By Lillian Conners
Logistics become harder to handle when your small business starts to grow, and problems like storage, transportation, sorting and handling can become nightmares if not addressed promptly. Luckily, there are a number of contemporary solutions on the market that you can implement in order to overcome your logistical problems and bolster productivity and efficiency.
Sorters
When trying to handle large volumes of products from packaging to their dispatch stations, sorting systems are your best friends. These systems are designed to handle the diversity and capacity of the load, while also tracking and tracing every single product and its movement throughout the sorting process.
You can use these machines in any situation, as they take the shape, size, weight, capacity and condition of the package into account in order to successfully deliver it to the dispatch lane. Given the fact that the machine is automated, it leaves out the possibility of human error and also works at a faster rate, producing a higher input/output ratio.
Stacking cranes
Stacking cranes have proven to be more efficient than regular forklifts for a number of reasons. In addition to separating the pedestrian lanes from the equipment tracks, they use their 35m reach to efficiently manage tight storage spaces and product stacking.
You can even get an automated storage and retrieval system, or ASRS for short, if you are dealing with small storage spaces, and operating with smaller loads and pallet applications. A stacking crane follows the specifications of the load by taking into account the weight, volume and throughput criteria.
Conveyor systems
When managing a distribution center where you need to quickly and safely move items from point A to point B, whether from small boxes to pallets, or vice versa, you will need a conveyor system. There are many different applications for conveyors and you can find a variation of the machine for just about any situation and working environment.
When designing your conveyor system, it’s important to take into account the shape, capacity, size, condition and weight of the conveyed items. You can incorporate other devices into the conveyor system such as printers and sticker machines along with weight scales and carton sealers for a complete process.
Robotic handling
Robotics are becoming more common than ever in distribution and storage facilities around the world, as they have numerous advantages over manual labor. Firstly, robotic solutions speed up the process and handle repetitive workloads quickly, and without any safety hazards.
Secondly, high volume distribution can be handled with minimum risk of product damage and the machine can work efficiently both on palletizing and de-palletizing tasks, provided that the warehouse is equipped with heavy-duty pallet racking.
Satellite systems
Satellites are commonly used for managing tightly-packed storage spaces and efficiently storing and removing pallets via a specially-designed railing system. This way, you can carry out brimming pallets in and out of the storage facility with ease and efficiency.
The satellites are manually placed in the specific rack place with a forklift and then remotely operated. Smart satellite carts are able to easily grab and put away specified pallets within their own operating area, without disturbing or obstructing the forklift operator.
The entire satellite system contains sensors that enable it to determine the course of action. This system proves to be perfect when managing a high volume of pallets in a densely populated storage facility as it can be set to LIFO (last in, first out) and FIFO (first in, first out) actions.
Carousel systems
If you have limited floor space but have plenty of vertical space, carousels are the perfect option for you. These systems operate by having a number of trays within a tower, and every tray has its set of bins that store the products. You can program these trays to quickly reach and deliver the products to the operator.
When handling massive loads of goods, it is imperative to pick out a system that corresponds with your needs and resources. With these insights, you will find the perfect solution for your business in no time.
