Our partners at Murata Machinery USA are introducing the company’s newest addition to its mini-load AS/RS line, the Ledger A3 AS/RS system. This four-tote carriage mini-load system for smaller, lighter goods is the first of its kind.
4-Tote Carriage Mini-Load for Small Product Storage & Retrieval
March 2, 2023
by Scott Stone
Posted in Automation, Labor & Efficiency|
Mezzanine Monthly – Why Choose A Rack Supported Mezzanine
February 21, 2023
Above: Rack supported mezzanine in a warehouse facility. Photo courtesy of Unex.
The typical U.S. distribution center is 31.1 feet tall, according to a survey by Statista. But when more space is needed for operations, mezzanines can be used to create it. Most facilities aren’t fully using that vertical cube, either. Rather than expanding out, you can expand up. Vertical storage options have options within as well (whoa, that got deep).
Tall racks are frequently deployed to utilize all if that vertical cube. If you have pallet rack, using part of it in the form of a rack supported mezzanine gains more from your vertical cube is an ideal solution. What could a rack mezzanine do for your facility?
Tags: Space Optimization
Posted in Mezzanines & Industrial Platforms|
Comparing AGV Navigation Methods
February 16, 2023
by Scott Stone
The type of AGV and the way it navigates are two huge considerations in any automated material transport project. Vehicle type dictates functionality, interface and payload factors, but navigation is critical to overall performance. After all, AGVs travel; that’s their primary role. The way they do wind their way through rack aisles, across dock areas, near work cells, around conveyors and throughout the warehouse can make or break a project. The options range from simple methods like tape guidance to highly-automated laser and contour systems.
Posted in Automation, Labor & Efficiency|
Vertical Package Transport: Incline Conveyors vs. Reciprocating Lifts vs. Spiral Conveyors
February 2, 2023
by Scott Stone
High-velocity order picking operations frequently need to transport cartons vertically–on and off mezzanines or pick modules, into workstations, onto work platforms, over traffic aisles or to merge with overhead conveyor lines. You can accomplish this with incline conveyors, vertical package lifts, spiral conveyors, automated package lifts and manual methods. Each method has its limitations and its advantages.
Posted in Automation, Labor & Efficiency|
How to Prevent Pallet Rack Push-Through Accidents
January 12, 2023
by Scott Stone
When heavy pallets are stored on horizontal beams in your pallet rack system, there is always some danger of a pallet or items stored on it, being pushed through the back of the rack. Items or full pallets can then fall or push the pallet behind them toward the next aisle in double row systems. What are some options to reduce the hazards related to push-through accidents?
Tags: Safety & Ergonomics
Posted in Pallet & Warehouse Racks|
The Benefits Of Automated Stretch Wrappers
January 10, 2023
Automation in the warehouse or manufacturing facility continues its momentum. In many locations, workers and robots of various forms co-existing are now the new normal. Operations want to increase throughput (as always) but are now in an hard battle for people….one that isn’t ending anytime soon. Systems are being installed to reduce time and increase productivity are becoming common for operations of most every size.
Posted in Automation, Labor & Efficiency|
AGVs, AMRs, and Conveyors: Automated Product Transport Applications
January 5, 2023
by Scott Stone
When you need to move loads—pallets, totes, cartons or other items—through a facility without manual involvement, the options fall into three broad categories: AMRs (automated mobile robots), AGVs (automated guided vehicles) and conveyor systems. Each of these methods has its advantages, and all can be integrated to work with each other.
Posted in Automation, Labor & Efficiency|
How to Handle and Remove Corrugated Box Waste in Distribution Applications
December 6, 2022
by Scott Stone
Without efficient waste handling flow, systems bog down as people work to clear trash from their work areas. It’s a distraction that significantly impacts productivity and safety, so removing trash from a large scale picking or packing system can be problematic. Pick systems tend to generate empty cartons, and dealing with that waste material can be costly and time consuming if not planned in advance. Devising the right waste (or empty carton) strategy cannot be minimized during the system design process.
Posted in Order Picking & Fulfillment|
Forklift-Pedestrian Safety: Docks, Shipping and Receiving Areas
December 1, 2022
by Scott Stone
Because shipping docks are busy, sometimes chaotic areas, they can become a safety hazard if not properly managed. During a busy shift, you may find multiple forklifts, carts, walkies and other traffic trying to work across a series of bay doors, all with pedestrians potentially in the same areas. They can adjoin staging areas, which often allow even more forklifts and pedestrians to work in the same, shared area. That’s where accidents are most likely to occur.
Posted in Forklift - Pedestrian Safety|
Warehouse Safety: Pedestrians, Workstations and Forklifts
November 10, 2022
by Scott Stone
Above: work areas facing away from an active traffic aisle with pallet stacks that impede visibility for both pedestrians and forklifts.Â
Forklift accidents make OSHA’s top-10 list every year without fail because forklifts are ubiquitous in American industry and interact with hundreds of thousands of people every day. One of the key places to prioritize safety is for pedestrians—the people on foot who work near and walk around forklifts on a daily basis.
Posted in Forklift - Pedestrian Safety|