6 River Systems Upgrades Warehouse Fulfillment Platform
September 27, 2022
6 River Systems, a division of Shopify, has announced new features to its wall-to-wall fulfillment system designed for warehouse operators. Integrated into the company’s software-as-a-service-based Fulfillment Execution System and autonomous mobile robots, the new features aim to provide tools and insights needed to maximize operations as fulfillment speed becomes a competitive differentiator for warehouse operators and the merchants they serve.
“Fulfillment can no longer be an afterthought as warehouses adapt to rising demand, labor costs and faster SLAs,” said Rylan Hamilton, co-founder and CEO of 6 River Systems. “Our customers need smart, interconnected solutions that integrate with existing infrastructure. Through both hardware and software, the improvements we made to our system empower warehouse operators to increase efficiency, stabilize labor and support continuous growth.”
Several new features have been added to the company’s platform, including:
High Priority Chuck, which aims to decrease pick cycle times and increase service level agreement (SLA) attainment on priority orders. To ensure the most important work is done first and SLAs are met, such as next-day orders or expedition of specific jobs, the High Priority Chuck is a system-guided way to direct associates to Chucks with priority tasks. Delivered to customers through a software update, enabling the High Priority Chuck provides visual indicators such as flashing blue LEDs on Chuck robots, and notifications in The Bridge. THe company said these visual cues can decrease pick sycle times and increase SLA attainment.
Universal Terminal, which eases associate training with a common user interface. This feature incorporates packout and sortation workflows into a single device by incorporating a touchscreen with a common UI to make training easier and faster. This interface also lets managers move associates between workflows with minimal cross-training, increasing the flexibility of the existing workforce to meet shifting bottlenecks. The unit is universally mountable with adjustable height, making it ergonomically friendly while freeing up critical benchtop space, 6 RIver said.
Work Areas, which increase operational flexibility across multiple physical areas from a single point of control. Customers who are expanding their warehouses either vertically or horizontally to support increased order fulfillment demand need a solution that also is flexible and expandable. The new Work Areas feature lets warehouses have multiple defined and independent areas of work running on one 6 River Systems environment. The work areas can be multiple warehouse mezzanines on top of one another, or separate operating areas on the same level (horizontal), allowing for further expansion and customization, the company said. This feature enables the system to support multi-floor and multi-workspace fulfillment centers with a single, consolidated view of the entire warehouse.
Chuck Accessories, which aim to improve operational efficiency, flexibility and safety. The Chuck robots can support many product and tote sizes, with configurable height shelves to meet picking needs. 6 River Systems said it developed a Workspace Tray to make tasks such as splitting cases and counting small pieces easier and faster, as well as a vertical and European ladder mount so associates can carry ladders with them to reach SKUs located higher on storage racks.
“Through our relationship, 6RS has been an engaged partner, focused on developing the best hardware and software solution for Parker,” said Brandon Hetrick, plant manager at Parker Hannifin. “We have completely overhauled our operation and now we have associates that are more productive and far more safe.”
For more information on 6 River Systems and its technologies, visit its website here.
