Flexible vs. Fixed Warehouse Automation: The Evolution of Logistics

While fixed systems such as conveyor belts and sortation machines have long been the industry standard due to their efficiency, they lack adaptability. They are also costly to modify, and often require significant downtime to accommodate changes in product lines, volumes or processes. Now, businesses face a critical choice: stick with traditional fixed warehouse automation systems, or embrace flexible solutions like autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), which have the agility and scalability needed to thrive in a constantly changing market. 

The Case for Flexible Automation    

The argument for flexible automation is easy to grasp. Unlike fixed automation, flexible automation empowers warehouses and distribution centers to adapt as demands change. This reduces costs and allows businesses to scale efficiently for peak periods (which are becoming more frequent), all while fostering long-term resilience and competitiveness. “You can build a platform that is flexible so that, no matter what happens, when management calls and says we’re going to run a sale, or we’re going to scale back, you don’t feel whipsawed,” says Mike Johnson, president and chief operating officer of Locus Robotics. “That’s the flexibility right there; the ability to move.”

“When we get customers in the door, we’ve got a three-to-five-year contract, typically, and nobody wants to bolt much down,” says Matthew Dippold, director of digital acceleration at DHL Supply Chain, which deploys persons-to-goods automation systems in multiple facilities. “With peak scenarios, we’re able to scale more robots into the system to deal with the demands that are coming as holiday season ramps up,” Dippold continues. “You couldn’t do that with a fixed system. Maybe you could ramp up the speed of the system, but that’s all you could do.”

First-Time Automation: A Strategic Approach

When a warehouse or DC is embarking on a project to introduce flexible automation, it’s extremely important to strategically identify first of all where you want to see improvements — for examp…