Optimize your logistics business with augmented reality.
When efficiency and precision are paramount in the world of logistics, its inevitable for businesses to stay on top of their game by leveraging the latest innovations. Augmented reality (AR) in logistics helps optimize your supply chain processes and boost productivity with ease.
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Challenges in the logistics and supply chain.
Inventory management and transportation play a major role in the success of logistics operations. It's essential to forecast consumer demands and balance inventory levels for seamless supply chain flow. Any discrepancies in these areas can cause delays and increase operational costs. Other challenges include implementing sustainable practices, maintaining regulatory standards while expanding transport networks, and managing reverse logistics with accuracy.
Evolution of AR in logistics.
Since the early 2000s, AR has been commercialized and developed for a mainstream audience in the entertainment and tourism industry. The launch of AR glasses and head-mounted displays (HUDs) propelled the expansion of this innovative technology into more industries like automotive, aviation, and logistics.
At first, companies started pilot programs with warehouse workers using HUDs for visualizing simple instructions and inventory data. By the end of the decade, AR was already incorporated into the logistics ecosystems for advanced picking systems, training, and maintenance.
AR is modernizing logistics practices.
Efficient movement, storage, and management of goods is the goal of all operations in the logistics sector. Here are a few ways in which AR can be integrated into key areas of logistics.
It provides immersive training sessions.
Every resource counts in the logistics sector, and quicker deployments lead to faster movement of goods. Managers can use AR to provide live training sessions to new recruits, who can engage in proactive discussions within an augmented space.
You can get live insights on order fulfillment processes.
One of the core components of logistics are warehousing operations. With AR logistics software, warehouse workers can optimize order picking with quicker navigation, gather product information from barcodes, and get live insights for efficient dispatches.
It helps you solve equipment and vehicle issues quickly.
Logistics personnel rely on their cargo handling equipment like forklifts, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), and transport trucks for the timely movement of goods. They can reduce delays by using AR to connect with experts and technicians and resolve any setbacks to their equipment while they're on the go.
QA personnel can document quality checks for future audits.
Quality assurance specialists check logistics processes at every stage for compliance to industry standards. With an AR logistics solution, they can visually analyze processes in depth, document issues or procedures in reverse logistics, and note down their evaluations for audit purposes.
How does live video support works
AR works on most devices like smartphones, tablets, and smart glasses with the right software. Here's a three-step guide to how Zoho Lens will work for your logistics crew.
Start a session.
Open Zoho Lens to start a session and invite a crew member via email, SMS, or by sending the session link.
See what your crew sees.
Once they join the session, you can get the live visuals of their surroundings through their camera feed.
Collaborate via AR tools, text, or voice.
Start diagnosing the issue and guide your crew members through the process by using AR tools, VoIP, and chat.
How do you implement augmented reality in logistics?
The adoption of new technologies must lead to improved efficiency and smoother workflows for better returns on investment. Here are the initial stages of analysis before implementing AR in your logistics business.
Identify your use case.
The first step to implementing AR in your logistics business is to evaluate and identify the processes where AR can provide an extra boost. For example, equipment breakdowns affect warehouse navigation, and it takes a specialized team to commute to the warehouse and fix the issue, causing delays in the supply chain.
Select a suitable AR bundle.
Once you've narrowed down your use case, it becomes easier to sift through the AR market and find the AR software that solves your problem and integrates with your existing infrastructure. You can take it a step further by facilitating hands-free workflows with compatible AR smart glasses.
Test with a pilot program.
A pilot program helps you observe the effectiveness of your AR solution within a controlled environment. It's ideal to test the solution first with a pilot program, analyze the new workflow, identify potential issues, and get feedback from the team for working on further improvements.
Implement at a steady pace.
After the pilot program meets your requirements, you can start training others on how to use the AR software efficiently and roll the solution out gradually. Monitor their performance post-implementation and make adjustments whenever needed.
Benefits of using AR in logistics.
From the store to home, AR logistics software maximizes the business’s efficiency in delivering their products to their customers while offering many benefits, such as:
- Enhanced picking efficiency.
Warehouse personnel can use AR for warehousing to streamline picking and packing processes through visual guidance, reducing the time needed to locate and handle items.
- Reduced equipment downtime.
With AR, technicians can reduce downtime significantly through remote visualization and diagnosis of equipment issues. They can get step-by-step instructions and fix the issue from wherever they are.
- Improved personnel safety.
AR in logistics helps improve workplace safety by equipping managers with the tools to conduct live training sessions for new recruits and guide them through safe operating procedures.
- Boosted delivery speeds.
With enhanced picking efficiency and improved precision in dispatches, AR can speed up the movement of goods down the supply chain, ensuring faster deliveries to your consumers.
Warehouse personnel can use AR for warehousing to streamline picking and packing processes through visual guidance, reducing the time needed to locate and handle items.
With AR, technicians can reduce downtime significantly through remote visualization and diagnosis of equipment issues. They can get step-by-step instructions and fix the issue from wherever they are.
AR in logistics helps improve workplace safety by equipping managers with the tools to conduct live training sessions for new recruits and guide them through safe operating procedures.
With enhanced picking efficiency and improved precision in dispatches, AR can speed up the movement of goods down the supply chain, ensuring faster deliveries to your consumers.
