A Smart Labor-Saving Strategy for the Beverage Industry: Wearable Technology

Beverage industry companies are always under pressure to manage inventory, distribution, shipping and delivery as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible. But many beverage distributors are still relying on processes and mobile technologies that don’t allow them to truly maximize their efficiency and labor productivity.

Even if you’re using mobile computers and barcoding solutions to scan and track beverage products and help automate your warehouse, distribution and delivery processes, there are still many manual aspects of mixed bottle picking, beverage packing, loading, and delivery that can get in the way. And this can cost you precious time and labor at every step.

This is why forward-thinking beverage distributors are increasingly turning to hands-free wearable technologies to help them eliminate some of the manual, cumbersome, and labor-intensive parts of their warehousing, distribution and delivery operations.

With wearable technologies such as compact and lightweight wrist-worn mobile computers, ring-style wearable barcode scanners, headsets, head-up displays, and voice-directed mobile apps, beverage workers can perform key tasks faster and far more efficiently, all with hands-free efficiency.

To get a sense of how it works, let’s take a look at an example wearable technology configuration for a warehouse worker in a distribution operation for alcoholic beverages.

How Wearable Technologies Save Time and Labor with Hands-Free Efficiency

Normally, if you’re picking cases, putting away bottles, or staging customer orders, you might use handheld mobile computers or barcode scanners to scan and track inventory, access orders, and confirm correct picks, put-away, or staging against a list or order. But you also have to know where to find the items you need, physically walk the warehouse to their location, retrieve them, and then load, pack, or otherwise prepare them for shipping, distribution, or delivery.

In most cases, this means you must figure out where you need to go, the most efficient way to get there, and when you’re doing all the physical work of picking, putting away, staging or loading, you have to put down your mobile devices so you can lift, carry, or move bottles, cases or other containers. This means you’re typically juggling mobile devices and trying to handle and manage inventory, orders, lists, and even labels at the same time.

Wearable technologies and voice-directed software are a great way to help you do all of this much faster and more easily, with less physical effort, by giving you hands-free access to all the digital information, tracking, and order management you need.

For example, you might have a simple configuration for mixed bottle picking in your warehouse where you’re wearing a small, lightweight mobile computer strapped to your wrist, with a ring-style companion barcode scanner on your finger, a wearable compact mobile printer on a belt or shoulder strap, and a headset for voice communication. Through the computer, you can access each order, the items you need to pick, where they’re located, and the best route to get there, all through a mobile version of your warehouse management system and voice-enabled software running on your mobile device.

If you prefer, you can tap or view your device screen to see order information and get visual cues. But the voice software can simply speak the information, such as item numbers, aisle and bin locations, and the best routes for maximum efficiency. This can help you reach the right items in the least amount of total time, steps and walking or driving—all without having to physically interact with your mobile device.

Once you’re at the right inventory location, you can simply pick and scan items and even print a barcode label on demand, without having to put down or juggle mobile devices. You’re wearing your devices comfortably, so they’re always with you and accessible, and they keep your hands free so you can handle and move inventory as quickly and efficiently as possible.

As you pick each item, you can scan it with your wearable ring-style barcode scanner, to validate a correct pick against each item on your pick list. And your voice software can provide audible feedback to confirm the correct pick.

As you pick and validate each item, your voice-enabled software can then direct you to the next location and help you repeat the same hands-free process each time, so you can pick and fulfill orders faster and more efficiently, with less physical burden and better digital accuracy.

The sample principles apply to virtually any BevAlc warehousing, distribution, or delivery process. You can use a similar hands-free technology configuration in receiving and shipping areas, on your loading docks, and even when making final deliveries to customers.

Types of Wearable Mobile Devices and Form Factors

There are many different wearable device types and form factors you can use. For example, Zebra Technologies, one of the leading manufacturers of wearable mobile technologies has several wrist-worn mobile computers, such as the WT6400 and WT5400, or you can choose a mini mobile computer, the WS50, which fits on your hand using an adjustable strap accessory that can fit your device on just two fingers.

The WS50 also includes a built-in barcode scanner, but if you prefer a larger mobile computer with a larger screen size and a separate barcode scanner, you can pair the WT6400 or WT5400 with Zebras RS6000 ring-style scanner, which you wear on your finger with a simple Velcro strap.

Zebra also makes several models of mobile barcode label and receipt printers, including the ZQ600 and ZQ500 Series, which are rugged devices built especially for industrial warehousing and distribution environments.

If you want to take hands-free efficiency even further, Zebra also produces the HD4000 head-mounted display. This device is effectively a see-through pair of lightweight goggles that looks and feels like safety glasses but is actually a see-through digital display, so you can see mobile app information within your clear field of vision. This way, you don’t have to look at mobile computer screens and can keep your eyes and hands free to focus on the task at hand.

The HD4000 integrates and connects easily to a companion mobile computer for processing, power, and Wi-Fi, by using a small and lightweight cable. This keeps your display glasses extremely lightweight and eliminates the need for an integrated battery, processor, or wireless radio. But it includes an augmented reality display, camera, head tracker, and microphone, so it can be used to display information, capture images, and even for voice communication.

These are just some of the types of wearable devices that are available. Ultimately, you can choose and configure the right combination for your specific beverage warehousing, distribution and delivery workflows. But, if you’re looking to boost efficiency and save labor, cost and minimize physical burden in your operations, virtually any combination will deliver immediate and measurable results.

To learn more about wearable technologies for mobile workflows in the beverage industry, feel free to reach out to our experts at SK&T for more information, recommendations, and a wearable technology demo. As specialists in data capture, mobile computing, and automation technology since 1997, we’re always happy to assist in finding the right solutions for your needs.