Warehousing Insights | Material Handling Systems - Part 33
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Strobe Lights vs. LED Warning Lights for Forklift Safety

September 7, 2017
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forklift lights

It’s been a sudden transition: many forklifts no longer use flashing strobe or beacon lights and have transitioned to LED “blue light” forklift safety lights that project on the floor rather than flash on the forklift itself. Workers have never liked an excess of flashing lights, but to some extent this is because companies aren’t deploying the beacon lights for the right application. LED floor lights are true warning systems, while beacons are visibility enhancements for already visible trucks.

Why do warehouse workers prefer LED systems?

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Posted in Forklift - Pedestrian Safety|

Peak Season Preparation for 3PLs

August 24, 2017
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3PL order fulfillment

Winter is always coming.

While you might not be battling an army of zombie warriors, the seasonal surge in orders and fulfillment poised to engulf your 3PL warehouse can feel like a never-ending battle. Preparing for this fulfillment onslaught should be the goal for any efficient 3PL, so you can be ready for the inevitable increase in all facets of your business. By efficiently handling the high volumes of orders that flow through your warehouse during peak season, you’ll enjoy the spoils of higher production, correct shipments and overall customer/client satisfaction.

To enhance the preparation, you need to analyze each segment of your process and pick those that seem to be the biggest torment.

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Posted in Order Picking & Fulfillment|

Download Cisco-Eagle’s Warehouse & Industrial Guard Rail Guide

August 18, 2017
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A Guide to Warehouse Guardrails

Choosing guard rail can be confusing unless you understand clearly what kinds of conditions you are guarding against and what assets you are protecting.

Whether it be asset protection from industrial vehicle usage or fall protection for workers, there is a guard rail that can fit each need. Our new Guard Rail Guide offers you insights on the various options that we offer, as well as handy comparisons of rigid and flexible systems. We also help you understand how guard rail impact ratings are calculated and used, so you have the knowledge to make the right selection for your facility.

Guide to Warehouse Guardrail Systems

warehousing audit request

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Posted in Safety & Ergonomics|

Gravity Conveyors and Product Flow

August 3, 2017
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Conveyor Comparison

Install Gravity conveyors on declines so that the infeed side sits higher than the end of the line for smooth product flow.  This is one of the easiest ways to move products quickly and economically. How can you set up your gravity conveyor for optimal product flow?

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Posted in Conveyor Optimization|

3PL Reverse Logistics: Going Reverse to Move Ahead

July 20, 2017
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Make Reverse Logistics a priority

E-commerce customers are increasingly comfortable with a buying experience that includes easy, free and frequent returns. Returns—and the issues involved with them—are nothing new for retail and e-commerce distribution, but the “new normal” of frequent returns offers 3PLs that can leverage their reverse logistics capacity a significant competitive advantage over competitors who can’t adapt to the new reality.

While some companies consider reverse logistics a necessary evil, those with well-managed returns programs can increase overall efficiency and profitability  while satisfying customers and increasing loyalty. They find ways to resell more returned products, and are able to dispose of or restock what they can’t resell more efficiently and with less environmental impact.

What are some ways to increase your returns capacity?

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Posted in Warehousing & Distribution|

Streamline and Simplify to Improve Distribution Center Operations

July 18, 2017
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view inside a distribution center
You’ve heard this pitch before: If you just implement this software, or that machinery, or hire my consultant, or buy into this other program, you’ll realize amazing gains. You’ll be more productive; more accurate; you’ll work less hours. Things will be great.

You may really need to expand your facility, or install expensive new WMS software or add high levels of automation, but it’s always worth checking on process or facility layout changes before you take the plunge. What are some areas you should consider?

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Posted in Warehousing & Distribution|

Why the Floor is Better than Eye Level for Forklift Safety Warnings

July 11, 2017
by

gobo warning projected onto warehouse floor

Forklifts dominate OSHA’s annual list of safety violations, so it’s no mystery why industrial companies are always searching for ways to improve safety.

Safety-conscious operations are integrating safety lights and sensors to help reduce pedestrian/forklift accidents. These systems usually detect traffic (people and forklifts),  and  then deploy visual and/or audible warnings to the driver, the pedestrian, or both. When it comes to visual warnings, some are ceiling-hung, others at eye level, and others are shot onto the floor. What placement works best, and why?

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Posted in Forklift - Pedestrian Safety|

Ergonomics and Adjustable Workstations: A Guide

May 25, 2017
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warehouse workstation positioned over a conveyor

Adjustable workstations make operations like packing, picking, assembly and inspection safer, more comfortable and more productive because they easily let operators work in the ergonomic “golden zone” suitable for their own needs – the same station can be used by someone 6’4″ as someone 5/2″ on multiple shifts, or if the load or work varies in height, like multiple sized boxes or various motors that may be different sizes. These workbenches are adjustable, usually by crank or by powered switch or pushbutton. What might suit you best?

That said, having to utilize a crank to adjust the height is inherently counter to the fundamentals of ergonomics, and it’s slow. To combat this, consider electric adjustable workstations, which provide multiple advantages over their cranking counterparts.

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Posted in Storage, Organization & Workstations|

Dock Doors: Options for Security and Access Control

May 22, 2017
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dock door security gate

Years ago, during a busy time at one of our warehouses, an intruder entered our building through an open dock door and proceeded to steal things from some offices. Thankfully, nobody was harmed and nothing was really lost, but the incident underlined the need to control access to our facility while still letting fresh Spring air flow. To prevent intrusions and still allow easy access, there are some options for warehouses and manufacturing facilities with large dock doors.

Since 87% of warehouse inventory losses occur at warehouses and shipping yards, dock doors – and the way they are guarded – play a critical role in overall security.

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Posted in Docks & Shipping|

Distribution Center Metrics: What’s Your Focus? What are Others Doing?

May 18, 2017
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distribution center

I always look forward to the annual DC Velocity/WERC (Warehousing Education and Research Council) distribution center metrics survey, which provides insight into what measurements are most critical according to DC managers. These concerns have shifted over the years, but perhaps never so significantly in a single year as 2017’s survey, with topics like “on time shipments” falling out of first place for only the second time.

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Posted in Material Handling|

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