Feature Warehousing & Logistics
ERIKS opt for dynamic picking solution T
A combination of vertical picking towers, sortation conveyors, RF barcode scanners and a warehouse management system, integrated by Chess Logistics Technology, has provided industrial products supplier ERIKS UK with a productive, adaptable and efficient order fulfilment solution at its seals warehouse in Dudley
he solution at the ERIKS ware- house has been centred around Chess Logistics Technology’s Empirica application to manage all warehouse, stock and picking oper- ations dynamically and in real time, while also providing a seamless link with existing business applications. “This highly efficient solution sup- ports our business and manages the complete stock control and picking process so that we fulfil the maximum number of orders every day,” said Peter Timbrell, logistics director at ERIKS UK. “It helps us provide the very high levels of information, qual- ity of service and product availability expected by our customers.” ERIKS supplies a range of indus- trial products and services ranging from sealing technology to electro- mechanical repairs. The company has a dual approach of serving the OEM (original equipment manufac- ture) and MRO (maintenance repair operations) sectors and its customers include some of the largest aero- space, automotive and food and bev- erage manufacturers.
The challenge
This dual approach presents some interesting challenges to the picking operation which relies on many stock and customer focused parameters to maintain the high level of customer service. OEM orders are reasonably predictable but MRO requires adapt- ability to provide an on-demand ser- vice. Some customers are unconcerned with first-in-first-out (FIFO) sourcing but require items made with a specific date range, while some want items from a batch they have tested. Some want additional codes or markings applied to products. ERIKS has to meet these, and other requirements, while maintaining a high level of operational efficiency with low transaction costs. Quality and accuracy of information is vital. At the seals warehouse, the company stocks upwards of 12,000 product lines and orders can be for single items cost- ing hundreds of pounds for specialist applications through to thousands of lower cost items for high volume manu- facturing. Order picking has to be flexi- ble enough to cope with both extremes and everything in between.
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directed by ‘next task’ instructions on their RF terminals. This ensures no time is wasted waiting for an item to be avail- able and minimises the walking between machines for maximum pro- ductivity and efficiency. “We envisaged two operatives would work three towers each,” said Timbrell. “But it was soon clear that one person could manage all six and they now only spend half their time on picking tasks. In the previous operation four people spent all their time on order picking.” The entire system is driven by a hierarchy of priorities and tasks man- aged dynamically and in real time by Empirica. Stock orders have a lower priority than customer orders but emergencies always take precedence.
Above and below right: the Empirica solution from Chess Logistics Technology manages the complete stock control and picking process at ERIKS UK’s seals warehouse in Dudley
Operations in the company’s previ- ous seals warehouse were managed by a combination of paper documentation and the knowledge and experience of employees, meaning there was little control over picking priorities while managing batch information and trace- ability was laborious.
Continued growth led the company to move to a new purpose built seals distribution centre in 2010 and recog- nised the Empirica warehouse man- agement system as being suitable for the new operation. In the new facility, six Hänel vertical picking towers (‘Lean Lifts’) are posi- tioned along the centre of the building to make full use of the 12 metre height. Stock is stored on trays which are brought down to the picking face auto- matically acting on instructions received directly from the WMS. Pick- to-light technology then indicates the location of the correct item. A conveyor and sortation system provided by Keymas runs from the picking face to order rework and assembly areas at the front of the building. Picking and other tasks are managed using handheld RF terminals which issue instructions to warehouse staff and scan barcodes at various points to verify actions. This equipment is driven by the Empirica WMS which not only sends pick instructions direct to the Lean Lifts but also prioritises and balances the picking sequence evenly across all six towers. While the operative is retrieving an item from one machine the others are transferring trays to the pick face. The picker moves from machine to machine,
Summary
“The system ensures there is always a task to do and this helps maintain the pace of work which is good for pro- ductivity,” said Timbrell. “During periods when we are really busy we still have flexibility. “We are very pleased with the solu- tion delivered by Chess and the sup- port they have given to us during the design and implementation of the system. The result is a solution that supports the current and future busi- ness requirements.”
Chess Logistics Technology
www.chess.uk.com T: 0161 888 2580
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FEBRUARY 2013 Automation
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