By Athanasios Laskoudis
Autonomous forklifts (CLARK), small but powerful robotic systems that transport pallets automatically, automatic tracking and labeling systems, automatic packaging systems, and management of large containers, all connected to 5G and executing commands from AI-based software. I am not describing a future warehouse, but one of Huawei’s two distribution centers in the Netherlands.
Human involvement is minimal, the margin of error is negligible, the time for order fulfillment is much shorter, loading and unloading of trucks with the driver and the warehouse manager as simple observers.
All of this can simply be described as Industry 4.0 in a critical sector of the economy, logistics, where it is already being applied at Huawei’s Smart Supply Center in Waalwijk, Netherlands.
Huawei’s Smart Supply Center in the Netherlands is one of the four centers that the company has worldwide, with the two European centers in Hungary and the Netherlands distributing to 40 countries and executing orders for 500,000 m³ worth 8 billion dollars per year.
At an event held at the facilities of the Huawei Supply Center in Waalwijk, Netherlands, Vicky Zhang, Vice President of Corporate Communications at Huawei, stated that digital transformation and automation are the future for the industry and that HUAWEI is working on these and adapting. She concluded by saying “Automation and digitization are changing our lives every day, and with the help of cloud computing, 5G, and artificial intelligence, we are moving towards a greener and more intelligent world by greatly reducing our carbon footprint.”
Ana Paula Nishio de Sousa, Head of Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence Strategies at UNIDO – United Nations Industrial Development Organization – (United Nations Industrial Development Organization), then emphasized how important it is to have sustainable development. HUAWEI actively participates in the Global Alliance for Artificial Intelligence in Industry and Manufacturing (AIM Global).
“The participation of all society from all sectors is imperative so that we all participate in Sustainability, Sustainability and protection from Environmental Impacts from Industry”. AIM Global lives up to these principles and connects, standardizes and advances automatic identification technologies by bringing together industries, the public sector, academia and governments.
And she concluded “It has raised the level of AI use in industry and manufacturing in a sustainable and sustainable way and I am proud that Huawei is a strategic and highly active member.”
Then Sandor Papp, deputy head of Huawei’s European Supply Center told us that, in this particular 21,000 m2 distribution center with 160 employees, a private 5G network is operating and every connected device, mobile or otherwise, can use 2 Gbps speeds. “Combined with artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) applications, 5G offers us faster product handling capabilities and more accurate and quality deliveries to our customers,” he said.As the deputy head of the European Supply Center noted, the application of new technologies has immediately visible results, with a reduction in operating costs and an improvement in efficiency by at least 20%.
Finally, Professor Dr. Patrick Glauner from the Deggendorf Institute of Technology mentioned the importance of talent for a successful digital transformation. He specifically said “Now when it comes to increasing automation and artificial intelligence in industry, it’s not just about cost and unemployment for everyone. Here in Europe, and I think it’s the same in China, there is a huge demographic change. There is a lack of talent. We have an aging society, so it’s not just about doing things cheaper or with fewer people. It’s really about still being able to do things because there are fewer and fewer people available to do that work. And artificial intelligence allows us to offset that and address the aging society and talent shortage.”
Industry 4.0 has begun, Digital Transformation with allies 5G and Artificial Intelligence lay the foundations for a different future in the Logistics industry.