Treat 'em lean, keep picks keen
October 1st 2007

Automated storage and retrieval systems can improve storage density, save floor space and increase pick counts and accuracy, says IAS Industore's Thomas Hockey

Automated storage and retrieval systems have improved materials handling in many major industries in the past few years. These systems come in two configurations, vertical carousel systems and vertical lift systems. Vertical carousels are designed according to the tried and tested Ferris wheel principal; an automated vertical rack of shelves that bring stored items to the user at the touch of a button. Vertical lift systems use a central extractor to automatically retrieve items stored on trays on the vertical axis of the lift.

These systems are increasingly being installed at facilities across the country as an automated alternative to traditional racking, shelving and mezzanine systems.

The reason for this uptake centre around three principle benefits; their ability to save organisations time, space and money.

Time is saved through the rapid retrieval of stored items. An operator is required simply to enter the name or code of the required item at the system's control interface; the stored item is then brought to the user at an ergonomically positioned access point in seconds. This enables a greater pick rate; it also limits the amount of time spent looking for stored items.

Medical Device manufacturer Stryker Orthopaedics and electrical component distributor Mayflex Electronics are two companies that have benefited from the aforementioned benefits. They have both invested in Hänel's automated storage systems, the Rotomat carousel and Lean- Lift vertical lift system, exclusively supplied across the UK and Ireland by IAS Industore.

Stryker Orthopaedics have invested in a total of 13 Rotomats and two Lean-Lifts throughout its three Irish sites. Stryker supply chain manager, Gerry Dempsey, comments that they have "reduced search times and improved Stryker's cycle counting accuracy". Mayflex Electronics has invested in seven Lean-Lifts which its logistics manager states have speeded up the stock pick and replenishment function; they have also enhanced stock accuracy.

Space is saved through the systems' ability to store a vast number of items on a comparatively small footprint by fully utilising ceiling heights. Vertical lift systems have the further benefit of measuring the height of each stored item and then storing them automatically at the most height optimised location to ensure maximum storage density. Warehouse floor space is increasingly at a premium with costs seen to be rising ahead of inflation; therefore, automated storage systems' space saving credentials offer increasingly pertinent benefits to modern businesses.

Endress+Hauser, a manufacturer of field equipment for process industries, are able to store its entire inventory in two Hänel Lean-Lifts; its inventory had previously been stored in 133 bays of mobile shelving.

Similarly, Dara at RAF St Athan are able store fighter jet canopies in a Hänel Lean- Lift that uses a footprint of only 12.4m2. To store these canopies on traditional pallet racking would have required an area of 118m2.

By saving space and time organisations subsequently save money by implementing automated storage systems. Lower warehouse costs combined with increased pick counts and pick accuracy can substantially contribute to organisational efficiency. Furthermore, savings are made as a result of automated storage systems being less labour intensive than their manual equivalent.

Case study: Multipart Supply Chain Solutions

Multipart Supply Chain Solutions has invested in 20 Hänel Lean-Lifts, each at 12 metres high, at its new warehouse facility in Chorley. This installation is further enhanced by an integrated bespoke software system designed by Industore's team of software engineers. The system is fully integrated with Multipart's ERP system and controls the functions of picking, replenishment and perpetual inventory, passing commands to a conveyor in order to control transactions associated with tote movements in and out of the warehouse activity zones. The software also organises and co-ordinates picks into totes within the zones and controls all associated paperwork.

Each Lean-Lift is supplied with a label printer to attach labels to picked parts; each label includes details such as customer, route, part description and order number.

Upon pick completion, the Industore software automatically notifies Multipart's ERP system to initiate outbound process transactions (despatch paperwork and invoicing).

The success of the Lean-Lifts at Multipart cann be gauged by Multipart's recent order for six more machines.

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