ROLLOUTS
Layer picker for AS/RS structure: Westfalia Technologies hasintroduced a complete automated warehouse solution that’sdesigned to automate layer picking in a high-density format.
The solution consists of a high-density automated storageand retrieval system (AS/RS) and layer picker, all controlled byWestfalia’s Savanna.Net warehouse execution system (WES). Inaddition to maximizing the storage capacity of an existing facility,the solution embeds the layer picker within the AS/RS structure.
This frees up available floor space for other processes, the company says.
The system’s flexible rack structures can accommodate multiple storage-lane depths to handle varying stock-keeping unit(SKU) inventory levels and can be built as high as 120 feet—although installations typically run between 60 and 80 feet inheight. Capable of picking three layers per minute, the solutioncan be used with products as small as two inches and as largeas full cases.
The combination of the AS/RS and layer pick system allowscompanies to seamlessly convey pallets from palletizing tostorage and to truck-staging lanes. The system is ideally suitedfor handling 2,000 to 3,000 SKUs, according to the company.
Westfalia says the system is already up and running in ambient and cold/frozen food, beverage, and liquor applications.
(Westfalia, www.westfaliausa.com)
Container tilter: The new gaylord tilter from Southworth Products Corp. isdesigned to get parcels and other itemsfrom gaylords and other large containersonto conveyors and automated sortationsystems. The Model GTU-500 tilts loads upto 110 degrees to provide controlled emptying of container contents. It features aunique pan-style platform that sits essentially flush with the floorwhen lowered, allowing gaylords to be placed and retrieved bya hand pallet truck, no forklift necessary. A steel retention barprevents gaylords from falling even when the unit is tilted to thefull 110 degrees.
According to the company, unloading container contents witha tilt device like the GTU-500 makes work faster, safer, and easier, which translates into higher productivity and reduced risk ofstrain and injury for workers.
The GTU-500 has a 500-pound capacity when fully tilted. The
50- by 50-inch platform can accommodate gaylords on 48- by
48-inch pallets, and the tilt angle is operator adjustable via a footcontrol switch. (Southworth Products Corp., southworthprod-ucts.com)
Insulated workstation for cold chain operations: MAXmobile workstations from ACD Group are designed to help thesupply chain do more, with less, and now companies can alsodo it in the cold. MAX-TK, “The Cool Customer,” is made withspecial thermal insulation allowing for ongoing battery runningtime exceeding one full shift, while scanning, printing, labeling,and doing those things needed to ship orders on time and in full.
According to the company, employees can be more productivewhen they’re able to bring their powered work devices into thecoolers with them, eliminating the need to walk out, then back inagain and again. (ACD Group, www.acd-group.com)
Shipping wrap for batteries: Pact LLC,a manufacturer of packaging and cratingtechnologies, has introduced ThermoShield, a paper-based fire-resistant shipping wrap designed to prevent catastrophes caused by battery explosions duringtransport. Using technology designed to actively and automatically cool the internal environment of a corrugated container,the paper-based, 100%-recyclable protective logistics productprevents damage to the outside shipping container, suppressesfumes or gases from escaping, and limits external oxygen supply,the company says.
Thermo Shield is made of a lightweight pleated material witha nontoxic moisture vapor application designed to ensure thesafety of lithium-ion products in transport. The new solutioncan suppress thermal runaway and propagation at temperaturesof up to 1,472 degrees Fahrenheit (800 degrees Celsius) andrestrict the temperature outside the wrap itself to 176 degreesFahrenheit (80 degrees Celsius), according to the manufacturer.
(Pact LLC, www.pactww.com)
Upgrades to “Chuck” bots: Fulfillment solutions provider 6
River Systems (6RS) has announced enhancements to its collaborative mobile robot, “Chuck,” and to its “wall-to-wall fulfillmentsolution,” which spans the workflow from putaway to picking,sorting, and packing.
Waltham, Massachusetts-based 6RS, which is a unit of thee-commerce company Shopify Inc., says its flexible tech is ideallysuited to the growing number of modular and larger multilevelworkspaces.
In applications where fulfillment operators need to meet soaring demand for split-case and e-commerce volume despite laboravailability constraints, the 6RS platform replaces manual carts,eliminates long walks through a DC, and improves associates’jobs, the company says. Together, those attributes make it easierfor users to recruit and retain workers, 6RS adds.
Recent upgrades to the Chuck robotic platform includeincreased capacity, with up to six levels for a total of 43
square feet of workspace and 200 pounds of payload; compliance of its safety system with international safety standards,including CE and UL1740; and improved usability and accelerated training through lighting, images, and prompts. ( 6 RiverSystems, 6river.com)
Flooring for robotic applications: Cornerstone Specialty WoodProducts now offers its ResinDek flooring panels with the durableMetaGard finish option. The MetaGard steel surface is fused tothe ResinDek panel with a bonding agent and features an edgethat encapsulates the perimeter of the panel. This creates a floorthat will not delaminate, is level for rolling loads, and has nosharp edges that could cut or snag objects passing over it. Theflooring is ideal for AGVs and other autonomous mobile robotsand is designed to withstand millions of passes and high volumesof heavy loads exerted by robotic vehicles continuously movingaround a warehouse, the company says.
Available in galvanized or stainless steel, the MetaGard finish can be applied to all ResinDek panels, which are designedspecifically for mezzanines, industrial work platforms, and pickmodules, according to the manufacturer. (Cornerstone SpecialtyWood Products, www.resindek.com/metagard.php)
