• Designed to eliminate manual handling and worker judgment – and frequently is accompanied by reductions in labour costs, theft and errors.
• Since manual labour is reduced, the business can operate on three shifts with low incremental labour expense.
• The systems move bulk pallets very efficiently and quickly to ship docks.
• Control of pick waves and timing is much more predictable than manual warehouses.
• Handles high volume full pallet picking very efficiently, ideal for pick face replenishment.
• Very narrow aisles, giving more space for pallet storage.
• Very dense storage media, lots of pallets into less square metres.
• Is an enabler for very high warehouses, thus increasing pallet storage capacities, with a smaller floor foot print.
• Is an enabler for automated bar-code reading technology, reducing pick errors.
• Inventory reporting and accuracy should be much improved.

Against:

• Expensive to implement, with a long payback period, very capital intensive.
• Difficult to move, remove or modify, less flexible than conventional warehouses.
• Contains high mechanical and/or software complexity, which often makes implementation and thorough "debugging" difficult.
• When a significant part of the system fails, the whole system usually "goes down" due to a high degree of integration and lack of feasible backup systems. (The ATM system is a good everyday example).
• Usually will require mechanical & electrical technicians on site to problem solve.
• Can be very complicated where there is lots of case picking to do, unless each product is given a forward pick face outside of the automated warehouse.

Examples of Automated Operations:-

Aisle types and widths are a key factor in optimising the amount warehouse racking locations.

Lift trucks used for handling unit loads in racked storage are categorized by the aisle widths they are designed to be operated in.

• Wide Aisle (WA) trucks are the standard counterbalanced lift trucks that have become synonymous with the term “forklift”. Wide aisle trucks generally operate in aisles greater than 11’ with 12’ being the norm for handling 48” deep loads.

• Narrow Aisle (NA) trucks operate in aisles of 8’ to 10’. This is primarily the domain of the stand-up reach and double-deep reach trucks.

• Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) trucks generally operate in aisles of less than 6’ and often use guidance systems (wire, rail, optical) to travel within the aisles. Standardized VNA vehicles consist of man-up order selectors used to manually handle less-than-pallet-load quantities and man-up turret trucks used to handle unit loads (man-up turret trucks can usually also perform as order selectors).

 

Fork Equipment Comparisons:

Vehicle Type	Space Utilisation	Productivity	Cost	Flexibility
Standard Wide Aisle Forklift	Baseline		£
Narrow Aisle Reach	+20% to +25%		££
Narrow Aisle Double Deep Reach	-20% to +60%		££
VNA Turret	+40% to +50%		££££££
VNA Swing Mast or Bendi	+35% to +45%		£££

Need some help:-                                                                                                                                                                  

If you are considering new automated or manual warehouse layouts, then why not call us first, by spending just  one working day with you we will be able to establish and advise you on the best way forward.

• The suitability of your operations for Automation.

• Changes to existing Automated & Manual Warehouses.

• Pallet racking designs for your Warehouse Layouts.

• Discuss in depth with you the "For & Against" business case, specific to your business.