In an era where e-commerce continues to penetrate all levels of corporations and an AI wave is sweeping across the globe, smart systems have been pushing traditional storage management toward "smart storage." An ecosystem built with all kinds of edge AI and cloud server-core AI will be the development focus for e-commerce giants like Amazon and Alibaba.
The semiconductor sector believes that besides the HPC chips that are the core of the cloud, various edge devices will also emerge to drive more demand for edge computing chips and device configuration. Take the smart storage concept for example: the demand for SHD (smart handheld devices) will develop simultaneously alongside robots, self-driving vehicles, and more.
EMS (electronics manufacturing services) provider USI Global, a subsidiary of the ASE group, is focusing its efforts on SHD with RF antenna, RFID (radio frequency identification), and mixed devices.
"E-commerce storage management" refers to the management of all operations related to e-commerce storage. This includes tracking goods and equipment in the warehouse, moving goods in and out of the warehouse, monitoring every process that takes place in the warehouse, predicting customer demand, and preventing overstock or undersupply.
It can be seen that each job mentioned above is an endpoint that operates around a central management system. If so, how will this system receive data from each endpoint? The answer is SHD.
USI offers the design and manufacture of sturdy portable/handheld devices that combine computing and scanning capabilities. For instance, an SHD equipped with an RF antenna can scan the barcode of goods to incorporate them into the management system. Afterward, from receiving orders to managing inventory to picking, packing, and shipping, the items can be tracked during the entire process.
Considering that dedicated RF SHDs cost more, consumer-grade cell phones or tablets can handle these tasks as well. It is also easier for employees to get started. As with the RFID tag, it is a tracking device that identifies items using smart barcodes.
Completely replacing traditional barcodes with RFID tags will be difficult. However, RFID tags offer some additional advantages. For instance, by using scanning gates, products with an RFID tag can be automatically recorded when they reach a warehouse. There's no need for an aiming line and compared to traditional barcodes, the RFID tag can store more information.
USI also offers comprehensive solutions. Although using tablets and cell phones with GPS tracking applications on their own can improve storage efficiency, the integration of various functional units can create an even larger effect. Through the integration and upgrade of equipment, storage staff can save travel time between fixed stations and spend more time on shipment management.
As the concept of smart storage is gradually realized, USI has also launched its self-developed industrial handheld device and real-time GPS asset tracker. Of the operation costs of traditional warehouses, two-thirds are estimated to be labor costs. Nevertheless, in the era of e-commerce and even AI, smart storage will significantly improve corporate competitiveness.
Observe that e-commerce giants like Amazon and Alibaba are vigorously promoting concepts like edge AI, cloud AI, and smart storage. This will also promote the demand for all kinds of SHD devices. This can benefit other companies under ASE Holdings such as ASE, SPIL, and USI.
ASE holdings have announced its February 2023 revenue, which reached NT$39.985 billion (US$1.308 billion), a monthly decrease of 11.4%, and a year-on-year decrease of 8.8%. For the first two months of the year, the group reported revenue of NT$85.116 billion, a year-on-year decrease of 7.89%.
Article translated by Jack Wu
