Food & Drink Processing & Packaging Issue 55 2024 | Page 67

a new purchase or new installation . The risk of failure is also reduced compared to completely new systems . Not only is modernisation in this way resource-friendly , but also employees can continue to work in the existing facility for as long as possible .
There are many individual areas that can benefit from retrofitting . One important area to focus on is picking operations . If a picking system no longer proves efficient and ergonomic , a company must be able to react quickly to adapt their existing storage system to the new conditions . Given that most warehouses have pallet racking as their major item of materials handling equipment , this presents a great opportunity for modernisation , with a number of picking options that can be retrofitted in pallet racking at ground level , which is the prime order picking area .
BITO pallet racking has been designed to allow fast adaptation to different needs , providing customers with a maximum amount of flexibility . There is a vast range of accessories and ancillary products , which allows many easyto-implement reconfiguration
If a picking system no longer proves efficient and ergonomic , a company must be able to react quickly to adapt their existing storage system to the new conditions .
variants . For example , by fitting flow levels at floor height , pallet racking can be adapted for picking individual packaging units or single items whereas the pallet storage levels on top are used as a buffer store .
Retrofitting options for pallet racking include drop in sections of roller tracks for unit or piece picking , push-back roller track levels also for unit or piece picking , full-width roller lanes for pallets , container pick walls , shelving , dropon wire shelves , chipboard panel decking , inclined shelving and steel panel decking .
These options provide numerous advantages such as a substantially higher number of reference lines , shorter travel routes , reduced pick times , maximum configuration flexibility and excellent ergonomic conditions for strain-free working .
Of course , modernisation does not result in a new warehouse , but it will bring it up to date and extend its service life . The project will involve investment , a detailed concept and preliminary planning . The new components have to be coordinated with the existing ones . It is also important to ensure that existing components are not overloaded by the performance of the new ones , which might cause them to fail . The implementation of retrofitting measures during ongoing operation must also be planned in detail so that warehouse operations are not disturbed or even interrupted .
It is worth seeking out a storage system supplier , such as BITO , which in addition to offering racking , shelving and flow lanes , also provides a plastic container range comprising a variety of sizes and a broad choice of accessories . This will ensure the modernised system is designed to fit a given space , maximising the potential for improved picking efficiency and material flow .
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