{"id":43843,"date":"2021-11-13T13:00:41","date_gmt":"2021-11-13T12:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expo21xx.com\/news\/?p=43843"},"modified":"2021-11-11T09:26:14","modified_gmt":"2021-11-11T08:26:14","slug":"zebra-do-micro-fulfillment-centers-make-sense-for-all-retailers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expo21xx.com\/news\/zebra-do-micro-fulfillment-centers-make-sense-for-all-retailers\/","title":{"rendered":"ZEBRA: Do Micro Fulfillment Centers make sense for all retailers?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Photo by ZEBRA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

One of the last articles was about the growing trials of\u00a0micro fulfillment centers (MFC)\u00a0and some of the varying technologies contained therein. This article will focus on the question when the solution makes sense from an economic point of view.\u00a0(I\u2019m sure you\u2019d appreciate that too, considering\u00a0the business case that must be built to secure budget these days.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MFCs, though wildly popular, are still maturing from a design standpoint. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are basic shuttle-based systems that use 1D shuttles to retrieve items from a fixed infrastructure resembling a honeycomb of sorts. However, the potential downside of having each item or SKU in a fixed or designated location is you need to devote space for maximum velocity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another flavor involves ultra-high-density storage, in which robots or shuttles move about a single structure \u2013 sometimes referred to as a hive \u2013 and retrieve the items from totes. This approach requires some \u201cdigging,\u201d but also allows for deployment in very tight spaces, which makes the MFC concept viable for retailers that want to make the best use of limited, or perhaps underutilized, square footage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet another potential approach involves mobile automated storage and retrieval systems, often referred to as AS\/RS. This MFC design allows direct access to all storage locations (i.e., less \u201cdigging\u201d) and is almost entirely vertical in most cases.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which is best (barring any physical footprint limitations)?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are numerous cost-benefit calculations that can be used to determine whether such a solution makes sense for you. However, you must be careful as to which factors you take into account. Looking at it strictly from a technology \/ IT standpoint will likely result in a poor decision, as there are so many other considerations:<\/p>\n\n\n\n