Befriend a robot benefits of smart automation in the postal- and parcel sorting centre
As volumes go up in the postal- and parcel sorting business and processes are getting more intricate, many companies resort to increasing automation, like Prime Vision´s robotic sorting system and the Flow Projector. Although much is being said about machines being a threat to employment opportunities there is also much positive to mention.
In practice, employees like working with robots. The tasks and roles people take on change and in general the job at hand becomes more pleasant to execute.
‘It’s really cool to see the robots running around’
People who have been working with our Robin-robots in postal sorting centres mention increased efficiency and the robots being ‘helpful, because you don’t have to scramble finding the right box to deposit a parcel into’. Scanning an item that is being placed on a Robin, gives the robot all the information it needs to autonomously deposit the parcel to the right destination.
The machines are also ergonomically sound, as ‘the robots do the heavy lifting for us and we don’t have to bend over so much’, one of the workers told us.
Some people contribute emotional benefits they find in working with this automated sorting system: ‘It’s really cool to see the robots running around and we have adopted them as our babies.’ In one sorting location the employees have each robot their individual name.
Flow Projector increases workplace satisfaction
One of our clients conducted a survey on employee satisfaction and work pleasure. Since the company implemented the Flow Projector, scores are higher than before. The projector is a decision-support tool that projects instructions, such as a number, on the parcel. This enables fast decision making in a time-pressured environment.
‘The Flow projector enables manual parcel handling with two free hands, as no handheld devices need to be wheeled while sorting. Even several parcels at the same time can be picked up.’ Another plus is that ‘no training or experience is needed to work with this device and it is ergonomically thought out’. As a result, people even come in early for their shift to ensure they can work on a belt or chute where a Flow Projector is installed.
