Scott Stone | Warehousing Insights | Material Handling Systems - Part 15
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How to Deal with Pallet Flow Jams

May 23, 2019

deep lane pallet flow system

Pallet flow racks are the ultimate in high-density, space-saving storage. When you need to concentrate storage of similar SKUs into a tight space, flow systems are ideal. A single SKU can be loaded into the back of the system and stored multiple pallets deep in a pick position, first-in, first-out order. Like any gravity flow equipment, there is a possibility of jams, and those jams can sometimes be in the center of a packed rack system — and difficult to reach. What are some safe methods to deal with this problem?

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Posted in Pallet & Warehouse Racks|

What to Do When You Can’t Air Condition Your Warehouse

May 14, 2019

hot warehouse with sunlight

If you run a warehouse, you’re keenly aware of how hot and uncomfortable it can get on a scorching July afternoon—and you also know how much that affects your workforce, their comfort, their error rates and their ability to get things done. Installing air conditioning may not be feasible for every industrial facility, but there are alternatives.

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Posted in Safety & Ergonomics|

Conveyors in Difficult Environments

May 2, 2019

Conveyor in a dusty manufacturing area
Conveyors are essential for manufacturing operations, but in some areas where they are exposed to dust, airborne debris, moisture or chemicals, there may be issues with their mechanical components. These environmental factors impact performance, equipment lifespan, maintenance burdens and safety, but can be dealt with if the conveyor is properly designed, used and maintained. Let’s dive into these issues.

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Posted in Conveyor Optimization|

How to Reduce Warehouse Noise

April 16, 2019

manufacturing worker with earplugs

Anyone who works in a production facility or distribution center knows how loud these places are. The sound of forklifts, the constant whirr of conveyors, the thrum of generators, and the steady beat of all things mechanized can be overwhelming. There are also specific, distracting noise producers, such as small engines, stampers, and generators. Over time, people adapt to this environment, “tuning out” noise as much as possible.

Research from the National Institutes of Health is clear: sound affects productivity. It’s also unsafe on a number of levels for industrial workers.

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Posted in Safety & Ergonomics|

How Heat Saps Warehouse Productivity, Causes Errors and Reduces Retention

April 2, 2019

shop floor in heat
Warehouses, shop floors, and manufacturing facilities can be difficult environments for workers, and heat makes it even harder. Hot days and hard work conspire to reduce productivity and increase errors. We’ve found some research that spells out exactly how much, and have some recommendations to reduce the issues.

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Posted in Safety & Ergonomics|

Crossing Conveyor Lines: The Options

March 19, 2019

conveyor cross over choices

The extensive conveyor lines that snake through many distribution facilities allow operations to transport, buffer and direct loads in a way that takes the best possible advantage of space. These conveyor systems are essentially the core around which a lean, efficient material handling operation is built, but they also create barriers to people moving around the facility since they can block the flow of foot traffic.

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Posted in Conveyor Optimization|

Light-Directed Assembly for Manufacturing

March 5, 2019

manufacturing pick to light workstation
The advantages of pick-to-light for order fulfillment are well-documented: you can pick faster and more accurately without the burden of tickets or voice-activated systems. Your workforce can be trained in a fraction of the time, in a “fast food” type experience. It’s a technology that has found broader applications in many distribution centers simply because it’s a fast, easy way to improve.

Light-directed systems may have a more positive impact on assembly than they do on order picking.

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Posted in Automation, Labor & Efficiency|

Video: How to Specify Cantilever Rack

February 12, 2019

In this Shoptalk video, we go into detail on rack specification and the various factors you will need to understand before installing a rack system. This video goes into detail on arm capacity, load sagging prevention and much more.

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Posted in Pallet & Warehouse Racks|

Conveyor Merges and Sortation: Low Volume Alternatives

February 5, 2019

Right angle pusher for a conveyor line

Sorting, pushing and diverting products as they are transported on a conveyor system is one of the best ways to reduce costs, improve fill rates, eliminate errors and increase throughput — and there are multiple ways to go about it. Some systems are downright plodding–pushing only a few loads per minute–while others are dizzyingly fast, pushing out hundreds of diverts per minute. This post will profile some of the lower to medium speed options at your disposal.

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Posted in Conveyor Optimization|

Order Fulfillment is the First Line of a Great Customer Experience

January 15, 2019

order fulfillment operation using a hand scanner

Your most important customer satisfaction function is probably your warehouse and order fulfillment operations. Order fulfillment impacts the things customers care about most:

  • Did I get the right product?
  • Did I get it on time?
  • Did I get the right quantity?
  • Was my shipment damaged?

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Posted in Order Picking & Fulfillment|

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