Integrated Systems For The Warehouse Of The Future

The era of modern storage comes with innovative pallet racking solutions. These systems use advanced combinations of material handling, information collecting and communication technologies to ensure that each package is delivered on its predestined place. In order to present you the most advanced storage solutions, we will start from describing the advanced technologies they use.

Materials Handling

These technologies automate box, packet and pallet handling. They deliver packages to specific locations within the storage and replace laborers and outdated forklifts. Some of the most common material handling technologies we can find in modern storage systems, include:

• Conveyors– move boxes, packages and pallets between two points;
• Sortation technology– represent the network of conveyors that guarantee that each package will be delivered to its destination within the storage. In most cases sortation technology is implemented in more complicated systems that use bar scanning and sorting algorithms.
• Stacker cranes– represent a more productive alternative to regular forklifts. They can reach higher places, while separating pedestrian traffic from a moving equipment, which improves occupational health and safety.
• Auto shuttle– is usually done by devices called satellite smart cars. These cars run on rail tracks and they can drive pallets from one end of the stack to another. This decreases the use of forklifts, which can be used for carrying packages to the stack, and placing them on satellite cars.
• Robotics– is an alternative solution to manual labor. It can be used for stacking, unloading and rearranging pallets, boxes and packages.
• Carousel– is the type of material handling technology that uses the least amount of floor space. They are best suited for small and high density storages.

Paperless Technologies

Most of paperless technology devices are used for collecting information about the boxes or loads. They can be hand-held or mounted on different material handling machines like forklifts or cranes.

• Pick to light technology– increases split picking system’s accuracy. It uses barcode validators to read information from each package.
• Radio frequency technology– captures information from the package by using special kind of radio frequency.
• Voice technology– enables direct interaction with operators who then share information about the products, boxes and pallets and procedures for handling them.

Most Popular Solution Sets

Most of these complex contemporary pallet racking systems are built from innovative combinations of material handling and paperless technologies. These are some of the most popular solution sets that we can find in modern storages:

• Full pallet handling solution sets– represent a cost effective way to manage storages that use pallets as a base for storing different types of goods. They can easily deal with high density storing and they don’t take up too much space. Although these systems are usually installed in big pallet storages, their crane flexibility also allows them to lift and move smaller objects, like totes and bins.
• Batch picking solution sets– use conveyor belts and smart separation algorithm, which ensures that products are being stacked to the desired pallet. Use of these systems drastically speeds up this process and makes it less labor intensive.
• Cross docking solution sets– allow workers to unload several trucks at once, while system is automatically labeling and barcode scanning delivered goods and separating them in accordance to inputted parameters.
• Split case handling solution sets– use automatic labeling, barcode scanning and validation. Boxes that don’t pass validation are being replaced with the new ones. After the box is filled, it passes through quality control, which can include weight and visual checks as well as another bar code validation.

Each storage solution set interacts with storage workers through a real-time distribution system, which represents a control platform that manages all physical and operational procedures inside the warehouse. These platforms represent the crown of advanced storage technologies and come with easy-understandable graphics and a great UX. Fast development of these advanced storage systems will completely automatize storing industry and enable entrepreneurs to run complex storages and warehouses with only a few employees.