Automation: Adaptation as the Key to the Future
Automation is not a matter of cost-effectiveness. Rather, it is a matter of survival. After all, there is no alternative to automation. However, a level of automation that is appropriate today will not remain so for the next ten years. The productivity and cost-effectiveness of companies therefore depend heavily on the adaptability of their automation solutions. The bottom line is this: Anyone who wants to play a pioneering role in the market over the long term must act proactively. This is because the rapid evolution of technology and market conditions requires continuous adjustment of the automation strategy—and it is therefore a matter of striking the ideal balance between the level of automation and an understanding of future market trends.
S-A-F-E Method: Future-Proof Automation
Dr. Frank Czaja, Business Unit Manager for Logistics at io, and Dustin Winkler, Senior Consultant for Logistics at io, spoke on this topic at this year’s LogiMAT. They agree: “Predicting market trends is like looking into a crystal ball. Nevertheless, we must make reasonable assumptions in our planning so that the expected results are achieved by the time the project is implemented. To ensure this success, we have developed the S-A-F-E method, a standardized approach for evaluating and optimizing automation. With it, companies can strengthen their resilience in the face of future challenges and successfully shape their automation strategy for the long term.”
From Planning to Resilience: Shaping Future-Proof Logistics
The implementation of the S-A-F-E method begins with an assessment of the current logistics situation. Data collection, analysis, and the current level of automation, for example, serve as the basis for planning. A logistics requirements profile is then derived and generated in the form of a future planning scenario. The planning horizon is a key factor in this process. If it exceeds ten years, it is addressed using “Future Design Thinking,” which is also reflected in variant planning. Here, the goal is to establish future-proof planning objectives based on key concepts such as autonomy, scalability, sustainability, digitalization, transparency, and collaboration.
Once variant planning is complete, implementation follows—during which it becomes clear whether the plans can withstand the market’s resistance and challenges. Fundamental to this is the company’s own Stableness Resilience Indicator and Resilience Barrier. This is determined in advance using the resilience indicator, also within the framework of the S-A-F-E method. This is done using defined index values, for which certain planning modules are extracted and evaluated during the planning phase. The analysis takes place before implementation, in line with an iterative optimization approach. Because, as the experienced planner knows: After implementation is before implementation.
