The automated warehouses are the solution for many companies that have to face problems tied to the storage of the goods, or that they need of a greater degree of autonomy inside of own productive zones. Vertical warehouses, in fact, develop in height in order to facilitate the optimization of spaces and facilitate the work of operators. These are just some of the many advantages that guarantee these innovative implementations.
What are the benefits? How are these storages characterized? In what situation should a company introduce this solution into its own reality? We answer these questions, and many others, within this study.
Table of Contents
The structure of the vertical warehouse
A vertical warehouse consists of a steel structure that houses and supports the drawers, a motorized shuttle that can move vertically and one or more bays for the collection and pouring of materials.
Automatic and vertical: all the advantages
Vertical storage solutions are perfect for making the most of the height space while saving floor space that can be used for additional tasks.
Operators will no longer have to move through the warehouse to pick up or store the goods, but the products will be taken directly to the collection bay. In detail, the goods will be delivered to the operator in a perfectly ergonomic position, with the help of a PC or a mobile device that sends and controls the goods through pickup and storage lists. With a simple click, the selected merchandise is released on the work bay in total comfort, with minimal if not immediate timing. The level of fatigue of the operators is thus greatly alleviated, obtaining a more functional and innovative working environment.
Vertical automated storage solutions are designed to: save space, save time and improve process efficiency. Vertical automatic warehouses, in fact, can be customized to 100% meeting the needs of each company.
The Just in Time management model
Arcos’ vertical warehouse solutions began to take shape, in particular, when customers adopted the Just in Time management model.
The JIT management model is based on the pull logic that reverses the traditional production scheme. Indeed, this approach involves producing only the product sold. It is a model that, if applied correctly, allows to prepare in a short time only the quantities of products requested by customers.
In order to achieve this, companies need to minimise set-up times. To do this, automatic warehouses are the best solution because they allow to store not only the different types of products to be processed but also the equipment necessary to perform the correct work cycle, fully automating the process. These can be pliers, claws, clamps, tools, and more.
In addition, the use of vertical warehouses is ideal for companies that have to meet large production batches while not having sufficient resources to be able to perform more shifts. The adoption of a vertical warehouse gives a very high degree of autonomy that allows the customer to reach the required targets. It is possible to modulate the degree of autonomy based on the specific needs of the customer.
Arcos is certain that in a future, where the human component will be less and less present for manual, tiring, and monotonous work, and where time requirements will be increasingly reduced, it will be necessary to introduce this type of automatic solutions. Precisely for this reason, Arcos realizes and studies islands of this type: let’s see an example.
Arcos case study: grinding and deburring of a gun
This Arcos robotic cell has been designed for grinding and deburring a gun.
We can observe an Arcos cell structured with a vertical warehouse, for the collection and storage of guns.
The units involved are: pneumatic spindles for deburring the trigger seat, sanding unit with abrasive belt and, finally, a passage of scotch brite to even out the surface. As for the grinding unit, it works on contact wheels but it is also possible to proceed with a free belt depending on the geometry of the piece.
Conclusions
The introduction of vertical storage in the company has multiple advantages. Not only is it possible to find the required goods quickly and safely, with great convenience and simplicity for the operator, but you also get more space for a more optimal organization. Furthermore, these structures can be customized according to the specific needs of each individual reality. Arcos is committed to the development of automated cells in line with the individual needs of its customers.
Would you like more information on this issue? Contact us: the Arcos team will be happy to answer your questions.
