Ricoh USA announced Wednesday that it will provide technical and customer support infrastructure to 6 River Systems as it looks to scale its robotic fulfillment solutions.
Technicians from Ricoh Service Advantage will work with engineers from 6 River Systems to provide calibration and floor mapping as well as routine and preventive maintenance and retrofits to the company’s robots, called Chucks. Ricoh will also provide end-user operator training for Chucks that includes device charging, facility remapping procedures and optimization initiatives.
“The demand for our automated retail solution is significant, especially with retailers continually looking for ways to get their products into consumers’ hands faster via seamless experiences,” said Eran Frenkel, vice president of technical operations for 6 River Systems. “By partnering with Ricoh, we’re able to focus on making our solutions more widely available, which ultimately helps our customers quickly and efficiently meet their fulfillment goals.”
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Based in Waltham, Massachusetts, 6 River Systems, which is part of Shopify, provides collaborative mobile robotics to fulfillment operations. Founded by Jerome Dubois and Rylan Hamilton, who were both previously executives at Kiva Systems (now Amazon Robotics), 6 River’s robots operate in more than 70 facilities in the U.S., Canada and Europe. Its customers include Lockheed Martin, CSAT Solutions, ACT Fulfillment, DHL, XPO Logistics and Office Depot.
Ricoh Service Advantage is part of Tokyo-based Ricoh Group, which provides digital services, information management, and print and imaging solutions.
“Our collaboration with 6 River Systems is a prime example of how our stable and trusted infrastructure — coupled with a team of more than 10,000 service delivery professionals supporting and maintaining more than 1 million devices across the U.S. — helps solve our customers’ problems,” said Jim Kirby, vice president, service advantage for Ricoh USA. “Together, we are addressing some of the biggest challenges and opportunities in retail today including supply chain operational efficiency such as retail and warehouse automation. By expertly assisting with service and support for companies like 6 River Systems, we are helping them maintain focus on what matters most — innovation that solves supply chain hurdles and moves business forward.”
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Chuck is a robotic solution that works side by side with warehouse associates. Using machine learning and AI, Chuck is designed to guide associates through warehouse picking and sorting operations in a way that minimizes walking and helps them stay on task. Able to carry several totes at once, Chuck navigates the warehouse environment using a collection of sensors that help it avoid common warehouse obstacles such as boxes on floors, forklifts and personnel.
Chuck can carry up to 200 pounds and is available in multiple configurations, including shelves and hanging racks, and stands 63 inches tall. It can have up to six levels totaling 44.6 square feet of space.
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