Archive for the ‘Strategy’ Category:
Robots to Perform Material Handling Jobs
This is an interesting piece of news for material handling industry that is witnessing revolutionary changes. Until recently, a strong work force was needed to perform the machinery work. Now robots are being used to do such jobs and improve the efficiency as well as save time and cost. Minco Manufacturing Inc. refurbishes drum units and Teflon-coated fuser rollers for copiers. When the company struggled to keep costs under control, it began using robots to load and unload some of its automated lathe cells. Recently, it has purchased 16 additional robots from Staubli Corp.
Assembly Magazine reports that -
At one cell, three separate RX130 robots work in concert, with two of the robots feeding parts to four end-finishing lathes, while a middle robot services a fifth finishing lathe. All that remains for the cell’s human operator is to stage the raw material, remove full transfer totes of finished parts and perform quality checks.
Subscribe to the comments for this postBest Order-Picking Processes
An error that creeps into any process can ruin the overall performance of that process. This is the case with order-picking too, where error and damage-free picking are very important for the throughput of the warehouse or distribution center. The best order- picking processes that minimize errors and maximize profits are decided by the following factors:
- Layout and design of the warehouse or distribution center
- Product storage strategies
- Order picking strategies
- Nature of material handling equipment used
- Picking approach (single order, batch, cluster, bucket brigade)
- Order profiles and sizes
- Inventory deployment and accessibility
- Travel distances and times
- Operator training, proficiency, and attitude
Elements of Picking
Still on the topic of increasing warehouse efficiency by choosing the best order-picking processes, let us look at the three elements that contribute to the overall picking time.
- Setup Time: This refers to the time taken to gather information about the work to be done and then preparing for said work. The setup time usually increases as automation and sophistication increase.
- Travel Time: This refers to the time taken to move around the warehouse of distribution center to complete processing one set of orders. Fast moving items may be placed in locations that are easily accessible in order to decrease the average travel time.
- Time for the Picking Process: This refers to the time taken to identify the right location of the product, pick it from its storage place, and place it on the cart, tote, or pallet.
By analyzing a combination of these order-picking elements, warehouse efficiency and throughput can be enhanced.
Choosing the Right Purchase Option
What are the various options available when you wish to acquire material handling equipment? The investment required is quite large, and so, requires a fair amount of deliberation. There are three ways you can go about this:
- Buy - the equipment outright. This is feasible if you have strategic plans for your business and have the future mapped out. This option will work well for organizations that are already successful and are looking to expand operations. You can also save on taxes by writing off the depreciation value of the equipment.
- Rent - the equipment on a monthly or semi-annual basis. This alternative is a good choice if you are uncertain about the direction of your business, and may wind up operations at any given time.
- Lease - the equipment for a certain period of time. The two most popular leases for material handling equipment are Capital Leases - A capital lease is similar to a mortgage in that the
equipment becomes the property of the customer at the end of the lease
period, and, Operating Leases - An operating lease is similar to renting the equipment __ you will have to pay a fixed amount as usage charges for a certain period of time after which the customer has three options:
- Return the equipment to the supplier
- Buy it at the current market rate
- Renew the lease
Study of Storage Rack Design
A study investigating the issues that should be given priority during the seismic design, installation, continuous inspection, maintenance and use of single steel selective storage racks located in areas of retail warehouse stores and other facilities that are accessed by members of the public, was undertaken by the Rack Manufacturers’ Institute (RMI) in association with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC), Retail Industry Leaders’ Association (RILA), and other materially interested organizations. The report titled "Seismic Considerations for Steel Storage Racks Located in Areas Accessible to the Public", is intended to guide the designing process of industrial steel storage rack systems using the proper guidelines for the utilization, operation, and maintenance of these systems. The final report, FEMA 460, can be viewed online here.
Lean Manufacturing Techniques
Most organizations will find that the biggest contributors to operating loss are material waste and inefficient flow of materials. The application of lean manufacturing and material handling techniques like those listed below will bring about efficiency of operations.
- Reduction of setup time
- Standardizing work
- Implementing value-stream mapping
- Reducing work-in-progress
- Maximizing the use of floor space
- Rearranging machinery and production units to minimize movement of materials
- Implementing pull production
- Effecting continuous flow and eliminating bottlenecks in production
Professionals in Material Handling Optimize the Operations
How should material be handled in a factory or in a manufacturing facility? Material handling equipment must be utilized so as to do the task at hand, quickly, safely and in a cost effective way. Skilled and professional material handling operators are needed for doing this. The different kind of operators are:
- Excavation and Loading Machine Operators
- Crane and Tower Operators
- Hoist and Wench Operators
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators
These operators use a variety of machinery to move construction materials, earth and other heavy materials around a factory, construction site or a warehouse. The operators perform a variety of related tasks also, such as minor repairs, transportation of goods within the premises, setting up and inspection of equipment etc. When it comes to material handling, and it does not matter how big or how small, the best thing that you can do for your project and for the safety of your workers is to hire a licensed professional for the job!
The Importance of Material Handling
Material handling is an important part of factory and industrial processes. It covers the entire spectrum of functions such as waste handling, assembly line management, storage and material transport. A material handling system includes several smaller components that work side by side, to make the everyday business more efficient and cost effective. New advances in technology have revamped the entire material handling system and function. Robotics and automation techniques are increasingly becoming prevalent. If you have an existing business, consider hiring a consultant, to set up your material handling processes. Such experts derive conclusions regarding overall efficiency of operations, recommend appropriate safety precautions and ensure regulatory acquiescence. Do an adequate study and search for both a material handling expert as also appropriate material handling systems required for your purpose and set up an efficient and effective material handling system for your organization.
Empower Yourself by Attending an Informative Material Handling and Logistics Conference
The Material Handling and Logistics Conference sponsored by HK Systems, is highly comprehensive, offering state-of-the-art information and solutions. It has been the industry’s premier educational forum, over the last 20 years. This program offers 60 sessions, encompassing 7 tracks of interest. It has been designed by a committee of Industry Users and Educators, in order to provide all relevant facts and data, that pertain to Supply Chain and Material Handling. All you engineers, technicians, Management and information technologists - working in these fields will gain insights about a host of industry-related subjects and developments. Keynote speakers present their views and share their vision. There are plenty of tutorials and workshops to provide you with the requisite knowledge. Find out more about this informative ‘not-to-be-missed’ conference and gain unmatched insights about the industry. HKplanet.net reports:
The result is an attendee community with unmatched perspective and contribution. You are encouraged to float between tracks and customize your agenda to both gain productivity in your area of responsibility as well as broaden your knowledge in the grand world of the Supply Chain.
Read More: Material Handling Conference
Six Steps That Will Help You Set Up an Effective Maintenance Management System
Big companies very often employ specialized systems like CMMS, RCM, TPM, FMEA for maintenance. Smaller businesses are very often cash-strapped and chances are, that the maintenance initiatives in such firms, becomes reactive. Plant and equipment problems are addressed only when the problem has actually arisen. How must one develop a maintenance control strategy or policy? The answer is not too complicated, it is simple and non-scientific. Here are a few steps, you must adhere to:
- Step one - Choose a low-cost but efficient CMMS which will be the most important component in this entire processs.
- Step two - Create and develop your equipment register that is, a list of all your maintainable equipment.
- Step three - Set up your first Planned Maintenance(PM) schedule, based on equipment history, if available.
- Step four - Set up a quality adhoc work reporting system, in place.
- Step five - In order to fine tune the Schedule, use the maintenance history, as collected in the CMMS.
- Step six - Make a shift from PM routines to planned inspection.
Read More: Maintenance Control - from Zero to Hero