Increased space shuttle
October 1st 2008

John Howard, storage systems specialist at Toyota Material Handling, considers the options available for reducing aisle space, specifically, its goods transporting Radio Shuttle

Better use of available space makes more financial sense than moving to new premises – particularly when credit is harder to come by. But whether premises are new or old, making maximum use of space is essential – anything else is a waste. With achievable racking heights on an upward trend, customers are increasingly demanding solutions that reduce aisle space.

Buyers need to consider the advantages of different options to ensure they invest in a solution that still provides rapid access to pallets, reduces the risk of damage to both goods and equipment and has realistic life time costs. One of Toyota's solutions is the Radio Shuttle.

For example, when Draper, one of the largest wholesalers of tools in Europe, was looking to equip its new warehouse facility in Chandlers Ford, Toyota recommended Radio Shuttle combined with BT Reflex reach trucks.

The Radio Shuttle works in conjunction with standard reach trucks: Shuttles transport each pallet along specially designed racking, placing it ready for the handling task. Controlled by a radio signal, the shuttle will bring the next available pallet to the pick face for picking operations, or during pallet put-away it will transport the pallet to the rear of the racking, gently positioning it in the next available station.

Up to 50 per cent of the handling process is automated, reducing the distance travelled by the trucks and freeing them up to perform another operation once they have placed the pallet at the pick face – the radio shuttle will do the rest.

Trucks only operate from a central aisle, improving space utilisation but also minimising the risk of damage to the truck and racking.

Shuttle versus the rest? Drive in racking is a simple solution requiring little additional investment, with a relatively low cost per pallet stored.

However practical utilisation of around 50 per cent, and the additional cost caused by damage caused to goods, racking and the trucks themselves mean it is less than perfect for larger operations.

Mobile racking gives high practical utilisation, with 95 per cent of the space made available. Toyota finds many companies are deterred by the high initial investment and ongoing maintenance cost that can give a cost per pallet stored of almost three times as much as drive in racking. Operations that require a high throughput can also find that their space utilisation ends up much lower than 95 per cent.

With a high cost per pallet stored, flow racking is more suited to facilities that can operate on a purely 'first in first out' (FIFO) basis, but delivers the real benefit of high throughput. However, up front investment and ongoing maintenance costs can rule this option out for some.

In comparison, Radio Shuttle can work on a FIFO or FILO basis with no moving parts to be maintained within the racking.

The shuttles are compatible with standard trucks and can be moved around the warehouse as required, providing greater flexibility as business needs change.

Practical utilisation is high at up to 90 per cent, while straightforward maintenance keeps cost per pallet very low, representing a significant lifetime saving for operations like Draper.

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