Veso Apotek will be the first in the world to automate their order picking using Pickr.AI solution
In April 2023, Veso Apotek entered into a partnership with Pickr.AI to streamline order picking operations at their Vestby, Norway warehouse. Veso Apotek is an online store at the forefront of veterinary services and Norway’s leading supplier of pharmaceuticals, commercial goods and hygiene products for animals.
The automation solution comprises Pickr.AI’s latest technology, PickrMate, alongside four vertical lift modules, LOGIMAT®, and a standard flow rack.
PickrMate places containers on the front shelf, picks items from the given location, puts them in the container, and then moves the container to a buffer zone. After that, human workers collect containers from the buffer zone, consolidate the orders with picks from other warehouse zones and pack them for shipping.
The PickrMate works in a 12-meter zone, covering up to 17 square meters of floor space and utilizing 50 cubic meters of the warehouse space, emphasizing a 3D order fulfillment solution. It handles picking 1800 different items from 4500 locations inside the LOGIMATs. The Veso installation allows to process up to 144 orders at once without needing people to step in.
hoosing the Pickr.AI solution was a strategic decision for Veso, influenced by its attractive low upfront investment cost and its seamless integration into the existing warehouse infrastructure with minimal modifications. Notably, the implementation of a flow rack in the buffer zone eliminates the need for expensive conveyors, contributing to cost-effectiveness in both installation and maintenance.
An additional crucial factor in Veso’s selection of the Pickr.AI solution is the flexibility to revert to manual order picking when necessary. Recognizing the inevitability of hardware failures and software defects, Veso can mitigate disruptions by manually parking the robot at a designated area and seamlessly switching back to manual order picking until the issue is resolved.
To manage warehouse inventory and order fulfillment, Veso has deployed Shark WMS, a product of Logiware. Shark WMS has a global user base of around 500 customers, a quarter of whom are based in Norway. Pickr.AI has integrated with Shark WMS to make it easy for the personnel to switch to the robotized order picking. This way warehouse personnel do not need to learn a new interface and switching back to manual order picking in downtime is straightforward.
The installation process is scheduled to commence in April 2024, marking a significant step towards optimizing Veso Apotek’s warehouse operations and making the first industrial installation for PickrMate.
