Question

1. What are the benefits, disadvantages and risks of its use ?

Subject :( Unigis ),Innovation to Optimize your Logistics

Since 2018 many companies like DHL and Zebra have spoken about the importance of IoT (Internet of Things) in industries and specifically in logistics and supply chain.

Companies that already use IoT for a digital transformation of their logistics processes know that the benefits not only translate into better control of inventory, vehicle fleet and deliveries, it also allows them to anticipate and adapt quickly to the needs that constantly arise and maintain and even improve customer satisfaction.

Storage:

The safety of warehouses and their employees is basic. Sensors and closed circuit linked to IoT helps prevent any type of incident related to theft or loss of merchandise.

On the other hand, cranes and forklifts have sensors that alert staff of any defects inside the warehouse before an accident occurs.

Handhelds also allow real control of the entire warehouse inventory digitally, allowing all information to be linked in WMS and TMS systems.

These types of solutions have made companies with large volumes of orders opt for dark warehouse, named for the fact that they do not require lighting, being fully automatic warehouses and that allow to control the processes in real time without the need to be inside.

Transport:

Starting with the control of vehicle inputs and exits to the CeDis, RFID and QR codes linked to a TMS system allow to control the vehicles and drivers who must arrive in time to begin with the charging process.

Once inside the distribution center , the compliance with the required process begins to be monitored, such as documentation control, assignment of the nearest dock, measurement of loading time, control of the products loaded to the vehicle by scanning codes bars to the exit of the distribution center

During the trip, the GPS installed in the vehicles or the same cell phones and TMS systems allow to know the status of each vehicle in real time and notify about the estimated time of arrival (ETA) to the customers so that they have the status of their order at all times.

There are also load measurement devices, such as temperature and fuel sensors or weight sensors that allow the control towers to know the status of each vehicle and in the case of carriers they have mobile applications that allow them to know their routes, reassignments of orders and send alerts notifications during their trip.

Delivery:

mobile devices such as handhelds and cell phones themselves serve as digital means through TMS systems for proof of delivery, such as digital signatures, photographs and surveys, guaranteeing the final state of delivery or automatically knowing at what points to return at another time if necessary.

What is the future of IoT in Logistics?

Despite all the current digital implementations in logistics, DHL in its document "next-Generation Wireless in Logistics", shows that, of the 800 leaders in the supply chain, 60% consider their chain visibility to be insufficient.

"Although some parts of the logistics industry are already smart and connected, the next generation of wireless systems is set to usher in the next wave of IoT in logistics," said Markus Kckelhaus, Vice President of Innovation and Trend Research at DHL Customer Solutions & Innovation.

DHL also explains the evolution of wireless networks (5g) and the Internet of Things in logistics for the coming years:

Full visibility

The B2B2C concept is increasingly frequent in the logistics operation, without losing a single link in the visibility and control of orders.

That is why the growing interest in the use of autonomous technologies such as vehicles and drones that can operate even in 24-hour days becomes more real in the not too distant future.

Large-scale connectivity

"Large-scale connectivity is an extraordinary technological and social success story... Countless technologies are advancing simultaneously at a rapid pace, becoming cost-effective and increasingly ubiquitous. They are now becoming more accessible, which suddenly opens up great opportunities for the development of applications and use cases at an unprecedented rate," said Matthias Heutger, Senior Vice President (SVP), Global Head of Innovation and Business Development at DHL.

In the same report "next-Generation Wireless in Logistics" they show us the spectrum of potential that 5G technology presents on a large scale, benefiting not only existing devices, but also the interventions that are to come within the supply chain.

Unifying connectivity and visibility

The future in IoT and logistics requires both large-scale connectivity and full visibility into logistics operations. However, there is a third "unifying" factor that is TMS systems such as UNIGIS, which are not limited to the management of deliveries, but are involved in the entire logistics operation from the management of orders, the allocation of inventory to the settlement of the service and payment to transport. , unifying the entire operation in a single platform and making the use of so many tools and devices more real that, working independently, it would be impossible to manage them.

There are still many innovations in the basket to know and implement in the world of logistics and having the right strategies and allies will allow companies to see that future today.