DC Velocity - August 2017

have to reach deep into the racks to grab heavy kegs from the back of pallets. Considering that the half-barrel kegs weigh a hefty 165 pounds and the 1/6-barrel kegs weigh in at 60 pounds, this makes the flow racks a safer and more ergonomic solution than the previous pallet-based storage system.

The Span-Track system is also well suited for use in the cooler, as it is designed to operate in temperatures as low as - 20 degrees Fahrenheit. As a further advantage, the drop-in design of the roller units makes them easy to install.

PERFECT FOR PICKING

The draft beer lines housed in the cooler make up about 10 percent of the total volume of beers in the facility. Right now, workers pick orders for these products using paper lists, but Atlas will soon transition to voice-directed picking for kegs in the cooler. When the time comes, the operation will implement the Vocollect voice solution from Honeywell, which is already deployed in the ambient area.

The voice solution works in conjunction with Vermont Information Processing’s (VIP) warehouse management system (WMS), which is geared specifically to beverage distribution. (VIP is a WMS partner with Honeywell, so the integration of voice picking was a simple matter.)

Faster-moving kegs are selected from floor storage loca-
tions, while the slower-moving kegs and most specialty
products are picked from the flow racks. (Although the
majority of specialty brew products are stored in the flow
racks, some are housed in four-foot-deep pushback racks.)

ORGANIZED AND EFFICIENT

As for how the new rack system is working out, the Atlas
managers give it high marks. “The Span-Track gave us four
to five times more locations for picking. It opens up so
much more space,” says Lamoureux. “We would have run
out of space very quickly in the cooler without them.”
Products are also more organized in the racks, and floor
clutter has been eliminated. Since the kegs roll forward, they
are easier for workers to grab and safer to lift than was the
case with the previous system. Safety stops assure that the
kegs do not tumble out of the racks as they slide forward.

The Span-Track sections allow the kegs to be stored more closely together, which cuts down on travel time for the order pickers. The products are both visible and easy to locate in the racks, which has reduced picking time. The system has proved to be so efficient that only two workers are now needed to pick orders in the cooler, compared with the 20 workers who used to labor inside the 38-degree section. These lucky employees have now been freed for duties in more comfortable climes.

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