Smart internal transport systems do the heavy lifting

Solving the challenges of a tight labour market is ever more urgent in sectors such as healthcare, hi tech and in the practical skilled trades. One solution is to a step change in logistics within a building so that these are more efficient using good old tube mail, AGV and modern robotics. This often means going beyond the obvious, such as elevating internal transport systems within hospital, labs and data centres. Professionals can save valuable time which they would otherwise spend physically moving critical items.

This also results in significant operational cost savings with quick return on investment.

The revival of tube mail

Through AI and smart technology is quite literally elevating old tube mail systems converting it from a an error-prone system to ones that are reliable and intelligent.

There are a number of reasons for this revival. In older systems cartridges are prone to arriving in poor condition, or are misdirected. Controlled airflows and larger bend radii make for delicate flows in modern systems so that samples always arrive undamaged to the lab.

In practice, this can look like this:

• • During an operation, tissue samples need immediate checking are sent to the lab via tube mail.
  • The lab technician receives an urgent phone notification, tests the tissue.
  • The results appear on the screen in the OR so that the surgery team can take immediate action.
  • The empty cartridge is returned to the tube station.

Efficiency and safety

As the above example illustrates, tube mail can be life-saving in some cases. But there are also many efficiency gains to be made. For instance, in hospitals to transport drugs from pharmacies to wards. And in distribution centres, tube mail is used to send documents to and from offices, increasing operational speed.

Finally, tube mail is widely used to transport valuable items. For instance, every bank branch used to be equipped with a tube post from the counter to the central cash desk as standard. Even the diamonds from the Swarovski window are exported to the vault room via the tube post system after closing time. This is not only to protect the goods themselves, but also the staff. The national rail operator in the Netherlands, for instance, uses tube mail in the kiosk so that the cashiers do not have to walk through the station in the evening with the day’s proceeds.

Transporting bulk goods with AGVs

AGVs, or ‘Automatic Guided Vehicles’, navigate independently through a building to transport goods from point A to B, without any human intervention. These vehicles operate 24/7 and – depending on the application – can carry around 400-5,000 kilos (or more) of goods in bulk. These systems also feature intelligent control: they pull out to recharge when needed and take scheduled orders from each other when more convenient. The applications of AGVs are endless: they are used not only in hospitals, but also frequently in industry.

Yet this internal transport system is not obvious for every building. Unlike tube mail, it comes with a hefty initial investment and takes up a lot of space. Because although these systems are completely safe, a moving AVG in the corridor can still cause fright or inconvenience. Therefore, a separate lane should always be constructed to avoid mixing with the public. So it is definitely advisable to invest in an AGV system early in the design process.

Robotics with a smile

In the hospitality industry, AGVs are already being used to pick up trays at tables. These have a human form including a face. Children love it and parents make videos and photos of it. It is expected that – especially in public buildings – we will become increasingly familiar with these kinds of automated systems, which take certain basic tasks off people’s hands.

At Deerns, we support clients with innovative technologies that are shaping the future of logistics. Want to know how internal transport systems can contribute to the efficiency of your processes?