Linde Material Handling (UK) Ltd
Linde Material Handling (MH) has launched a new intelligent operator-assist system for reach trucks. The new sensor-controlled “Dynamic Mast Control” (DMC) operator-assist system for reach trucks provides highly effective support for the operator, providing a stress-free, and highly efficient working environment. Key to the system is a very precise electric linear actuator housed in the reach truck’s motor compartment.
The Linde Dynamic Mast Control system automatically compensates for and minimises mast oscillations and mast deflection through precise and seamless counter-movements of the reach carriage – It does this rapidly and with a minimum use of battery energy. This means that the operator of a Linde reach truck fitted with DMC does not suffer the waiting times associated with mast oscillations and deflection on conventional trucks and can therefore store pallet loads faster, more accurately and more safely. Due to the accurate placing of the load, when retrieving a pallet the forks will always be fully inserted into the pallet on the first approach. This results in faster cycle times, and the risk of damage to the rack or the load stored behind is virtually eliminated.
To control the dynamic oscillations and deflections of the mast as smoothly and effectively as possible, a much more precise and energy-efficient electric linear actuator was used by Linde design engineers. An additional benefit is the simultaneous lift and reach feature without speed reduction, which enables increased productivity ratios to be achieved.
Logistex with Superdrug
Superdrug has secured the long term future of its Pontefract NDC by establishing the distribution centre as its global centre of excellence for e-commerce.
With e-commerce sales more than doubling year on year, Logistex was asked to design a solution capable of handling in excess of 60,000 orders per day.
Following Go-Live, Superdrug has already seen a 48% increase in throughput (year to date) which has been fulfilled using 60% less operational cost. The solution designed to facilitate growth within e-commerce, includes conveyor order forwarding, sortation and packaging machinery and is controlled using Logistex warehouse management system LWS Reflex. LWS Reflex manages all aspects of the operation including SKU management, replenishment and picking.
LWS Reflex is a highly sophisticated Warehouse Management System, which optimises order picking, and enables orders to be fulfilled individually or batch picked, which increases pick rates and drives further efficiency into the operation.
New enhancements to LWS Reflex automatically diverts any order to an alternative picking zone should a pick location be put into audit, or a particular SKU become unavailable. This prevents any unnecessary build-up of orders within a picking zone, and ensures an even work load balance is maintained throughout the operation.
Logistex also deployed its new business intelligence suite Analytex. Analytex provides real time warehouse data in graphical easy to read detail. Managers can create, configure, customise and save their own reports giving unrivalled access to trends and historical data. Analytex delivers key information needed for continuous improvement in service and productivity.
Maritime Transport Ltd with SEC Storage
Thanks to a new pallet racking installation overcoming warehouse floor incompatibility, Maritime has increased capacity by up to 60%
Maritime needed to increase storage capacity at the Portside Logistics Centre, its 200,000 square feet port-centric warehouse in Tilbury. The company had been bulk-stacking pallets on the warehouse floor but wanted a design, which provided it with more storage and would also allow it increased operational efficiencies.
The existing warehouse floor was made up of 150 mm of asphalt over a load transfer mattress sitting on stone columns. Designed to take a uniform distributed load of 8,000 kg per square metre, this is ideal for the bulk stacking of pallets and containers.
However, when the installation of pallet racking was considered it presented a number of significant challenges. Unlike a warehouse slab made up of reinforced concrete designed to withstand the loads applied by a pallet racking system, an asphalt floor cannot support the point load of the racking with the feet just piercing the surface and potentially breaking up under the load.
The alternatives were a complete relocation for the company or to have the floor re-laid – both expensive and inconvenient.
SEC Storage worked closely with Maritime to come up with a design which overcame the constraints of the warehouse floor and improved operational requirements and the racking system has the capacity to store significantly more pallets than bulk stacking offered.
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