Why Cartesian Kinetics Treats Automation as an Upgrade, Not a Replacement

Warehouses in the US are on an automation spree. The US warehouse automation market generated a revenue of $5,190.2 million in 2023 and is expected to generate $16,602.6 million by 2030. Companies are investing in technologies such as Automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) to accelerate order fulfillment.

However, there appears to be a significant gap between the actual automation and interest in the process.

Look at these numbers – only 6,000 fulfillment centers out of 28,000 have been automated.

So, what’s the reason for the low uptick in automation initiatives?

Reasons are plenty. They range from expensive infrastructure changes to retrofitting costs, long waiting periods of up to weeks and months to obtain permits, and operational downtime. Something as simple as implementing Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS) requires companies to rebuild their existing warehouses completely.

Additionally, companies have to automate for a dynamic environment where SKU profiles change, machines break down unexpectedly, or demand fluctuates.

This enormous task of ripping and replacing systems and infrastructure without significant downtime can be challenging for companies.

However, there is a way to address these challenges. 

Introducing Carte+ – A Solution That Treats Automation As An Upgrade And Not A Replacement

Traditionally, warehouse automation was all about ripping everything out – from racks and mezzanines to floor preparation for customized infrastructure. However, this was expensive, risky, and disruptive, as companies had to shut down operations during the overhaul.

At Cartesian Kinetics, we understand that most warehouses are brownfield sites with tight space, less labor, and a limited budget. That’s why we built Carte+ – the world’s first Omni Rack Robotics (ORR) system.

ORR is a breakthrough category in warehouse automation. It addresses the problem that most warehouses are not built for automation. That’s why, when companies use Carte+, they don’t have to worry about removing racks or preparing the floor. It can seamlessly work with standard pallet racks, mezzanine racks, high-bay storage, existing totes and cartons, low ceilings, and narrow aisles. It treats automation as an upgrade and not a replacement for traditional infrastructure.

Carte+ combines the flexibility of Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) and ASRS to adapt to the existing warehouse infrastructure.

Besides Carte+’s ability to layer automation onto existing infrastructure and workflows, here’s how companies will benefit from using it:

• Non-disruptive installation: The good part about Carte+ is that companies can easily automate one aisle at a time without ripping the entire warehouse. They can complete it in 4-6 weeks and fully deploy in 8-12 weeks without disrupting usual operations. This reduces operational risk and saves the company significant upfront investment.
• Smooth integration with enterprise systems: Companies won’t have to migrate from their existing systems to new ones for warehouse automation. They can easily integrate Carte+ with Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, and Order Management Systems (OMS). Additionally, Carte+ can also work as an independent solution that automates warehouses.
• Better picking support: Picking is a crucial step in the order fulfillment process. Carte+ supports multiple picking strategies, ranging from batch picking (picking numerous orders simultaneously in a single trip) to wave picking (scheduling multiple pickers to pick different orders) to on-demand picking (picking orders as they come in from customers), with minimal configuration.
• Improved outcomes: Carte+ has helped companies reduce labor costs by 85%, achieve ROI in just 1.5 years, increase throughput by 5X, and improve storage density by 25%.

Let’s look at a real-world example to understand how Carte+ treats automation as an upgrade and not a replacement.

An apparel retailer wanted to automate across its four mezzanine levels, each with 8-foot ceilings. However, they did not have the time or money to build a new warehouse or to stop operations for automation temporarily. Cartesian Kinetics helped the retailer address this challenge with Carte+.

With Carte+, the retailer could fully automate the existing racks, improve throughput, and reduce labor costs. There was minimal disruption during installation, and the retailer was able to scale expansion over 18 months due to easy automation.

Conclusion

In a fast-paced world where companies race to fulfill orders quickly and meet customer expectations, warehouse automation has become a priority for many.

However, there is hesitation, and understandably so. Companies fear the rip-and-replace approach to warehouse automation.

The good news is that companies no longer need to worry about it anymore. Carte+ can work with existing racks, floors, totes, and aisles without any major overhaul.

This will save replacement costs, minimize disruptions, and enable companies to run a fully automated warehouse.

For more details about Carte+ and how it can improve your warehouse operations, contact us.

FAQs

Why were companies reluctant to automate warehouses?

Warehouse automation traditionally involved ripping out the existing systems and infrastructure and replacing them entirely. However, the entire effort took time and cost a lot. That’s why companies hesitated to automate warehouses. 

What is Carte+?

Carte+ is the world’s first ORR system that works seamlessly with existing racks and floors, and integrates with the company’s systems. 

Why are companies preferring Carte+ for warehouse automation?

Since Carte+ works smoothly with existing racks, floors, and systems, companies don’t have to rebuild the infrastructure from scratch. They can save time and costs and minimize disruptions with Carte+.