As part of MHI view's ongoing video program, this new episode focuses on MHI Next-Gen Supply Chain Update: Advanced Analytics. 

 

This episode of our four-part, Next Gen Supply Chain series focuses on the third stage of digital adoption, advanced analytics.

 

 

Material Handling & Logistics—Zebra Technology customized the solutions for the company's visually-impaired workers with large characters, color coding and voice-directed picking.

ThomasNet—A roboticist from Harvard University and MIT, Shuguang Li, along with his colleagues invented a soft robotic gripper with an origami design that allows for the gentle handling of objects. The gripper is bell-shaped with a silicone rubber skeleton covered in airtight latex rubber skin, which can narrow for a tightened grip by using a vacuum to remove air. It can also lift items such as electric drills and a full bottle of wine, which are more than 120 times its weight.

Modern Distribution Management—Employee fatigue is increasingly becoming a serious workplace issue. While not easily discernible in the accounting books, fatigue is impacting the bottom line for many distributors. It costs employers an estimated $136 billion in health-related lost productivity each year in the U.S. alone, according to the National Safety Council. A well-designed and implemented WMS can play a meaningful role for distributors facing warehouse worker fatigue.

Modern Materials Handling—Report estimates global warehouse automation market will more than double from $13 billion in 2018 to $27 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 11.7% between 2019 and 2025.

Refrigerated & Frozen Foods—Leading-edge LED lighting technologies and smart controls are transforming the way the industry approaches warehouse illumination.

EBN—Last-mile delivery challenges are not solely the logistics behind the transportation factor of getting a box to a customer’s front door, but also keeping it at that front door – until the customer collects it. Porch pirates are facing some new tech, though, designed to make sure the purchaser – not a pirate – goes home with the treasure.

Logistics Management—On-board terminals and battery management systems are becoming central to maximizing daily productivity of lift trucks as well as long-term fleet efficiencies. Learn how technology on lift trucks is becoming integral to help fleet managers plan not just today’s activities and fleet deployment but long-term fleet needs.

Material Handling & Logistics—According to new research from the Workforce Institute at Kronos focusing on the Gen Z work experience, this future talent pool is characterized by their desire for schedule flexibility, face-to-face interaction with managers and teams and employers who support work-life balance.

Transport Topics—Total Transportation Services Inc., a Southern California drayage company, will replace its entire diesel trucking fleet with near-zero emission natural-gas trucks. The vehicles will be fueled with carbon-negative renewable natural gas, according to a news release. The company also said it is testing trucks with zero emissions.

Supply Chain Dive—UPS will purchase more than 6,000 natural gas-powered vehicles between 2020 and 2022, the logistics company announced. The investment in alternative fuel vehicles will cost the company $450 million and is meant to help it meet its 2025 sustainability goals.