OSARO, a player in machine-learning-enabled robotics for e-commerce, announced the launch of the OSARO Robotic Depalletization System. This system, designed for warehousing and e-commerce fulfillment, automates the task of unloading mixed-case pallets, a process traditionally known for being labor-intensive and potentially hazardous.
Ash Sharma, managing director at Interact Analysis, pointed out the high demand for depalletizing, with over three billion pallets expected to be depalletized globally this year, requiring substantial full-time employee (FTE) involvement. The OSARO Robotic Depalletization System employs OSARO SightWorks™ Perception software, enabling the robot to adeptly handle varied package sizes and materials often found in mixed-case pallets. This technology also identifies foreign objects or damaged boxes, enhancing both safety and efficiency in the workplace.
The system’s features include mixed-case box recognition, foreign object detection, damaged box detection, protruding box detection, and flexible deployment. It is designed for 3PL operations, distribution centers, and e-commerce fulfillment warehouses, offering a significant advancement in warehouse automation.
OSARO CEO Derik Pridmore highlighted the system’s ability to handle pallets loaded with an unpredictable variety of boxes and packages, a common scenario in modern warehouses. The system not only improves safety but also promises up to 40% cost savings compared to manual labor, with potential for increased savings with additional shifts.
The automation of depalletization is also seen as a solution to the persistent worker shortage in warehouse operations, especially in jobs that are physically demanding and potentially dangerous. The U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) estimates the annual economic burden of related injuries between $45 and $54 billion.
