The large warehouse with hundreds of shelves—once the standard warehouse—has come a long way. Today’s distribution centers include automation, surveillance and security, as well as low-energy, low-voltage lighting. As these warehouses expand or transition to meet significant changes in modern supply chains, integrators and installers will see new, exciting project opportunities. 

Warehouse tech takes off

For decades, warehouse technology and architecture have experienced little change, but they are now adopting new systems at a rapid pace. That means metal halide lamps are being replaced with LEDs, potentially with power over ethernet (PoE). Automation, robotics and artificial intelligence (A.I.) are changing nearly every aspect of the receiving, storing and shipping of goods.

The most common intelligent deployments are designed to enhance efficiency and accuracy, said Nilay Parikh, founder and CEO of Arvist, a warehouse automation technology company based in Chicago. These trends involve automated storage and retrieval systems, robotic order picking equipment and A.I.-driven prediction models for inventory accuracy and ordering. 

“Intelligent warehouses are using technology to drive better quality, safety and compliance in these environments, whether it is through using A.I. or with various IoT [internet of things] technology solutions,” Parikh said.

This technology adoption is partially fueled by a shortage in the warehouse workforce, but also by the technology advancements and reduced costs of implementing such systems.

In the meantime, supply chain shifts are being met by global companies such as Amazon and UPS, while midsized and even smaller warehouses are following suit to serve customers that demand faster, more reliable deliveries. The growing complexity of the supply chain process makes it even harder to accomplish tasks without some technological support.

With these challenges in mind, Parikh said that soon, “A.I. and robotics will no longer be a competitive advantage, but it will be a given, akin to having a good warehouse management system in place right now. Given all the macroeconomic and technology trends, warehousing is going to be an exciting place to be in over the next decade.”

That means the demand for sophisticated system integrators and installers will continue to rise. Whether a warehouse has low-voltage requirements such as security cameras and access-control systems, or more advanced systems such as automated conveyor belts, packing stations or even robots, these advanced solutions rely on an adequate infrastructure.

Autonomous vehicles and more

Use of unmanned autonomous vehicles (UAVs) for material handling, inventory management and transportation of goods within warehouse facilities is growing. These vehicles can be connected to a network through a combination of technologies, including wireless communication, explained Jeff Beavers, NECA’s executive director of network integration and services.

For instance, some UAVs are equipped with Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity to communicate with a central management system or other devices in the network. Light fidelity (Li-Fi) is also seeing growth in this area and is being tested by the U.S. Department of Defense. It provides an alternative connectivity for devices that are latency-sensitive and impacted by data crowding on standard wireless networks.

IoT devices (wireless sensors) also can collect and transmit data such as the location of goods or equipment, their status or even environmental conditions in the facility.

Logistics centers often use centralized control systems or software platforms to manage and coordinate IoT data and UAV operations. Some leverage cloud-based services for data storage, analytics and remote monitoring for access to the network and to advanced capabilities such as predictive maintenance, Beavers said.

Sensors installed on machinery and equipment can monitor performance metrics such as temperature, vibration and energy consumption. Logistics centers’ operations teams can predict potential failures and schedule maintenance activities before breakdowns occur, minimizing downtime and reducing maintenance costs. 

Industrial IoT solutions also can monitor energy consumption in logistics centers and identify opportunities for energy-efficiency improvements. That can include optimizing lighting, heating, ventilation and air-­conditioning systems, as well as managing peak demand.

Today, some warehouses are equipped with sensors and RFID readers to capture low-cost RFID tags on goods or equipment and track the movement of inventory, assets and vehicles within the logistics center in real time. This provides better visibility into the supply chain and enables proactive decision­-making, Beavers said.

Some warehouses also are gaining insights from autonomous fleet vehicles that can track goods in real time, allowing for optimized routing and scheduling of deliveries and shipments. This technology is poised to reduce transportation costs, improve delivery accuracy and boost customer satisfaction by getting goods delivered on time. And IIoT data can help logistics centers make decisions to streamline their processes, improve efficiency and reduce waste.

Low-voltage lighting

Integration opportunities go far beyond automation, however, to even include the lighting. Luis Suau, chief business officer for low-voltage specialty company Sinclair Digital, Fort Worth, Texas, has witnessed the transition of warehouses from the low-tech, bare-bones shell—with shelves and forklifts—to something much more intelligent and built around energy efficiency.

By transitioning from metal halide and fluorescent lighting to LED, warehouse managers were offered the opportunity to gain more in light quality—and intelligence add-ons—with less power. 

Sinclair Digital worked with Cisco, San Jose, Calif., on a new approach to power LED lights—with ethernet. Suau pointed out that the low-voltage network switches have more energy-efficient power supplies than traditional lighting fixtures.

Originally, a PoE network could provide 15W of power per network switch port, but now the standard is 90W. At the same time, LEDs’ efficiency has increased in terms of lumens per watt (from 100 to 200). 

“With more lumens per watt and with more watts on the port, it makes sense that we can now do things like warehouse lighting” over ethernet, Suau said.

PoE lighting is already a reality at some warehouse sites. For instance, Sinclair Digital recently completed a 400,000-square-foot facility and another 250,000-square-foot addition project in Texas. All lights, which are 36 feet above the floor, are powered by PoE connectivity. The warehouse is also fully automated.

Looking at the logistics environment more broadly, Sinclair Digital has created a packaged system known as Agile-Core that electrical contractors are procuring and installing. 

The modular system is a power distribution, data communications network that eliminates the need for bundles of cable extending to a single closet. Instead, Sinclair Digital’s system leverages fault-managed power. 

Building infrastructure termination systems serve as the enclosure where the cabling is connected. The power distribution comes with a fiber uplink to each of a grid of small racks. 

“From a local rack, we’re able to wire up 10,000 square feet, or 48 ports, of network cables” with each rack, Suau said. Patch cables can be used, making installation more straightforward.

“Warehousing companies are bound to rely on installers and integrators to guide them with the right infrastructure choices, which can help them scale in the future. For mass adoption, installation must become easier and faster using existing infrastructure,” Parikh said.

Sinclair Digital / kevin brown