opinion amhsa l Thinking outside the box
In this month’s article in the series from members of the Automated Material Handling Systems Association (AMHSA), Adam Fox, project manager for George Ute Ltd, describes the benefits of using custom-designed plastic containers for automated picking systems and transit packaging.
n recent years, with the advent of more and more automated material handling systems in distribution networks, we have seen a massive increase in the use of plastic containers, crates and trays within the supply chains of UK businesses.
I
As automated system suppliers will readily tell you, if there is a major ongoing problem encountered with an automated handling system, it is very likely to be caused by the variable quality of the pallets, containers or crates being handled. No surprise, then, that by specifying robust, lightweight and high quality container solutions at the outset, smart companies can cut costs, increase productivity and reduce downtime.
One company alone saved $10.9 million a year over a four-year period and reduced the amount of waste sent to landfill by 35%.
Durability versus cost
In most automated picking systems, the captive picking tray works very hard on its continual circuits of the system and the equation of quality for a long service life against initial higher cost should, in reality, be a no-brainier. A new study by Michigan State University in the USA found that four car manufacturers that installed plastic containers on their production lines saved far more in terms of cash flow than had originally been forecast. One company alone saved $10.9 million a
38 ShD August 2010
www.PressOnShD.com
year over a four-year period and reduced the amount of waste sent to landfill by 35%. That’s compelling stuff.
Customised containers
In addition, as a business grows and its handling system expands, any new additional containers purchased will need to be of exactly the same specification as the original ones. With some ‘off the shelf’ unit load solutions, this simply may not be possible. As market-leading automated handling suppliers such as George Ute increasingly create customised solutions to maximise efficiency in the transport and storage of their clients’ precious merchandise, they often demand a non-standard container or tray to ensure the best possible levels of efficiency.
For instance, special container sizes can decrease the total system footprint by a considerable margin. Or a client may specify an ergonomic handle design that will boost productivity dramatically. Maybe there is a need to integrate RFID tags into the container design or perhaps special drainage holes are required for health and safety reasons.
Frequently, clients wish to take advantage of in-mould technology to embed logos or barcodes as a form of branding for the container.
Safe shipping
Once the product has been picked, the crate or tray may be used as the onward transport container, or the picked goods may be transferred to a
specific shipping container. Here, there are a number of other considerations. Will the contents of the crate need to be protected during transit by being lidded and strapped? Many automated systems would benefit from an attached lid container that can be automatically closed and sealed. Also, would using a space-saving nesting or collapsible design for the return trip cut costs?
Eliminating damage
Another area to consider is transit packaging, in which high value assembly components are held in a precise way, which is a prerequisite for automatic handling by, say, robotic equipment.
Such custom-made solutions provide optimal protection prior to further processing, thereby reducing costly damage to their products. With the individual components not requiring any additional wrapping, product identity and assembly time is cut to a minimum and profit margins can be maintained. This is a very important point to remember when weighing up the benefits of customised transit packaging. For almost any industry, the utilisation of bespoke plastic containers and trays – designed specifically for optimal performance in their unique handling environment – will help move products more quickly, safely and cost-effectively than using less suitable containers in wood or cardboard. ●
www.amhsa.co.uk
opinion
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52