When it comes to order picking, facility managers are always looking for the best solutions to make their processes more efficient, ergonomic, and cost-effective. Maximizing the potential of their facility’s picking process is important for future growth and order fulfillment.
Conventional Solutions in the Order Picking Process
Finding seamless solutions can be tough as many managers tend to stick with the conventional route of pallet racking or shelving for basic storage and picking. Unfortunately, this is where the conversation stops as items are picked through racking and shelving units with little to no thought on if they are the best possible solutions for the job, especially when it comes to ergonomics.
Ergonomic issues can occur as items in the back of racking can be hard to reach or even too high up for employees. These employees may need to over-extend into the backs or even reach in at awkward angles to pick the items, which over-time can cause back problems and other health/safety issues for these staff members.
Organization issues can also occur as older parts left in the back or too high up may stay there leaving them to deteriorate or get lost in storage. Larger and small parts may not be stored properly creating an issue of inefficient storage thus taking up more space than they may require.
Taking Order Picking to the Next Level with SpanTrack
To combat these ergonomic and organizational issues a solution must be implemented that can: ONE, bring items up front to staff at an ergonomically efficient height. And TWO, provide storage for items of different sizes and dimensions within the same system.
This is where UNEX’s SpanTrack carton flow comes into play.
SpanTrack carton flow consists of angled tracks outfitted with either rollers or wheel beds. This angled track moves items to the front of the solution allowing these items to be placed behind one another. This way items roll from the back to the front of the SpanTrack system as each is picked in order from when they were placed on the system.
SpanTrack also makes use of rollers that provide maximum surface contact to optimize the flow of items along the system. This helps prevent items from being stuck or shifted while on the track providing seamless movement.
SpanTrack’s ability to add on to new or existing pallet racking makes it an easy installation into your system allowing you to quickly implement carton flow into your storage process. This is done by interior notching and a drop-in design to the SpanTrack system which allows it to be easily dropped in after the brackets have been installed on the interior of the racking.
These storage solutions can be placed in freezer/cooler rated to below zero environments making them an option for food and drug storage, as well as having light, standard, and heavy options to match your specific storage needs.
Improving Organization, Ergonomics, & Efficiency
With its angled design and item flow, the SpanTrack carton flow can create an ergonomic solution for your staff by bringing items to an ergonomically efficient height. With multiple tracks it is also easy to organize items making for a quick picking process!
In conclusion, the SpanTrack system increases the efficiency of your storage and picking operation. Whether its picking parts for assembly or picking a finished product to be shipped out it is the perfect solution!