The Satellite Review Magazine The Satellite Review Magazine Vol 1 | Page 18

AS/RS SAFETY & SERVICE

AS/RS Safety and Service:

Keeping your system up and running for long-term benefits
By Robert Douglas,

Service Manager, Westfalia Technologies, Inc.
You wouldn’t buy a car and wait until the brake pads
completely wore out to replace them. Or, you wouldn’t drive
20,000 miles before you go for an oil change. The same goes
for an Automated Storage and Retrieval System (AS/RS).
As with a car, preventative maintenance is the key to an
AS/RS’s longevity, reliability and safety.
Although an AS/RS can generate ROI in about five years,
proper service and maintenance further maximize this
investment and can lead to a system lifespan of 25+ years,
thus lowering the total cost of ownership and providing
long-term operational efficiencies. In order to realize these
benefits and ensure that the AS/RS stays in pristine – and

18

The Satellite Review

safe – condition, companies must take into consideration
the following best practices.

Make Time for Training: Long before getting an AS/RS

up and running, it is vital for operators and maintenance
personnel to fully understand the equipment and the risks
the machinery carries. On the flip side, it is also necessary
to educate the AS/RS vendor’s subcontractors on internal
safety rules and regulations so that they, too, comply with
the company’s own policies. Everyone who works with
these machines must know how to do so safely. Plus, the
organization will avoid accidents that could potentially
cause damaging litigations.

www.WestfaliaUSA.com