Across the Midwest, warehouse space is at a record setting premium. Internet ecommerce operations have greatly reduced warehouse real property inventory and as a result, leasing costs throughout the region have gone through the roof year after year.

As storage costs rise, it’s vital to make sure that you’re using your facility space as efficiently as possible. For savvy warehouse operations, that means leveraging greater density and automating everything that can be mechanized.

Fortunately, modern material handling technology has improved quickly in the last few years, giving you the tools you need to increase your efficiency and density at unprecedented levels. Storage tech is rapidly altering the fundamental principles of warehouse storage solutions.

Warehouse Automation

Automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) are revolutionizing the warehouse. Some of the primary concepts behind adding AS/RS systems:

1. Massive increases in efficiency. AS/RS systems cut human resource costs, recover floor space, reduce inadvertent inventory damage, and increase throughput.
2. More products. Efficiency gains mean that businesses can increase the number of stock items and increase the throughput of existing operations for better financial performance.
3. Forklift cost savings. An automated warehouse system reduces forklift travel distance and hours.
4. Enhanced facilitation. Automated solutions enable compound sequencing and buffering options that can be coordinated with freight hours and lane options.
5. Quality control. AS/RS systems are simply more accurate and are better at handling complicated duties than humans.
6. Improved safety. Fewer humans equates to fewer safety incidents.
7. Versatility. When it comes to order aggregation, value adds, storage, replenishment and put-away, AS/RS systems are increasingly adaptable systems that can automate almost any warehouse operation.

Automated Storage and Retrieval System

So what exactly is AS/RS? There are several types of technologies that are categorized as AS/RS systems, including these:

• Vertical lift modules
• Horizontal carousels
• Vertical carousels
• Fixed aisle systems

Vertical Lift Modules

Like a vertical carousel, vertical lift modules are vertically oriented systems that hold bins in an upright metal casing. Unlike a carousel, a VLM has a retriever mechanism that moves upward and downward inside the column, retrieves individual trays and hands them to the operator.

Horizontal Carousels

Horizontal carousels are kind of like that rotating rack your dry cleaner uses to locate and access your clothing items. These carousels are ordinarily employed for smaller sized products and they are an array of receptacles suspended from an upper track. They are frequently paired with pick-to-light systems or voice picking systems.

Vertical Carousels

As the name suggests, vertical carousels are vertically aligned, and are conceptually similar to a Ferris wheel with trays mounted to a revolving system that travels in an up and down motion. Vertical carousels are typically contained in an upright metal column.

Fixed Aisle AS/RS

Fixed aisle systems are generally configured as two rows of racking with a narrow channel in between. In the center of the aisle is a raised steel track with a vertical mast that maneuvers its length. Attached to the mast is a vertically moving carriage equipped with a load handling apparatus.

This mast and carriage is referred to as the SRM (storage and retrieval machine) or crane. The majority of systems use a single crane per corridor, but more specialized systems may have multiple.

Categorically, there are two varieties of fixed aisle systems. Unit-load systems are designed to handle large loads on pallets. Mini-load systems (sometimes referred to as a case-handling machine or tote stacker) are lightweight implementations that can deal with cartons and smaller items.

Warehouse Automation Systems Near Me

Talk to an expert! If you’d like assistance in assessing warehouse automation options for your material handling facility, reach out to a professional at Associated.

Our technical team will work with you to review on-site equipment design for your material handling operation. We’ll help you develop a business case including process, conditions, training, future needs, and combined cost.

We provide service and support from our facilities throughout the Midwest. Whether you need used or new automation equipment, parts, maintenance, training or service, we offer a full range of material handling products and services.

The Associated Milwaukee service area includes Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Kenosha, Racine, Appleton, Waukesha, Oshkosh, Eau Claire, Janesville, West Allis, La Crosse, Sheboygan, Wauwatosa, Fond du Lac, New Berlin, Wausau, Brookfield, Beloit, Greenfield and all surrounding areas.

Associated | Milwaukee Material Handling Equipment Supplier

N102W19300 Willow Crk Wy Suite B
Germantown, WI 53022
(800) 354-7502