An online retailer has opened the largest ‘smart warehouse’ in China manned by 60 cutting-edge robots.
An online retailer has opened the largest ‘smart warehouse’ in China manned by 60 cutting-edge robots.
The wifi-equipped, self-charging delivery robots work for T-mall, a part of Alibaba in China Photo:Dailymail
These Wifi-equipped, self-charging machines are responsible for moving goods in the warehouse.
They send the goods to human workers, who then arrange the products to be packed and posted to customers around the world.
Occupying 3,000 square metres (0.7 acres), the warehouse is situated in Huiyang, south China’s Guangdong Province, and is owned by T-mall, a part of the Alibaba, the world’s online retailer.
They move goods to designated areas for human workers to pick up and post Photo:Dailymail
The automated delivery boys started working at the warehouse in July, and have helped the warehouse increase its output by threefold.
The machine has been named Zhu Que, or the Vermilion Bird, which is a spirit creature in the Chinese mythology.
The robots receive instructions via Wifi signals. They would then find the goods and move them to the designated drop-off points for human workers to pick up.
Each of the machines is fitted with laser detection which prevents them from bumping into each other.
Once fully charges, the robot could work eight hours non-stop.
The robots started working at the warehouse in July and help it increase efficiency threefold Photo:Dailymail
Measuring 90cm (35 inches) long, 70cm (27 inches) wide and 30cm (12 inches) tall, Zhu Que can travel up to 1.5 metres (five feet) per second and carry a load as heavy as 600kg (1,322 pounds).
Quicktron said the robots have saved workers from running around the warehouse to find goods.
Traditionally, a worker could sort 1,500 products during a 7.5-hour shift after taking 27,924 steps; with the help of Zhu Que, the same worker could sort 3,000 products during the same period of time and only 2,563 steps need to be taken.
Occupying 3,000 square metres, the warehouse is China’s largest ‘smart warehouse’ Photo:Dailymail
‘The robots need to collaborate with each other and work independently at the same time. They represent the highest level of China’s warehouse robots,’ said Cainiao Logistics, an Alibaba branch that manages the warehouse.
You Yuquan, a logistics expert from Cai Niao, said the robots could lift and rotate the shelves, which makes it easier for human workers to reach the goods.
Mr You also said that the company could store goods along all of the four sides of the shelves, which increases the available storage space.
According to Quicktron, the warehouse will recruit another 40 of these delivery robots.
China is the world’s largest e-commerce market.
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