Cloud and automation trends for warehouse management solutions in Malaysia
With cloud native computing, imagine that each application you need to build your business platform is a Lego block. In essence, you could choose which Lego block you want to use to build your platform, or build your enterprise solution for your organisation.
AC2’s co-founder and managing partner Aw Yang Uei added, that his ‘Lego block’ is warehouse management solutions, and it is something that AC2 focuses on, and by virtue of that focus, they have become specialists in warehouse management solutions.
And I can attest to this, having seen Aw have a keen conversation about warehouse robots, warehouse automation, warehouse inventory systems, and everything to do with warehouses that you can think of.
In a typical enterprise solution, other Lego blocks could be ERP, delivery solutions, CRM solutions, and more. Aw believed that the best-of-breed of these solutions can combine to create an organisation’s unique solution, thanks to the cloud-native computing.
Needless to say, all the pieces are important and each have their own important roles to play in the bigger scheme of things. And AC2’s warehouse management systems (WMS) is able to do what other WMS solutions aren’t able to do, and then some more.
In general, a WMS needs to be able to identify the product that comes into a warehouse, identify when it did so, and how it arrived.
In a typical enterprise solution, other Lego blocks could be ERP, delivery solutions, CRM solutions, and more. Aw believed that the best-of-breed of these solutions can combine to create an organisation’s unique solution, thanks to the cloud-native computing.
“I may want to do certain validation for certain items, and a different validation for a different set of items,” Aw explained.
What validation means is the capture and recording of the manufacturing date of items, or even the expiration date, or even the log number of these items.
And just as there is in-bound validation, there is also outbound validation that ensures for example, items that are expiring soon will not be sent out. “It has too short a shelf life to be put into the market,” Aw explained.
Cloud trends
Having given a presentation earlier at a Cloud Native Software Solutions event for the logistics industry, Aw had an observation to share.
“Ten years ago, I would have said WMS could not go to the cloud. But now, with new technologies and new cloud computing approaches, we see many in the industry jumping onboard with cloud. “
Malik Murad Ali, IT Director of Mydin who also spoke at the same conference was quick to re-emphasise, “Be wary of the cloud, but do not be afraid of it, and read the fine print.” Malik had shared that cloud technology makes sense for businesses that needed to scale, wanted to reduce complexity, as well as leverage the AI and ML capabilities that cloud technologies can deliver.
Aw believed that with 5G or future 6G technology, latency would improve to the point that robotics controllers could be hosted in the cloud.
Trends with robots and automation
Aw also shared that most (usually higher end) WMS systems would also link to a lot of automation and robotics technology.
AC2 does this as well, and mostly with robots that are able to carry shelf racks. The industry refers to these type of robots as Goods-to-person robots, and a famous example is the Amazon Kiva robots.
Instead of a picker going to the rack to pick things, Kiva-type robots will carry the rack to the picker.
“The reason is because the most time-consuming activity in the warehouse, is walking.”
Having gone through the experience of evaluating robotics technology and then deployment, Malik wanted to share automation is a consideration for businesses that want to leverage scale, accuracy and improve productivity.
“The reason is because the most time-consuming activity in the warehouse, is walking.”
However, he cautioned organisations to think through their money management and financials first, especially if they are SMEs. These organisations must also ensure they have an established inventory system, a foundation of data, and awareness about automation, before thinking about implementing automation.
