K-Parts, a leading online supplier of scooter, moped and motorbike parts, has chosen robots from Prime Vision to streamline its warehouse logistics operations at Harderwijk in the Netherlands.
The robots will allow made-to-order boxes to be packed with items in a highly optimized manner, seamlessly collaborating with the Intellistore automatic storage and retrieval system (ASRS) and personnel working at the facility.
Customised boxes
Providing access to an extensive range of components and accessories from leading brands, K-Parts delivers products of all shapes and sizes. To reduce packaging and boost efficiency, when the company receives an order, it builds a custom box that matches the dimensions of the selected products.
Robots from Prime Vision will transport these boxes from the infeed line to the correct picking stations, where K-Parts employees will pack items selected by the ASRS. Following completion, the order will be moved to the box closing machine and the next stage of sorting. The system will be fully operational by March 2024, contributing towards K-Parts’ strategy for optimizing order packing.
Robots instead of conveyors
Highly flexible, space efficient and able to transport a wide range of items, Prime Vision robots are a modern alternative to static conveyors. Offering a 35 kg carrying capacity and an 80 x 60 cm loading area, the robots operating at K-Parts will use light detection and ranging (LIDAR) for guidance, supplemented by fleet management software that ensures efficient pathing for each unit. Consequently, any robot can drive to any destination within a predefined area, enabling streamlined operations.
Customer benefits
Rick Karsemeijer, Director at K-Parts, said: “Working with Prime Vision robots helps us by providing the flexibility and dynamism that our fulfilment processes require. We are a growing company and these robots will keep our service consistent during high demand. Once the system comes online, we are excited to deliver the benefits of it to our customers.”
Prime Vision Account Director, Richard Hagen, added: “We are enjoying this opportunity to be supporting an innovative e-commerce company like K-Parts. Robots provide the flexibility required to handle complex logistics operations thanks to their autonomy and scope for growth. They are also space efficient, which is a key benefit for this project. As well as ensuring accuracy and efficiency for order packing, our robots will help K-Parts enhance its market-leading delivery practices.”
More sophisticated robots
Prime Vision explained that it has redefined the capabilities of its autonomous sorting robots, evolving them from a helpful tool to an essential asset in sorting centers. These advancements mark a new era in logistics efficiency, quality, and versatility
The ‘Robin rovers’ now navigate complex floorplans, handle multiple infeeds, and service up to 250 sorting destinations. The past year has seen these robots grow in both capacity and sophistication, offering solutions to persistent staffing shortages and elevating throughput rates.
Key benefits include:
- Larger Fleets and Fields: Transitioning from 20 robots in 20×20 meter spaces, the rovers now operate in up to 65-strong fleets within expansive 50×60 meter areas.
- Multiple Infeeds: Growth from single to eight infeed points, enhancing sorting capabilities.
- Load Balancing and Time-Based Scheduling: Innovations in robot distribution and navigation prevent congestion and optimize efficiency, even with high robot density.
As a result, the Prime Vision robots have achieved a 50% increase in throughput, reaching 1,600 parcels per hour. With further developments planned for the first and second halves of 2024, throughput will grow to 2,400 and then 4,000 parcels per hour, respectively.
