Active Ants (subsidiary of bpostgroup) has introduced an artificial intelligence-controlled robot arm for the first time in its warehouse in Dorsten (Germany). This robot can process up to 600 packages per hour and is able to learn from its mistakes. It will also be deployed in other Active Ants locations in Europe.
The introduction of this new technology aims to increase the efficiency of Active Ants’ e-commerce activities. The robot arm was designed by the German company Sereact. It performs simple picking tasks by removing products from Autostore bins with 99.99% accuracy. Moreover, it is self-learning: the more new products it processes, the more it corrects its own mistakes.
As Bram Blondé, Deputy CEO 3PL at bpostgroup, explains, an order can now be prepared and packed in 15 minutes, without human intervention, while maintaining the highest quality. This creates space and offers more flexibility to entrust employees with tasks with higher added value.
A second unit has already been installed in the Active Ants warehouse in Roosendaal, the Netherlands. The company is also exploring expanding to other locations in the near future.
