Monitoring Key Aspects Of Warehouse Automation

A busy warehouse, with high-stacked shelves By Martin Hodgson, Regional Sales Manager, Northern Europe, at Paessler AG.

Warehouse automation has become an integral part of modern warehouses, from automatic placement by robots, to automated retrieval of items, warehouses are becoming more digitised and autonomous than ever before. Automating warehouses requires various hardware and systems, including IT, warehouse systems, and operational technology. Each area operates separately and ensuring that automated processes are running has become critical to the success of logistics operations and the responsibility of Facilities Managers to ensure the smooth running of the warehouse.

It’s critical that Facilities Managers can review all the data related to the health of the infrastructure and the components that are crucial to automation processes in one place, as well as set up thresholds to trigger alerts and notifications when something fails. If there are warehouses in several locations, it's also important to consolidate the monitoring data from each of them into one place, so that it’s possible to instantly see the health and status of each warehouse at a glance.

Key Aspects Of Warehouse Automation: IT, OT And PLC

Facilities managers play a critical role in overseeing warehouse operations, including the management of hardware and systems associated with automation. These typically include information technology (IT) systems such as standard network devices and systems, firewalls, switches, routers, printers, and so on. It also includes specialised software designed for managing a warehouse, and can include inventory management, supply chain management, and warehouse control systems, among others.

Additionally, Operational Technology (OT) hardware and software are used for monitoring and controlling industrial environments, including specialised devices like programmable logic controllers (PLC), industrial PCs, machines and automated vehicles, as well as SCADA systems and Distributed Control Systems. As a Facilities Manager, it's essential to understand and manage these hardware and systems to ensure that warehouse automation processes operate seamlessly and efficiently.

Programmable logic controllers (PLC) are deployed in logistics and typically execute tasks based on information received from warehouse control systems (or other management systems). They are an integral part of automation in a warehouse, such as automatic picking actions or movement of conveyor belts. And because of this, knowing their status is paramount to ensuring the core functioning of a warehouse.



Condition Monitoring In Warehouses

Just like in industrial settings, machines and motors play a vital role in the automation of warehouses. Think of motors on conveyor belts or automatic picking robots. And – just as in manufacturing – monitoring the condition of the machines is key to ensuring effective maintenance keeps them running without unnecessary downtime. Essentially, condition monitoring is measuring data about the machines, usually using IIoT sensors, and then comparing that data to historical trends and other data to predict when a machine will need to be serviced. There are systems out there specifically for condition monitoring, and getting their data into your monitoring overview takes Facilities Managers one step closer to having all their monitoring data in one place.

Monitoring Wireless Networks

As a Facility Manager, you know that automation in modern warehouses relies heavily on wireless networks to communicate. And of course, ensuring these networks are operational is crucial for automation. You can monitor the wireless networking infrastructure itself (such as routers, switches, end-points, and more) using common functionality like SNMP or REST APIs. Monitoring connected devices is equally as important. You can use various tools to monitor the network and device status to ensure that the wireless network is working as expected. This helps you quickly identify any issues and resolve them before they affect the overall automation process. By ensuring the wireless network is operational, you can guarantee that the warehouse automation processes run smoothly and efficiently.

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Monitoring Key Aspects Of Warehouse Automation