May 27, 2020 – Tompkins Robotics , a business unit of Tompkins International , has announced a t-Sort solution designed specifically for micro-fulfillment operations. The micro-fulfillment solution utilizes the company’s t-Sort autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) to optimize operations in a store backroom, micro-fulfillment center (MFC) or dark store. Retail stores—particularly grocery—were not designed to accommodate an influx of surrogate shoppers or buy online pick up in store (BOPIS) orders. The t-Sort micro-fulfillment solution is a fully modular system that fits in an existing backroom space and can process all types of products including ambient, fresh and frozen foods.
For customers pursuing a micro-fulfillment strategy using automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) or goods-to-person AMR solutions, a t-Sort system can be integrated. This combined solution is intended to increase capacity and productivity at an incremental investment. Furthermore, t-Sort can be deployed in a dark store or a standalone micro-fulfillment site. With store-based fulfillment models, t-Sort fits within an existing backroom space and works in conjunction with Tompkins Robotics’ t-Rail system to provide overhead transportation of goods to and from the sales floor, minimizing floor congestion and human interaction. When used in a retail backroom setting, the t-Sort micro-fulfillment solution:
- Facilitates inbound sortation of mixed containers to segments of each aisle for shelf stocking.
- Enhances home delivery and BOPIS order processing by allowing batch picks of hundreds of orders by department or aisle, improving speed, productivity, capacity and efficiency.
- Automates order consolidation, increasing customer service levels and decreasing labor requirements.
- Can be configured to sort large, bulky products on one level and smaller goods on the other level to optimize operations and increase productivity.
- Provides increased capacity, enabling retailers to meet surges in daily customer orders.
- Sorts outbound parcels by route, courier or local delivery unit, enabling same- or next-day delivery.
