Are you curious about upgrading your warehouse through new conveyor simulation systems to improve throughput? Read Alpine Supply Chain’s input on the shifting “digital twin” technology and get smart with your own dynamic conveyor design.

“As warehouses and distribution centers continue to go high-tech, the tools used to design them are following suit with advances that make it easier for companies to predict how their operation will evolve to meet changing business demands over time. Conveyor simulation technology offers a case in point, shifting from a tool that simply shows how a conveyor system will work into one that can help companies plan the best system to meet peak service demands, ever-later order-cutoff times, and the staffing requirements to handle such changes. The software programs used to simulate conveyor system design today use advanced algorithms and data analytics to produce those results, and experts say the added use of sensors and Internet of Things technology is evolving to help produce real-time replicas of physical systems (think “digital twin” technology) that can provide organizations with even more productivity-enhancing data.

‘Today, a customer can expect to see a lot more [from conveyor simulation] than just ‘does the system work?’ explains Luther Webb, vice president, data science at material handling solutions provider Trew LLC. “[We have] more advanced modeling written in advanced code form. Today, [in a simulated design] the customer is looking at various formulas built into a model, and those formulas are interacting with each other.’

The end result is a dynamic model of conveyor technology that is helping organizations maximize throughput and minimize labor costs.”