Companies can become more efficient AND increase profitability by managing the functionality of their storage.
Here are 5 ways to increase efficiency of your storage to gain back valuable square footage:
Vertical Lift Module (VLM):
The VLM is a board controlled automated vertical lift module. Inventory within the VLM is stored on front and rear tray locations or rails. When a tray is requested, either by entering a tray number in the built in control pad or by requesting a part through software, an extractor travels vertically between the two columns of trays and pulls the requested tray from its location and brings it to an access point. The operator then picks or replenishes stock and the tray is returned to its home upon confirmation.
Mobile Aisle Pallet Rack:
Motorized mobile pallet racking is designed to maximize the use of warehouse storage space. Mobilized compact pallet racks can reduce your pallet storage area in half, or double the capacity of your pallet rack storage in the same floorspace area. Mobilized pallet racks save space by converting static access aisles into productive storage space. The mobilized compact rack storage system mounts rows of pallet racks onto heavy-duty rolling carriages and places them on floor tracks. Rows of pallet racks (up to 96’ long) move sideways along the floor tracks creating a movable floating access aisle. Typical warehouse storage facilities may have dozens of static access aisles but only one or two forklifts capable of accessing stored materials. Mobilizing pallet racks reduce the number of access aisles to match the velocity requirements of your storage area. Rows of pallet racks are moved by pushing a button or by remote control, which opens access aisles when and where they are needed.
Mobilized pallet racks have helped many organizations reduce or eliminate new building construction costs, auxiliary warehouses, building expansions, and decrease ongoing operational costs (lighting, energy, insurance) by maximizing the use of their storage floor space.
Some disadvantages of high density pallet storage systems are; less access to all stock at any given moment (although if the stored product is all the same, it should not matter), and the expense of such systems. Selective pallet rack systems are considerably less expensive per pallet position than their higher density counterparts. In most medium to large facilities, however, high density pallet rack systems are essential, since they provide the efficiency of time and high cost facility space is better optimized.
Mobile Aisle Shelving:
By eliminating the need for an aisle between every shelving unit, more floor space can be utilised for storage. Each unit is mounted on a level trackway (to eliminate gradients in the supporting floor), making it possible to move heavy units with minimal effort. Mobile shelving can be moved manually or by the use of electrical motors.
A typical bank of mobile aisle shelving units offer close to 50% reduction of floor space or a 50% to 100% increase in storage space compared to traditional shelving.
High Density Drawers:
High Density Drawers can combine with shelving to achieve a greater storage density than static shelving alone. Drawers can be integrated into a mobile aisle system to further increase efficency of the storage footprint. One HD drawer unit holds as much as five bin units. HD drawers are heavy-duty with 400lb capacity per drawer.
Pallet Shuttle for bulk SKU storage:
The shuttle system consists of a shuttle vehicle and docking station. The docking station and the shuttle vehicle (orbiter) form a single unit that can be moved flexibly in the warehouse. Racks where the shuttle system is used have a centring console fitted onto the front.
The forklifts pick up the docking station, including the orbiter, and places it into the centring console on the required rack. The forklifts then pick up inward storage pallets and position these onto the orbiter.
While the forklift takes care of picking up the next pallet being stored, the orbiter conveys it quickly and safely into the desired storage location. The driving commands are communicated to the shuttle vehicle via wireless remote control.
Check out this video on this pallet shuttle technology for deep lane pallet storage:
