% automation. You have to receive in product and unload trucks, transfer it to where it goes, put it on the shelf, then once it is picked it has to be loaded on the truck and the driver has to sign for it. Some companies are more automated in those area than others so it is only a matter of time, but they still have a ways to go. Also don't forget buidings often need to be designed around all this; some would cost a fortune to convert over.

This makes me wonder about the un-skilled labor market. Un-skilled laborers are wanting minimum wage to be raised. But honestly, with the advancement of automation greatly replacing jobs, mostly un-skilled labor jobs, its obvious that soon there will be a flood of unemployed un-skilled labor. If anything minimum wage should flat-line for a long time.

[LANTIRN]

This makes me wonder about the un-skilled labor market. Un-skilled laborers are wanting minimum wage to be raised. But honestly, with the advancement of automation greatly replacing jobs, mostly un-skilled labor jobs, its obvious that soon there will be a flood of unemployed un-skilled labor. If anything minimum wage should flat-line for a long time.

Yep. Look at the automated cash registers at walmart, home depot, etc, and even automated ordering at fast food restraunts. Most of those jobs will be gone soon. Mom and pop owned businesses will likely still employ people in thos positions, but they don't employ nearly as many as the big chains. Hell, some stores like lowes and home depot are even putting live inventory online and listing the location, so you can look it up online, walk to the location, then check out and not need to interact with an employee unless it is on the top shelf or you need it loaded. I hate to see a guaranteed minimum income, but there will be so many unemployed unskilled laborers that I don't see another answer at the moment. Automation will create jobs in maintenance, management, advertising, etc, but anything it creates will be skilled. Most of these people working cash registered or stocking warehouses work there because they have no other training. It isn't an easy problem to solve, but there is time. Unfortunately the masses and government will jump at free money.

[HarrisonTX]

Yep. Look at the automated cash registers at walmart, home depot, etc, and even automated ordering at fast food restraunts. Most of those jobs will be gone soon. Mom and pop owned businesses will likely still employ people in thos positions, but they don't employ nearly as many as the big chains. Hell, some stores like lowes and home depot are even putting live inventory online and listing the location, so you can look it up online, walk to the location, then check out and not need to interact with an employee unless it is on the top shelf or you need it loaded. I hate to see a guaranteed minimum income, but there will be so many unemployed unskilled laborers that I don't see another answer at the moment. Automation will create jobs in maintenance, management, advertising, etc, but anything it creates will be skilled. Most of these people working cash registered or stocking warehouses work there because they have no other training. It isn't an easy problem to solve, but there is time. Unfortunately the masses and government will jump at free money.

I'm thankful constantly that I have an automation background

[95DRGT]

Very cool but not many companies can afford this kind of automation or get an ROI if they did. I would wager that there is less than 5% of the companies that have this level of sophistication. The flip to that is there are a ton still on antiquated paper based systems and vast majority on some kind of WMS RF based systems with some level of smart conveyors, voice picking/putaway or ASRS