Leveraging Paccurate for Continuous Improvement of AMRs
Cartonization Increases AMR Throughput
A well-known global retailer of nutriceuticals (e-commerce and retail) needed to review their current cartonization strategy and existing carton set. During the design phase of an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) project, the decision was made to utilize a pick-to-carton strategy with the existing set of e-comm shippers in order to save touches in the pick and pack process. They worked closely with the AMR vendor to configure the shelving units to best fit their existing carton set and determined the pick rate increases they could expect.
However, they were also experiencing an annual carrier contract refresh that changed how dimensional weight was calculated, eroding margins due to increased shipping costs.
They were informed that the best way to drive further pick rate increases was to have more work (picking lines) on each robot.
At the same time, given the legacy nature of their existing warehouse management system (WMS) cartonization and observations from the floor, the team determined that investigating the size/shape and general volume utilization of the existing carton set was the best next step to generate a higher yield from the AMRs.
Right-sizing Cartons
Using Paccurate’s powerful simulation tool, PacSimulate, the team was able to analytically determine the most optimal size and shape of the cartons to fit additional orders per shelf on an AMR. In addition to the added payload, there was a net bonus of a reduction in transportation cost through combining the ‘right-sized’ cartons as well as Paccurate’s powerful 3D cartonization algorithms.
While there was a slight increase in corrugated usage due to the new shape of the boxes, the transportation savings and trailer space savings far outweighed the additional cost of material.
More Work Per Robot
While the transportation savings were of significant benefit, the main goal of the exercise was to fit more cartons per robot and drive additional pick rate improvements to reduce labor cost. After the new carton set was implemented, there was an average of 1 extra carton per shelf per robot, which led to the following improvements in pick rates/reduction in labor cost:
By combining the transportation cost savings with the labor savings from the increased pick rates, the customer yielded a 3-month cash-flow positive ROI on a simple software investment.
Small Change, Big Impact Across Your Network
The operational benefits of cartonization compound as fulfillment networks grow. With more precise item data and consistent packing logic, facilities gain better visibility into inventory slotting, replenishment planning, and traffic flow optimization. These insights contribute to improved pick path planning and more consistent productivity across shifts.