# Why Warehouse Automation Still Depends on Equipment Uptime

- Source: Robotics & Automation News
- Published: 2026-10-12T15:52:00.000Z
- RoboHot: https://robohot.news/en/items/e88dzy430qr2ls8vef255c7d4
- Original: https://roboticsandautomationnews.com/2026/10/12/why-warehouse-automation-still-depends-on-equipment-uptime/105829/

## Summary

The higher the level of warehouse automation, the greater the impact of a single equipment failure, making uptime a system-level issue. The article notes that even highly automated facilities still rely on mixed fleets of traditional equipment such as forklifts and pallet trucks, and that automation has not reduced the importance of equipment maintenance. Preventive maintenance using telematics data (such as operating hours, fault codes, and utilization) can shift maintenance from reactive response to proactive management. Black Equipment is cited as an example of such an uptime strategy.