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`System
`
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`
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`
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`Cox Target Media
`
`Pushing the "Blue" Envelope
`
`Every year Cox Target Media mails over 500 million
`of
`the
`familiar
`blue.
`#10 Valpak
`envelopes
`
`containing more than 19 billion coupons. Faced with
`
`capacity
`looming
`and
`costs
`variable
`rising
`constraints. Cox managers could see a rapidly
`
`approaching day when the company’s growth woutd
`overtake its production capacity.
`
`"Ultimately our business started to grow in such a
`
`way that the more we grew. the more inefficient we
`became,"
`says David
`Fox. vice president of
`
`manufacturing for the Largo. Fla.-based company.
`
`Coupons had to be manually handled and moved up
`to a dozen times before they left the plant. "Every
`time we added volume. we added people to offset
`the volume."
`
`In 2003 Foxjoined a small. internal team that took on
`
`the task of reinventing how the company produced
`
`the blue. coupon-filled envelopes. The development
`
`team scoured the world for
`
`the equipment and
`
`technology that would best meet
`
`their needs.
`
`Following several years of planning and construction.
`
`equipment installation and commissioning.
`
`Daifuku Solution
`
`Print Roll Buffer: Twin GH-200 ASIRS
`Maximum load size: 23.7 x 86.7 x 102.4 in.
`
`Maximum weight: 2.646 lbs.
`
`Rack size: 2 rows. 71 bays. 2 tiers
`
`Storage locations: 175
`
`Maximum horizontal speed: 410 lt.Imin.
`Maximum vertical speed: 131 lumin.
`
`Mail Tray Buffer: M-200 Mini Load ASIRS
`Maximum load size: 13.2 x 30 x 6 in.
`
`Maximum weight: 40 lbs.
`
`Rack Size: 34 rows. 12 bays, 22 tiers
`
`Storage locations: 8.976
`
`Maximum horizontal speed: 323 ft.lmin.
`Maximum vertical speed: 164 ftlrnin.
`Full Pailet Buffer: HG-700 Unit Load ASIRS
`Maximum load size: 44 x 52 x 61.5 in.
`
`Maximum weight: 3.000 lbs.
`Rack Size: 8 rows. 43 bays, 12
`
`tiers
`
`Storage locations: 8.252
`Maximum horizontal speed: 656 ftJmin.
`
`Maximum vertical speed: 206 ft.lmin.
`
`Material Handling and Beyond
`
`Printing
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`The
`
`rolls
`
`of
`
`signatures move
`
`from a
`
`Daifuku-designed ASIRS (or automated storage
`
`and retrieval system) buffer storage system to
`collation. where they are cut into individual coupons.
`
`combined with coupons supplied by customers.
`
`wrapped in the blue envelopes and packaged into
`
`mail trays. The mail trays are sent to high density
`
`storage (HDS) via elevators and conveyors until
`
`they are ready to be palletized. The HDS mini load
`
`AS/RS system also
`inserts.
`
`holds
`
`customer-supplied
`
`Beauty from Afar
`
`when a sufficient number of mail
`
`trays for a
`
`particular zip code have accumulated. conveyors
`
`transfer them out
`
`to be palletized by a robot.
`
`Destined for postal distribution hubs across the
`
`country. sorting transfer vehicles (STVs) carry the
`completed pallets
`into another buffer
`storage
`
`system before being aggregated for shipment. This
`400-ft.-long by 80-ft.-high unit load system utilizes
`
`four robotic cranes moving on rails in 50 in.-wide
`aisles. Rising out of the roof of the facility. one end
`
`of
`
`the automated storage and retrieval system
`
`(ASIRS) is sheathed in translucent panels.
`
`“Daifuku was the primary contributor to architecting
`and designing our warehousing solution. They were
`
`outstanding in coming up with ideas and concepts
`to make it as efficient as possible." Fox recalls.
`
`Cox officially began producing live product
`
`in the
`
`second half of 2007 and will be fully moved to its
`
`brand-new. $224-million facility in early 2008.
`
`Situated on the I-275 corridor leading into St. Petersburg.
`
`Fla.. the 470.000-sq. ft. plant is built around several core
`manufacturing
`processes:
`digital
`transfer
`printing
`
`technology,
`
`printing
`
`coupon
`
`signatures
`
`instead
`
`of
`
`individual coupons. and wrapping the envelopes around
`
`the coupons rather than inserting them. To automate me
`
`material flow between each of these processes and the
`
`When it's
`
`fully operational,
`
`the St. Petersburg
`
`buffer storage areas, Cox called on the expertise of
`Daifuku Ameri Corp.'s Factory
`and Distribution
`Automation division in Salt Lake City.
`
`Starting at
`
`the facility's two giant
`
`four-coior. web
`
`faciiity will double Valpak's maximum printing
`capacity from 20 billion to 54 billion coupons per
`
`year. Not only that.
`
`the redesigned production
`
`processes will slash manufacturing cycle time from
`coupon printing to being ready for shipment from
`
`printing presses, each of which stretches almost the
`
`four days down to just four hours. Such capabilities
`
`length of a football field. the coupons are printed and
`folded into the signatures. which are then wound onto
`
`will support Cox Target Media's annual growth for
`years to come.
`
`rolls. Each signature targets a specific neighborhood
`trade area (NTA) of 10.300 consumers. The presses
`
`run six days a week. 24 hours a day. with minimal
`downtime for setups.
`
`Material Hendting and Beyond
`
`Printing
`
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`ARUP Laboratories
`
`ARUP Clinical Laboratories in Salt Lake City. UT.
`
`was fonned in 1984 as an independent. full service
`reference laboratory by the Department of Pathology
`
`at the University of Utah Health Sciences Center.
`ARUP performs testing on patient specimens for
`hospitals around the world.
`including military and
`government
`facilities.
`clinics.
`and
`major
`pharmaceutical
`frrrns.
`Reference labs such as
`ARUP perfonn the more specialized. or esoteric.
`tests that most hospitals do not perform. about 2.500
`different tests in a”_
`
`Total Laboratory Automation. or (TLA). as well as
`modular
`laboratory
`automation.
`has
`seen
`widespread adoption in the past decade. Worldwide.
`there are now an estimated 800 laboratories with
`
`automation systems. However. ARUP's automation
`is unique when compared to the automation in these
`other
`laboratories. ARUP has had to
`adapt
`
`automation
`environment.
`
`to
`systems
`ARUP's
`
`testing
`esoteric.
`its
`accomplishments
`in
`
`automation are widely regarded in the industry and
`members of the ARUP team have been recognized
`
`in publications. and with speaking invitations and a
`
`major award.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`ARUP Laboratories
`
`' F°'-mded 1934
`' H35 °"er1-90° e""'P1°3v‘e°5
`' N°”’F"°fit»°"""ed bythe U"'i"e'5lW °f'-“ah
`' E5°t°"i° 'efe"e"'°°'ab 5e“’i"9 °"'Y h°5F’“315
`3”‘! °me"efe'e”°e'ab5-we '°”ti"'e testing
`' 13% 3"“'-'a' 9'°W“"’3tef7°m1994'2003“’m‘
`d°“b"°-' V559“ 9'°"""“" 5”“ °°"fi"'-""9
`- 2,500 dilferent tests ortest combinations
`transported and sorted bythe track system
`
`' Dam’ specimens’ 25999’ °"e'3°% °" "hack"
`° E’~'Pe°“° 9"°Wt°5°-00° Spedmensf day hit
`2012
`
`Mamie”Handlmgandaflnnd
`
`Health Care
`
`|
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`Daifuku America
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`manual activities to be replaced. Automation in
`esoteric reference labs has been much more
`
`challenging due to the vast scope of the test menu. a
`
`wider variation of specimens. -20" F temperature
`requirements.
`and many more manual
`steps.
`
`Daifuku was able to tackle the unique challenges
`
`offered by ARUP's business model and develop a
`
`system that would give them a return on investment
`
`in only four years.
`
`Solution Highlights
`
`-
`
`The automated transport and sorting system
`transports
`and
`sorts
`22-26.000
`new
`
`specimenslday.
`An additional 80% of that volume is returned to
`
`the track each day to route for additional tests or
`for
`storage
`on
`the Motoman
`Storage
`
`The rapid increase in demand for esoteric specimen
`
`testing has pushed ARUP’s annual growth rate from
`1994-2003 up 18%. with double digit growth still
`
`continuing. Vlfith growth expected to reach 50.000
`
`Autosorters. bringing the total daily volume on
`
`the track system to 40-45.000.
`
`capacity of 7.000 new
`a
`track has
`The
`tubeslhour or >100.000!day.
`
`The Storage Autosorters can each store
`> 1.100 tubes per hr.
`
`ASIRS retrieval time for any single tube is
`< 2.5 minutes.
`
`Have achieved highly significant improvements
`in
`TAT.
`quality.
`and
`efficiency
`from the
`
`application of automation.
`
`specimens by the year 2012. automation has played
`a key role in ARUP's ability to keep up with industry
`
`growth. which is expected to continue for the next
`decade or two.
`
`After careful consideration.
`
`it was determined that
`
`the ability to maintain this rate of growth could only
`
`be reached by the application of an Automated
`
`Storage and Retrieval System (ASIRS).
`
`The
`
`automated transport and sorting systems transports
`and sorts 22-26.000 new specimens a day. The
`
`ASIRS can robotically store more than 2.3 million
`
`tubes in 5,220 trays and can retrieval up to 210 trays
`
`ARUP currently uses 1.740 trays with
`per hour.
`430 samples per tray.
`totaling 783.000 samples at
`
`any one time. The system was designed to be
`expanded from one aisle to three aisles 5.220 trays.
`
`2.349.000 samples. allowing continued growth for
`decades to come.
`
`ARUP has led the way in automation among U.S.
`reference labs. Many routine clinical
`labs have
`some level of automation — over 300 in the US and
`
`nearly 1.000 worldwide. Automation in routine labs
`
`has been relatively easy because specimens are
`more uniform and there are a limited number of
`
`Material Handling and Beyond
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`Dell Inc. WS-1
`
`In less than 20 years since the company started.
`
`Dell Inc. (headquartered in Round Rock. TX, USA)
`
`became the computer industry leader.
`2005.
`Dell
`opened
`its
`newest
`
`in October
`plant
`in
`
`Winston-Salem. NC (WS-1). Dell
`
`is proud of its
`
`ability to produce a computer every 2.5-5 seconds.
`The WS-1 mission is to serve the demands of the
`
`Eastern U.S. population. which accounts up to 65%
`of the national total. as well as to further improve
`customer services and to increase market share.
`
`Dell expands worldwide facilities. providing
`customers with high-value products
`
`Many technology companies are following the trend
`of outsourcing their manufacturing. but Dell
`is
`
`expanding its own manufacturing facilities worldwide
`to
`realize
`the benefits
`of
`its
`supply chain
`
`management system and “Dell Direct Model" sales
`
`strategy. Dell built an infrastructure which enables
`the company to quickly produce computer systems
`
`based on
`
`the
`
`latest
`
`technology at high
`
`unit
`
`production
`
`rates.
`
`There
`
`are
`
`three
`
`U.S.
`
`and
`including Texas
`facilities.
`manufacturing
`Tennessee. plus four overseas. which are located in
`
`Ireland. Malaysia. China. and Brazil. Each facility
`
`North Carolina Plant
`
`Site Area: 70.000m2
`
`Building Footprint: : 70.000m2
`65.000 employees
`
`Dell's largest desktop computer and
`manufacturing plant
`Site investment is more than US$100
`million
`
`Builds desktop computer models
`
`"0ptiPlex" and "Dirnension". specifically to
`meet customer requirements at the rate of
`
`15.000 to 20,000 computers each day
`Provides sales. service. and support
`
`required for customers in more than 170
`
`areas throughout the world
`
`Structured material handling system to
`
`allow quick ship after production
`Over 40 overseas subsidiarieslaffiliates
`
`Material Handling and Beyond
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`as well as increase its production capacity.
`
`Solution highlights
`
`- Dell builds desktop computers to meet each
`customer’s individual specification
`
`The Induction Sorter sorts completed products to
`be transported from the build,
`test and boxing
`
`area to either direct-ship or to staging in the
`ASIRS Buffer, in the case of a multi-unit order
`
`Four Pacl<ingILabe|ing Lines house an operation
`
`to apply shipping labels and insert packing lists
`
`operates with less than four days inventory. This
`
`A shipping label is autornaticaliy printed and applied
`
`supply chain strategy enables Dell to produce each
`
`computer system at a competitive price.
`
`The WS-1 production layout is unique because it
`
`enables computers to be thoroughly tested after its
`
`to every product carton, while packing list is applied
`to one case of each order in a manual station
`
`The Automated StoragelRetrievaI System buffers
`about 3.000 system cases in 6 twin-shuttle SIR
`machines
`
`components and software are installed. Rapid build
`
`in the 15 chute Parcel Sorter. case shipping
`
`and test translates into shorter delivery time for high
`
`products are sorted by destination
`
`quality products, a key part of Dell's objective for a
`great Customer Experience.
`
`Material handling system achieves quick ship
`
`after production
`
`After being built.
`
`tested, and boxed, new Dell
`
`computers are transported from manufacturing to the
`
`shipping area. Products ready for direct shipping to
`
`customers are sorted to the pack listflabeling area,
`where a shipping label and a packing list are applied
`
`to the carton. Product cartons are then automatically
`
`merged with peripherals from the Speaker, Printer.
`
`Applicator, Monitor (SPAMS) picking line. Systems
`
`and SPAMs are automatically merged and sorted to
`
`their dock destination by the high speed case
`shipping sorter.
`
`Customer
`
`orders
`
`of multiple
`
`systems
`
`are
`
`temporarily stored in a Mini Load ASIRS. and then
`
`retrieved when the whole order is ready to ship.
`These orders follow the same flow to the dock
`destination.
`
`Dell has plans to expand its material handling
`system to increase the variety of products it handles
`
`Material Handling and Beyond
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`Electronics
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`Fidelity Investment
`
`Distributing over 120 million pieces of mail
`
`to
`
`individual clients world-wide each year would be a
`
`tough assignment for any company. But for Fidelity
`
`investments, one of the world's largest managers of
`
`mutual funds, handling the distribution of financial
`
`product
`
`literature from two centers across the
`
`country made the assignment even trickier. Adding
`
`to the challenge. both centers were running out of
`
`capacity due to Fidelity's rapid growth. The company
`
`solved the problem by consolidating its two printing
`and distribution centers into one facility located near
`
`Cincinnati in Covington, KY.
`
`Solution Summary
`Provide automated replenishment to support
`high-volume order picking for a mutual fund
`manager's printing and distribution center by
`integrating
`- Five-aisle unit load ASIRS
`
`- 4,320 storage locations
`- Sorting Transfer Vehicle (S1V) loop with four
`STV's
`
`Eight inputioutput aisle conveyors with an
`interface to the STV loop and ASIRS
`RTS-60 real-time inventory control software
`
`To ensure customer orders were picked accurately
`
`Key Customer Benefits
`
`and shipped quickly. Fidelity chose to install a
`
`combination of carousels and flow racks
`
`in
`
`its
`
`order-picking area. To replenish the order operation.
`
`Fidelity considered using lift trucks and conventional
`
`rack storage, but realized such a system would not
`
`meet the need to pick and ship up to 1,600 customer
`
`orders the same day they are received.
`
`- Dramatically increased the number of loads
`that can be handled in the same building
`footprint
`Removed a narrow-aisle lift truck form the
`
`warehouse aisles, improving safety,
`productivity and uptime
`
`Virtually eliminated inventory errors and
`paperwork
`Reduced stock outs in the high-speed pick
`area
`
`Improved customer senrice and order quality
`
`Material Handling and Beyond
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`F’
`
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`
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`rm mg
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`
`
`running.
`
`And we couldn't afford unscheduled
`
`downtime either. We picked this system because it
`
`has a modular design and offered a very high level
`of reliability. The technology was not an untested
`
`product being customized for Fidelity. but proven
`
`controls currently in use in the US. and abroad."
`
`Fast, Flexible System Keeps Orders Moving
`
`Daiiuku’s automated material handling system gives
`
`Fidelity great flexibility in managing a wide variety of
`
`material handling tasks while controlling inventory in
`
`real-tirne. When printed material
`
`is needed to
`
`replenish the flow racks and carousels. or for bulk
`
`shipping of materials. Real Time Software directs
`
`the ASIRS to retrieve needed pallets and transport
`
`them via an STV to one of three replenishment pick
`stations. A picker takes the replenishment stock
`
`from the pallet, places it into a tote and attaches a
`
`bar code label. The tote is sent by conveyor to the
`
`correct order-picking area for restocking, and the
`picked-from pallet is re-stored by the ASIRS.
`
`At the customer ordenpicking area, workers use a
`Pick-to-Light
`system to quickly fulfill customer
`orders from the flow rack and carousel. After each
`
`Integrated System Automates Replenishment
`
`Cisco Material Handling.
`
`a Daifuku America
`
`Business Partner
`
`in Dallas. TX. proposed a
`
`fully-integrated logistics system using a Unit Load
`Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASIRS),
`
`Sorting Transfer Vehicle (STV) and Warehouse
`Management Software (WMS).
`In this integrated
`
`pick. the Picker presses the “Pick Complete“ button,
`which immediately updates
`the RTS inventory
`
`system, WMS controls
`
`all
`
`inventory levels and
`
`labels. Completed orders are sent by conveyor to
`
`locations in real time, directs replenishment of stock
`
`to the order-picking area, manages all order picking
`and controls the operation of
`the ASIRS and
`
`peripheral equipment.
`
`Daifuku America Offers Reliable,
`Solutions
`
`Proven
`
`Key factors
`
`that
`
`sold Fidelity on purchasing
`
`packaging. where they are readied for customer
`shipment.
`
`Daifuku's
`
`fully integrated system gives Fidelity
`
`unprecedented speed in order picking. continuous
`
`inventory tracking. significantly more throughput in
`
`less space. near perfect order fulfillment and the
`virtual elimination of inventory-related paperwork.
`
`Daifuku's total integrated warehouse solution were
`
`And the system does it all
`
`in far less space. “If it
`
`the advantages of reliable. error-free automation.
`
`real-time inventory control and quick installation with
`a design that uses half the footprint of conventional
`rack. “We needed a vendor that could come in and
`
`build the system very quickly.” said Chris Cramer.
`senior Vice President at Fidelity.
`"We couldn't
`
`afiord long delays in getting the system up and
`
`weren't for this system. we would have had to build
`the warehouse twice this size." Cramer said.
`
`Material Handling and Beyond
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`

`
`Kennecott Utah Copper Compan
`
`
`
`Company Gains Inventory Control 8. Improved Access to
`
`Small Spare Parts Inventory
`
`Kennecott Utah Copper Company (KUCC)
`
`is a
`
`Kennecott's spare parts were located at 20 sites and
`
`United States-based mining, smelting, and refining
`
`over many acres — some items were stored inside
`
`company owned by British-Australian company Rio
`
`while others were stored outside. Parts range from
`
`Tinto. Kennecott contracted systems integrator Hoj
`
`small electronic components to heavy machine parts.
`
`Engineering to help improve its material handling
`
`operations. Ho] Engineering performed a logistics
`
`Kennecott’s spare parts operations for both large
`and small parts shared a similar problem. The
`
`study,
`
`inviting the engineers at Daifuku America
`
`quantity. location, and condition of all inventory was
`
`Corporation to determine what equipment would
`
`virtually unknown.
`
`When parts were needed,
`
`improve the customer's efficiency of its small spare
`
`employees had to walk the facility and search for
`
`parts operations.
`
`items to find out if the company even had the part in
`
`inventory.
`
`
`
`To improve the process. Ho] helped Kennecott
`
`implement a hybrid system using both automated
`
`and
`
`conventional material
`
`handling
`
`solutions.
`
`Today, all spare parts in inventory are tracked using
`
`an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.
`Conventional
`racks were installed within a new
`
`300.000 sqf warehouse to hold and organize large
`
`items.
`
`Small spare parts are stored in metal pans
`
`Material Handling and Beyond
`
`Mining
`
`]
`
`Daifuku America
`
`|
`
`daifu!-tu.c:om
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`11 of 18
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`

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`ASIRS. the rack is equipped with a fire protection
`
`system.
`
`Daifui-:u's WarehouseRx Warehouse Control System
`
`the storage
`(WCS) manages the operation of
`retrieval machines within the ASIRS and tracks
`
`inventory quantity and location for improved item
`
`picking.
`
`The customers ERP system, which
`
`controls delivery of parts into the warehouse.
`
`is
`
`linked to the WCS communicating all store and
`
`retrieve tasks in real
`
`time.
`
`Thus,
`
`the log and
`
`physical inventories are in agreement. enabling the
`
`Kennecott maintenance organizations
`
`to have
`
`confidence and access to required service parts.
`
`with 220 pounds (100 kg) capacity.
`
`Parts were
`
`moved into a two~aisle single-deep Daifuku mini
`
`load Automated Storage & Retrieval System
`
`(ASIRS) Centrally located and easily accessible
`
`within the facility.
`
`The mini load ASIRS holds a variety of parts stored
`
`in 3.312 rack locations.
`
`increased storage density
`
`is achieved by storing multiple part numbers in each
`
`pan. The small ASIRS is a stand—alone island of
`
`automation that integrates only with a Ushaped
`
`output conveyor where employees can manually
`
`pick items retrieved by the ASIRS and return items
`
`ready for storage. Both aisles have a U-shaped
`
`conveyor with a seven item queue capacity.
`
`Standing 31 feet tall,
`
`the ASIRS utilizes vertical
`
`space and approximately 2.000 sqf of floor space
`
`within the facility. System installation took less than
`
`three months. As with most Daifuku high-density
`
`Mmrinmnnafing “dam”
`
`Spare Parts
`
`|
`
`Daifuku America
`
`J
`
`daifuku.com
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`12 0f18
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`

`
`Medical Client*
`
`...-‘up..4-«-.
`
`i:
`
`A Daifuku America medical client develops and
`
`prepared for the next patient. One of our client's
`
`manufactures
`
`a wide
`
`range
`
`of products
`
`and
`
`biggest challenges was that each custom kit must be
`
`therapies to diagnose. prevent. and monitor chronic
`
`assembled and shipped the same day as it
`
`is
`
`conditions.
`
`in one of the client's distribution facilities.
`
`ordered. The contents of each kit have to be 100%
`
`custom kits containing items necessary for surgery
`
`accurate.
`
`are assembled and shipped daily to medical
`
`locations throughout the world.
`
`Before
`
`automating
`
`the
`
`pre-shipping
`
`buffering
`
`process with a Daifuku Automated Storage &
`
`The kits contain instruments and implantable parts
`
`Retrieval System (ASIRS). our client
`
`faced an
`
`used by medical professionals during surgery.
`Each kit is custom built to order. Our client tracks
`
`ongoing challenging of meeting shipment deadlines
`
`due to the amount of labor involved in manually
`
`each kit loaned to hospitals throughout the world
`
`picking items from conventional
`
`racking and in
`
`until they are returned after the surgery is complete.
`
`delivering kits to the right customer.
`
`Materials
`
`left
`
`in the kit after surgery including
`
`instruments are sterilized. bagged. placed back into
`
`cases with other replenished items. and stored by
`
`our client until the kit is shipped to another customer.
`
`Automating the Pre-Shippin'g Buffering Operation
`
`Hospitals order and maintain a supply of custom kits
`
`with parts of all sizes. When a surgery is perfonned
`
`and the hospital consumes a kit. it is urgent that they
`
`immediately replenish their supply so that they are
`
`
`
`Material Handling and Beyond
`
`Daifuku America
`
`|
`
`daifuku.com
`
`13 fl
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`

`
`Reliable System Has Room to Expand
`
`The ASIRS at
`
`the facility was installed in four
`
`months as part of a much larger project to improve
`
`operational efficiency. After installation. the company
`
`executed elaborate testing to demonstrate the
`
`accuracy and reliability of the system to regulatory
`authorities.
`
`
`
`
`
`Within the footprint of the facility. there is additional
`
`In
`
`the
`
`company's
`
`new automated facility.
`
`a
`
`floor space to expand the mini
`
`load ASIRS in the
`
`lhree—aisle mini load ASIRS holds assembled and
`
`future if business requires additional volume moves
`
`ready-to—ship kits. The kits weigh up to 50 pounds
`
`through the system.
`
`*CLi'ent has requested that Daifuku withhold
`
`brand name and brand identifiers for privacy
`
`purposes.
`
`and are in the form of hard sided plastic cases or
`
`metal trays. The kits are placed onto cardboard trays
`
`(36x23x3“) for conveyance throughout the facility.
`_
`_
`_
`Each of the 14.490 mini load openings holds one
`_
`_
`ready-to-ship kit on a tray.
`
`After a kit is assembled elsewhere in the facility.
`
`it
`
`travels down a main line conveyor and is diverted
`
`onto an elevated input aisle conveyor for transport to
`
`the ASIRS. The aisle conveyors are elevated to
`
`preserve floor space and accessibility. Each tray
`
`has a bar code plate affixed to it. Kits may stay in
`
`the ASIRS for a few days before an order in placed
`
`and the storage retrieval machine (SRM) receives a
`
`command via the Daifuku WarehouseRx warehouse
`
`control system (WCS) to move it out of storage and
`
`to shipping. The SRM. otherwise known as the
`
`crane. in this facility is a high—speed model capable
`
`of moving 984 feetlminute horizontally and 207
`
`feetlminute verticaily.
`
`In
`
`this
`
`facility.
`
`the mini
`
`load
`
`shuttle
`
`is
`
`not
`
`conventional.
`
`It
`
`is
`
`equipped with
`
`dual
`
`pin
`
`
`
`extractors that move into a slot in the tray to grab the
`tote or push the tote into place depending upon
`whether it is storing or retrieving the item.
`
`
`
`
`Mamie”Hammngmdaavnnd
`
`Medical
`
`|
`
`Daifuku America
`
`|
`
`daifuku.com
`
`14 ofl8
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`
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`

`
`Meyer Corporation, U.S.
`
`Established in 1981. Meyer Corporation, U.S. is the
`
`retail customers nationwide. while maintaining tight
`
`largest cookware company in the United States.
`
`control on operational costs. The company wanted
`
`Vlfideiy recognized cookware brands distributed by
`
`to consolidating facilities within a 10 mile radius to
`
`Meyer Corporation, U.S. include: Circulon, Anolon.
`
`streamline business by centrally locating the stock
`
`Farberware, Rachael Ray. Paula Dean,
`
`and
`
`and eliminate expenses associated with maintaining
`
`KitchenAid.
`
`separate buildings. The answer lay in implementing
`
`a state-of-the—art automated warehouse designed to
`
`Meyer Corporation, U.S.'s affiliates around the
`
`double
`
`the
`
`speed and
`
`volume
`
`of
`
`shipping
`
`wortd include cookware factories in Asia and Europe.
`
`capabilities
`
`in
`
`the most cost-effective manner
`
`The several factories worldwide together comprise
`
`possible. To address this need. Meyer sought out
`
`the world's second largest cookware manufacturing
`
`the expertise of Daifuku America Corporation, a
`
`100
`over
`that manufactures
`one
`operation,
`cookware lines which are distributed in more than
`
`leader in the field of material handling providing
`
`Automated Storage & Retrieval Systems for a broad
`
`30 countries.
`
`The combined factories employ
`
`range of industries.
`
`more than 6,400 people. producing more than 42
`
`million pans per year on average.
`
`The Eleven Story Rack-Supported Building
`
`As a result of maintaining business growth. in 2007.
`
`Yields Many Benefits
`Daifuku manufactured and delivered a 100 foot tall
`
`Meyer Corporation. U.S. began planning for the
`
`rack-supported Automated Storage 8: Retrieval System
`
`acquisition of additional distribution space. The goal
`
`(ASIRS) comprised of 12 unit load storage retrieval
`
`was to maintain and further enhance the speed and
`
`(SIR) machines capable of handling pallets up to
`
`efficiency of shipping a growing range of product to
`
`1,200 pounds.
`
`in a
`
`rack—supported system.
`
`Maturiai Haridiinq and Hnynnd
`
`Cookware|
`
`Daifuku America
`
`|
`
`daifi.Iku.c0m
`
`

`
`Product Moves seamlessly into the ASIRS
`
`Products arriving at the facility clocks are unloaded
`
`from trucks. placed on pallets, stretch wrapped and
`
`labeled.
`
`Fork—Iit"t
`
`truck drivers scan the ready
`
`pallets and transport them to one of two adjacent
`
`ASIRS conveyor
`
`input
`
`stations.
`
`Ultimately.
`
`Automatic Guided Vehicles
`
`(AGVs). which are
`
`equipped with two independent roller bed conveyors,
`
`will
`
`replace the fork trucks.
`
`The AGVs, when
`
`operational, will simultaneously deliver two loads to
`
`the ASIRS input stations.
`
`Pallets move from the input station and advance to a
`
`load sizing and identification station to ensure they will fit
`
`within
`
`the
`
`rack structure openings.
`
`The
`
`load
`
`identification label is scanned.
`
`If the load passes the
`
`sizing station. it moves to the STV pickup station. An
`
`STV is assigned to pick up the load and move it to one
`
`of the 12 aisles. Loads are delivered to the storage
`
`the rack is incorporated into the actual building and
`
`system in a round robin fashion so that like products are
`
`serves as its basic structure while seamlessly
`
`distributed to all aisles. Once the pallet is deposited at
`
`integrating with the material handling system.
`
`the assigned storage aisle.
`
`it advances to a pick up
`
`station. The S/R machine picks up the load and stores
`
`There are many benefits to a rack-supported ASIRS.
`
`it
`
`in
`
`an
`
`open
`
`position
`
`selected
`
`by Daifukifs
`
`For example.
`
`it allows for the maximum storage
`
`WarehouseRx Warehouse Control System (W'CS)
`
`density possible. never interferes with the building
`structure and has the economical and environmental
`
`benefits of creating a lights out and possibly
`
`software. The WCS directs the cranes to pick and put
`
`away in the most efficient order possible.
`
`non-climate controlled area.
`
`In a rack—supported
`
`if a load fails the size or identification check.
`
`it is
`
`configuration the ASIRS is sheltered from other
`
`picked up by an STV and moved to a reject conveyor
`
`operations occurring within the facility but integrates
`
`spur for correction by a Meyer employee. Once the
`
`with them via transportation systems. conveyor, or
`
`load is corrected it moves to a sizing check station
`
`fork truck.
`
`In Meyer's Fairfieid facility, pallets of
`
`and then to an STV station for pickup and storage in
`
`product move into and out of the lights -out ASIRS
`
`the rack structure. Two reject work stations are used
`
`storage area by one of four Daifuku Sorting Transfer
`
`for this purpose and also for cycle counting and
`
`Vehicles (STVs). The STVs run on a 500 foot
`
`inventory audits.
`
`If the two reject work stations are
`
`looped rail in front of the 12-aisle storage system.
`
`occupied, then rejected pallets are directed to the
`
`Material Handling and Beyond
`
`Cookware
`
`|
`
`Daifuku America
`
`|
`
`daifukucom
`
`

`
`jackpot conveyor lane for removal from the system.
`
`shorten as they approach the other side of the
`
`Thejackpot lane is a single roller-bed conveyor, about
`
`building. The shortest aisle is 570 feet.
`
`80 feet from the inbound conveyor. Pallets are taken
`
`to a rework area and quickly re—inducted into the
`
`system after corrections are made. This feature
`
`Product Moves Out of the System as Orders Are
`Received
`
`allows multiple pallets to be pulled and the product to
`
`As orders are placed. the WCS commands multiple
`
`be reconfigured for special orders.
`
`storage retrieval machines as needed to pick up
`
`pallets and deliver them to aisle output stations.
`
`Double Deep Configurations Provides Additional
`
`STVs pick up the pallets and drop them off at one of
`
`Storage Density
`
`two conveyor output stations. The pallets advance
`
`The unit load ASIRS in this facility is a double-deep
`
`to the end of the conveyor where a fork lift truck (or
`
`system with
`
`locations
`
`for 66,000 pallets
`
`of
`
`in the future. an AGV) picks them up and delivers
`
`kitchenware making it one of Daifu|<u's highest
`
`them to the picking area.
`
`capacity systems installed to date.
`
`In such a
`
`double-deep system. pallets (usually of the same or
`
`Automated
`
`S