NEW LOGISTICS PRODUCTS & SERVICES
EDITED BY DIANE RAND rollouts
A-frame picking system: The newest model of SI Systems’
Dispen-SI-matic A-Frame can now pick inventory directly into
boxes or shipping containers of different sizes. Previously, companies that used different-sized containers would have to have
the product dispensed onto the conveyor belt and be placed into
the boxes afterward.
An A-frame picking system operates like a giant vending
machine. Products—typically small items like pharmaceuticals or
cosmetics—drop down a chute onto a conveyor belt that runs
down the middle of the machine. With the Dispen-SI-matic, the
product drops into containers or corrugated boxes that are traveling on the belt. This completely eliminates the need for human
labor to pick products.
It’s like robotic picking without the robots, or rather without
what you might recognize as robots, the company says.
At the entrance to the A-frame, a scanner reads the bar code
on the tote or container, which notifies the picking system what
products need to be placed into that particular tote. The system
can vary its speed depending on how many products need to
go into a container. The system can pick up to 2,200 orders an
hour. (SI Systems, www.sihs.com)
Robotic gripper: Robotics software developer RightHand
Robotics has introduced a device called “RightPick,” which consists of a mechanism known as a “gripper” and accompanying
software, and which is designed to efficiently pick small individual items for e-commerce orders.
The gripper, which is designed to
appear like a flexible hand, fits over
most off-the-shelf robotics equipment, according to the Cambridge,
Mass.-based company. The software is engineered with “machine
learning” capabilities so the mechanism can place a picked product
strategically within a bin.
On average, the gripper can execute 500 to 1,000 picks per hour.
Its design makes it capable of grabbing items as wide as pillows.
The company says the RightPick
will be of optimal value for compa-
nies struggling to find humans to pick large quantities of small,
lightweight items.
The system is in beta testing with select customers. The cost of
the device will vary depending on the specific needs of each customer, according to the company. (RightHand Robotics, www.
righthandrobotics.com)
AS/RS for small to mid-sized operations: Kardex Remstar
has launched the LR 35 storage and retrieval unit, a goods-to-person bin-handing solution that the company says is ideal for
operations that handle single-part or small-volume orders. The
unit consists of a shelf system with automatic bin handling, picking stations, and its own logistics software. The LR 35 brings totes
of small items directly to the operator with minimal wait time.
According to the company, the unit improves order picking
performance and energy efficiency, and reduces the amount of
floor space required for storage of goods. The lower price point
puts it in reach of small- to medium-sized warehouses that are
looking for a bin-handling solution. (Kardex Remstar, www.
kardexremstar.com)
Order execution system: Steel storage systems maker
Frazier Industrial Co. has partnered with Jasci, a supply chain
acceleration software provider, to develop a cloud-based
advanced order execution system. Using augmented reality
glasses that feature audio and visual instruction, Jasci’s software
enables faster bar-code scanning and transmission of order
retrievals.
The system allows for continuous flow of product, eliminating
waves, which enables optimal performance and greater velocity
of product going through the warehouse. (Frazier Industrial Co.,
www.frazier.com)
Augmented reality solution: Cloud-based voice solution
provider Voxware has introduced an augmented reality (AR)
solution based on a smartglasses platform that combines voice
and scanning with vision and image capture, creating a solution
to optimize labor efficiency in e-commerce operations. This solution was designed to improve workflows in packing and shipping
as well as in DC returns and receiving operations. This process
combines voice-directed picking with spoken commands, a
visible screen for one eye, and an embedded camera, all built
on hardware from smartglass provider Vuzix. (Voxware, www.
voxware.com)
Auto-leveling attachment: The PalletPal OP from
Southworth Products mounts to any standard order picking lift
to make the job of order picking and stock replenishment faster,
safer, and easier. Built on the design of PalletPal Level Loaders,
the PalletPal OP uses a calibrated spring mechanism to automatically adjust the height of a pallet load as boxes are added or
removed. The top layer of the load is always at a comfortable
working height, allowing employees to load or offload items
with no bending, stretching, or awkward postures.
The PalletPal OP’s design fits on all brands of order pickers. It
mounts quickly and easily with no tools. The specially designed
reinforced baseframe securely clamps to forks. Once loaded onto
the lift, the PalletPal OP is ready for use with no adjustments or
modifications.
The PalletPal OP works with loads weighing from 400 to 2,200
pounds. (Southworth Products, www.southworthproducts.com)
SPOTLIGHT ON ….
PICKING SYSTEMS
