Most every manufacturing or distribution facility builds in storage and handling buffers – and for good reason. Buffers hold product or processes when work flow isn’t balanced. For instance, a conveyor buffer may exist between picking and packing operations. This allows picking to continue even if the packing, quality control or shipping departments are backed up. Buffers maintain balance between functions and ensure continuity.
Tags: order fulfillment, ROI, conveyor design, Space Optimization
Posted in Automation, Labor & Efficiency|
73% of warehouse operators said they can’t find enough workers. The National Association of Manufacturers sees shortfalls today, and more in the future: an astonishing 2.1 million manufacturing jobs will go unfilled by 2030. With labor shortages the norm today and for the foreseeable future, how can you optimize, retain and improve labor in your operation?
Tags: labor, ROI
Posted in Warehousing & Distribution|
Whether you replace or repair pallet rack, it’s always advisable to evaluate the structural integrity and safety of damaged rack components. When you’re considering a repair strategy, you should be aware of the strength and limitations of your options.
Tags: ROI
Posted in Pallet & Warehouse Racks|
We spoke with Tim Harris, our manager of Field Services Group. Tim’s expertise when it comes to conveyors – and how to keep them running tip-top – is unparalleled. Tim and the Field Services group maintains many miles of conveyors from virtually every manufacturer, in just about every environment. Here’s what he had to say.
Tags: ROI
Posted in Conveyor Optimization|
Automated storage and retrieval systems are becoming more commonly deployed in today’s modern distribution, manufacturing and warehousing facilities because they make more sense than ever in an age of escalating demand and declining labor availability. Is space tight? What are the error rates throughout fulfillment? What kind of space issues do you see moving forward? What are the safety and ergonomic concerns?
Tags: ROI, Order Picking & Fulfillment, ecommerce
Posted in Automation, Labor & Efficiency|
As we’ve discussed automating anything as complex as a large scale material handling process has risks, but there are ways understand the outcome better in advance and reduce any risks. It’s always good to have more data, and simulation plays into that scenario by giving you a view of what key systems, technology and process will interact in your system, with your loads.
Tags: Factory Automation, ROI, data, simulation
Posted in Automation, Labor & Efficiency|
You have plenty of options when searching for an organization to help you build, expand or enhance your facility. These options all have roughly the same products and services. Often, you can buy the same exact equipment and brands from a number of sources. When that’s the case, why would you choose Cisco-Eagle over the alternatives?
Tags: ROI
Posted in Automation, Labor & Efficiency|
Warehouse managers are always interested in ways to optimize and measure their success. Usually these discussions revolve around measuring outcomes–pick rates, errors, ship rates, damage, etc. In any walk of life, it’s good to take some time to reflect on the overall state of your work, and that’s what a warehouse audit should do.
Let’s dive into some things you should measure and how you should get started.
Tags: ROI
Posted in Warehousing & Distribution|
Return-on-investment is critical to automation projects, but justification isn’t straightforward. If you’re trying to convince management to make capital improvements to your operation, a smart, accurate and succinct ROI summary can work wonders. Let’s dive into some methods you can use to understand what to do — and what you can’t quantify.
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Tags: Automation, labor, ROI, Robotics
Posted in Automation, Labor & Efficiency|
The only constant is change in today’s global economy. Many companies and operations are waiting with bated breath to see which way the prevailing tariff winds will blow. Warehouses are especially on edge about all of this, considering how international supply chains and manufacturing has become. One area of concern coming up is that of pallet racks. In the past, a facility could take the chance on a lower-cost imported with the understanding that although the quality isn’t the same, costs may be lower. Now, with tariffs looming, what should you look for in thinking of replacing foreign rack?
Tags: Pallet Rack, ROI
Posted in Pallet & Warehouse Racks|
