As the holiday season roars in, ecommerce and retail fulfillment operations are both pushed to their limits. What should you be looking for over the next year?
Insights: Manufacturing Construction Boom, Product Loss Prevention
December 21, 2023
by Scott Stone
Posted in Industry Insights|
5 Ways to Help Prevent Forklift-Pedestrian Accidents
December 12, 2023
by Scott Stone
Every company that operates forklifts struggles with pedestrian safety problems. The issues are well-documented; forklifts are often the most problematic safety machinery in any operation that utilizes them.Â
Tags: plant safety, forklift safety, forklift
Posted in Forklift - Pedestrian Safety|
ROI for Warehouse and Manufacturing Automation: A Panel Discussion
December 5, 2023
by Scott Stone
Above: James Murphy moderates a panel discussion on automation return-on-investment with Mitch Smith of Hytrol, Nils Hart of Muratec and Bryan Gauger of Cisco-Eagle
Cisco-Eagle’s Bryan Gauger joined Mitch Smith of Hytrol and Nils Hart of Muratec for a Warehousing Education and Research Council panel on automation projects return-on-investment. The discussion revolved around ROI factors ranging from labor to safety. Because labor and money are both tight, justifying capital expenditures is more important than ever. Here are the panel’s thoughts on critical ROI issues:
Tags: ROI, Video
Posted in Automation, Labor & Efficiency|
November 2023 Insights: Warehouse & Manufacturing Injury Rates
November 30, 2023
by Scott Stone
This month, we delve into the reported high rates of injury and illness among warehouse workers, and the ways federal agencies are working to address it. Also, a dive into employment markets – where manufacturers and warehouse operators are falling short, and where the sector may be able to pull workers. Plus, we discuss automation’s rebound in 2024, shipping issues, and a bit more.
Posted in Industry Insights|
How to Singulate Products on Your Conveyor System
November 28, 2023
by Scott Stone
What is singulation?
Singulation separates and single-lines cartons and other loads into lines as they move on a conveyor. Bulk and parcel applications frequently require singulation. Conveyors and control systems use multi-speed belts, dedicated singulators, skewed rollers and side-driven motors to unscramble multiple lines of products into single-file. Think of singulation as the process of organizing cartons or other loads into a single, neat line for future processing.
Singulation is pivotal for in sorting and organizing materials ranging from boxes to fragile electronics to sturdy automotive components on conveyor systems.
Tags: Automation
Posted in Conveyor Optimization|
Warehouse Parking Lot Safety – What Are Your Best Protection Options?
November 16, 2023
Creating a culture of safety is a high priority (and always ongoing) in any facility that values its operations. Whether it is safer forklift/pedestrian interactions, ergonomic improvements, or machine protection, every warehouse is constantly working to improve the conditions within its walls.
But what about the area outside, say, in the parking lot? Sure, it’s not a glamorous area, but you want to keep your workers safe and secure there too!
Posted in Safety & Ergonomics|
Pallet Rack: Anchoring, Safety and OSHA Compliance Factors
November 9, 2023
by Scott Stone
Warehouses use pallet racks because they maximize storage space, streamline operations, and organize inventory like no other system. We discuss rack safety in depth because it’s so critical for protecting people, property, inventory and facilities. A rack safety fundamental is anchoring: the right anchors, installed correctly, into a subfloor designed for that purpose. Think of the floor-rack connection as the very basis of your rack’s balance and capacity.
Tags: storage, Safety & Ergonomics, warehousing
Posted in Pallet & Warehouse Racks|
October Insights: The “Robot Tax”, Worker Concerns with Automation
October 26, 2023
by Scott Stone
Coverage of issues relating to automation, labor management, material handling, inventory shrinkage, and labor issues for industrial facilities and the people who operate them.
Tags: Automation, Manufacturing, labor, Robotics, Inventory Management
Posted in Industry Insights|
Drum Handling Options – Applications Matter
October 19, 2023
While not every facility moves or uses drums for storage, those that do have a necessity to keep them safe. Whether they contain hazardous material or not, the effort to keep barrels upright and from spilling never ends, because who wants lost product or an unsafe work environment?
To ensure your workers keep drums handled correctly, there are multiple solutions available.
Posted in Material Handling|
Automation: Starting with a Clean Slate
October 10, 2023
by Scott Stone
How should your next automation project be evaluated? In many cases, companies try to replicate a manual processes through automation: if a person once rotated a tote, then picked from it and placed the contents into a container, that’s what the automation does. This kind of solution can provide excellent results, but may not be the optimal solution. What if you began with operational goals in mind that imagine a solution without the manual process?
Tags: ROI, Process Management
Posted in Automation, Labor & Efficiency|