A variety of automation technologies are available to improve both the speed and accuracy of the picking process and workflow .
manual approach and many are modular in nature so that they can be phased in over time . This gives warehouse managers great flexibility in terms of managing expenses and training issues and analysing ongoing results to both fine-tune ongoing optimisation efforts and analyse return on investment ( ROI ).
Today , five main technology options are available for automating the storage and retrieval of individual SKUs , and for improving operational efficiency : Vertical lift modules ( VLMs ), Vertical carousels , Virtual Buffer Modules ( VBMs ), Horizontal carousels and Kardex AutoStore . These solutions enable warehouse operators to spread investment costs over time , move certain parts of the overall inventory into the automated solutions , support staff and analyse the experience over time to determine time and labour savings . No matter what the stock , whether fast moving items , tools storage , heavy goods , or cold storage items , in the end its all about increasing efficiency and remaining competitive .
Automated solutions are designed with the worker in mind . Not only do they help to reduce foot travel but are ergonomically designed . By bringing the goods to the person , bending , reaching and carrying is greatly reduced , which is faster and safer for staff .
Today , a variety of automation technologies and optimisation strategies are available to help warehouse operators overcome the limitations and inefficiencies of the
To learn more contact Kardex Remstar at info . remstar . uk @ kardex . com or visit at www . kardex . com
Issue 67 PECM 119