Cross Docking Goods In/Goods Out Crossing the line
As with all warehouse developments, good planning and design can add further effi ciencies to a cross-docking facility, explains Glyn Ansen, national accounts manager for Hörmann (UK) Ltd.
T
he effi ciencies that can be achieved by cross docking have prompted a big rise in the number of cross dock develop-
ments in the last few years. Particularly prevalent with the big food retailers, who can rely on their suppliers for timely deliver- ies, cross docking reduces warehouse space requirements, minimises materials handling needs, fully utilises truck capacities and speeds-up the overall delivery process.
CHANGING PARAMETERS
When it comes to design, there is still a tendency for architects and planners to fall back on their existing standard design parameters. However, things have changed. Cross docks present specifi c challenges, not
least of which is the differing demands of the goods-in and goods-out bays. Goods-in usu- ally has to be able to accept a wider range of vehicle types than the goods-out side. Generally speaking, the operator has a greater control over the goods-out fl eet, either through ownership or the contract with their transport provider, whereas the goods-in side has to accept deliveries from a wide range of suppliers and transport operators. The range of vehicles that have to be accommodated include UK-specifi c double- deck trailers, which can have deck heights as low as 870mm, while the trailer itself can be up to 5.2m high. However, we must remember that over 96% of trailers in use in the UK are single deck and the most common unladen bed height is around 1350mm. Flexibility in the goods-in area can be achieved in a number of ways: fi rstly, with designs that can accept a range of vehicle sizes; and secondly, with alternative options such as scis- sor lift bays and level access bays. To improve fl exibility, dock levellers with telescopic lips are capable of operating through a greater working range than swing lip levellers. For example, a 3000mm-long leveller with a 400mm swing lip can ac- commodate a loading height of 365mm above or 335mm below the dock height. With a 500mm telescopic lip, this extends to 405mm above and 395mm below, while the unique 1200mm, Hörmann- designed lip takes this to 480mm above and 440mm below. When operating at the extremes, we need to make allowances for the materials handling equipment and loading weights too.
SPECIFIC DESIGNS Door opener: Hörmann aims to design-out risk from the loading bay
We have been working with one of our customers on its specifi c loading bay
www.shdlogistics.com
designs, and in order to improve operational effi ciency, its future warehouse develop- ments will include a loading dock height of 1300mm. This is some 100mm higher than the most popular height found throughout the UK. At this new height, the incline into/out of the vast majority of vehicles on the bay will be minimised, it will be easier to oper- ate pedestrian pallet trucks, and crucially, its battery powered trucks will expend less energy, extending their operational range. This type of detailed planning is where overall effi ciency and safety can be maxim- ised, but we shouldn’t forget the potential cost savings that can also be achieved. For example, with this new dock height, standard dock shelters, from our size range, can be employed without modifi cation, making them a more economical solution. Additionally, at this height, the dock buffers are in the optimum position to maximise the protection offered to both the building and the vehicles. Even on the goods-out side of a cross dock,
fl exibility should be considered to accommo- date future vehicle developments and allow for peaks of activity where additional vehi- cles may be hired in at short notice. For some retail operations, articulated vehicles deliver in, while vans and/or 7.5 tonne trucks are used to deliver out. Here, modifying the dock height will add safety and effi ciency. As with all projects, by taking time to think about the specifi c needs of the individual operations, understanding the options avail- able and identifying specifi c risks, improved designs are developed. We look to design- out risk and design-in operational effi ciency while maintaining safety as our focus. To achieve the best results on all fronts it is es- sential to be involved from an early stage.
www.hormann.co.uk Storage Handling Distribution August 2012 37
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